How to use this list
Pick one list, adapt it to your location and season, and decide how you will keep score. Many groups use a check-off sheet, a photo hunt on a phone, or a simple bag for fallen items only. For more on formats and variations, see nature scavenger hunt ideas.
Basic nature list
Items to find that are common in most parks and yards:
- A fallen leaf with a smooth edge and one with a jagged edge
- A pinecone, acorn or seed pod
- A feather, if you happen to see one on the ground
- Something smooth and something rough
- A rock with a stripe or sparkle
- A twig that looks like a letter
- Something that is round
- A spider web, an ant trail or other insect sign, observed but not touched
- A flower, photographed rather than picked
- Moss or lichen
Color and shape list
- Something red, yellow, blue and green
- Something with a pattern of spots or stripes
- A triangle, a circle and a rectangle
- Something shiny
- Three different shades of green
Sound and senses list
Stop and listen for a minute, and write down or tick:
- A bird call
- Running water or wind
- Something crunching under your feet
- A smell that you like, such as pine, damp soil or a flower
- Something soft to touch, such as a leaf or moss, using care around plants you cannot identify
Trail and hike list
For walks on marked trails:
- A trail marker or sign
- A bridge, boardwalk or stepping stones
- A view point
- An animal track in mud or sand
- A tree with a hollow, or a fallen log with new plants growing on it
- Something that shows the season, such as buds, blossoms, fall leaves or frost
Challenge list for older kids and adults
- A tree you can name, with a reason you identified it
- Three kinds of leaves from different plants
- Evidence of an animal, such as a chewed cone or a burrow, photographed from a distance
- A sketch of a plant or landscape feature
- A spot with a clear view of the horizon
Urban and backyard list
- A weed growing through a crack
- A bird on a wire or branch
- A shadow with an interesting shape
- A flower or tree that is not native to your area, if you know
- A place where water collects after rain
Tips for running the hunt
- Set the rules before you start. State the boundaries, time limit and what counts as “found”.
- Take photos, not plants. Photographing keeps places intact and works for hunts in parks that ask you not to remove anything.
- Match difficulty to age. Preschoolers do well with pictures and colors, while older children can handle riddles and descriptions.
- Pair people up. A buddy keeps everyone in sight and makes the hunt more social.
- Keep it safe. Avoid touching plants or fungi you cannot identify, and keep clear of nests, hives and water edges.
After the hunt
Ask each person to share their favorite find. If you collected fallen items, decide together what to leave behind. Our guide to things to collect in nature can help with that, and our list of outdoor nature games has follow-up activities.