The next time the kids ask what they can do outside, send them on a backyard scavenger hunt. A leaf with a hole, a patch of shade or a trail of ants can give them something to look for right outside the door.
I’ve put together three hunts for ages 2–3, 4–6 and 7–10. Toddlers can point to things they recognise, younger kids can search for shapes and textures, and older kids can solve clues and sketch what they find.
Download the free printable and choose the page that suits your child. If siblings are playing together, give each child their own page and let them show each other what they discover.
Backyard Scavenger Hunt for Ages 2–3
Take a slow walk around the backyard together. Read one clue at a time and let your toddler point to what they find. On the printable, they can put a sticker on each picture as they go.
- Find a leaf.
- Find a rock.
- Find a stick.
- Find a plant pot.
- Find something green.
- Find something that moves.
- Find a flower.
- Find something yellow.
- Find something round.
- Find somewhere you can sit.
For the last clue, see what catches their eye. It might be a bird hopping on the lawn or a leaf fluttering in the wind. If they want to find the same thing twice, turn it into a little game. “You found a big leaf. Can you find a tiny one too?”
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Backyard Scavenger Hunt for Ages 4–6
Give your child a pencil and let them choose which clue to start with. They can tick each box on the printable and show you what they found.
- Find a leaf with a hole in it.
- Find something smaller than your thumb.
- Find two leaves with different shapes.
- Find something with a rough surface.
- Find something that moves in the breeze.
- Find a shadow you can stand in.
- Find a leaf longer than your finger.
- Find two things that are the same colour but feel different.
- Find something with spots or stripes.
- Stand still and listen. Can you work out where one sound is coming from?
If a clue is tricky, try looking at the same spot from a different angle. From standing up, a plant might look like a bunch of green leaves. Crouch down and you might spot a tiny hole or see that some leaves have pointy tips and others are rounded.
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Backyard Scavenger Hunt for Ages 7–10
Give your child the checklist and a pencil. For this hunt, ask them to sketch what they find or jot down a few words about it.
- Find a possible hiding place for an insect. What makes it a good hiding spot?
- Find a pattern in nature. Look at a leaf, a flower or a piece of bark and sketch the pattern you see.
- Find two plants with different leaf edges. Are the edges smooth, wavy or jagged?
- Find something that has changed over time. What clue tells you it changed? You might spot a fallen leaf that has curled up or a flower that has gone to seed.
- Find a place where rainwater might collect. What makes you think it would collect there?
- Find something that casts a shadow. Mark where the shadow ends now and predict where it will end later. Come back and see how close you were.
- Find two spots close together that feel different. Is one warmer, cooler or windier? What might explain the difference?
- Find a fallen leaf and try to match it to a plant. Compare its shape, edges and veins with the leaves still growing nearby.
- Find a plant growing somewhere unexpected. Look along a fence or between paving stones. How do you think it got there?
- Choose one thing you found and mark it on a simple map. Can someone else use your map to find it?
How to Play With Mixed Ages
If siblings are playing together, start in the same corner of the backyard and give each child a page that suits them. They can look at the same plant and find different things. A toddler might point to a green leaf, a younger sibling might find a hole in it, and an older child might sketch the pattern made by its veins.
If something on the list is hard to find in your backyard, let the kids make up a replacement clue for each other. A small patch of lawn or a few pots can give them plenty to work with.
Download the Free Backyard Scavenger Hunt Printable
The free PDF includes three pages, one for each age group. Choose the picture hunt for ages 2–3, the checklist for ages 4–6, or the clue sheet with room to write and sketch for ages 7–10. Print the page you need and take it outside with a pencil or a few stickers.
Let the Kids Make Their Own Hunt
Once the kids have had a turn following clues, let them make a mini hunt for someone else. Ask them to pick three things they can see and describe each one without giving away its name. A clue for a plant pot might be, “I’m round, I’m beside the back door, and something grows inside me.”
Toddlers can choose something for you to describe. Older kids can draw or write their clues, then hand them to a sibling or grown-up to solve.
