Most kids are bursting with energy all year long, but at least in the summer months you can make sure they burn up lots of it by heading outdoors and getting plenty of fresh air at the same time. And so you don’t run out of things to do, Soreen is always on the lookout for different ways to help Mums and Dads keep kids amused, active and happy. Our latest suggestion is a Scavenger Hunt and we hope you’ll love the idea as much as we do.
Just in case you’re not sure what one is, a Scavenger Hunt is basically a trip to the local park, woodland or area of natural beauty, to find, observe and collect a whole list of fascinating and interesting stuff. You prepare this list before the Hunt and with our help you can make it as varied and challenging as you like. It’s a good idea to pack some healthy snacks too to keep your little ones full of energy – fresh fruit and our lunchbox loaves always go down well.
Kids have a natural urge to explore and always delight in discovering things for themselves and a Scavenger Hunt lets them do this in the most exciting hands-on way. It’s also simple to organise and won’t cost you a penny. So if you like the sound of it, here are a few ideas for your hunt.
Making the list
The sort of list you make depends to some extent on the age of the kids on your Scavenger Hunt and the area in which it’s happening. But as a general guide, here’s a complete brain dump of things that could go on it….
different colour & shape wild flowers/ leaves from 3 different trees/ a pine cone/ a dead tree with a hole in it/ animal tracks/ a stream/ a y-shaped twig/ a clover leaf/ fungus on a tree/ acorn or other nuts/ wild berries/ a bird’s feather/a multi-coloured rock/a bird’s nest/ a squirrel/ a butterfly/ a snail/ a spider’s web/ a rabbit burrow!!
Things to take along
Try and give every child a copy of the list so they can check items off themselves. A small notebook or sketching pad is also a good idea so they can write down and draw pictures of anything interesting. An empty plastic container for holding leaves, pinecones and other collectibles will also add to the fun. Plus, having something to take home after the hunt always goes down well.
Collect points as well as stuff
If there are enough of you, divide up into teams and award points for things seen and found. The winning team is the one with the most points. Oh and don’t forget, the rarer the find the higher the points, so for instance two points for a dog’s paw tracks, four points for rabbit tracks and ten points for deer tracks.
Theme it and make it even more interesting
You could have a ‘touchy feely’ Scavenger Hunt based around feeling tree bark, wet mud, rotten wood and prickly plants, or a ‘natural smells’ hunt where the kids can sniff the different aromas, like freshly cut grass, flowers and pine cones.
Put together a keepsake
After the Scavenger Hunt the kids will enjoy making a scrapbook of their day, including pictures they’ve drawn, alongside stuck down samples of twigs, leaves, pressed flowers and similar.
Health & Safety
We know you’ll keep an eye on your kids, so we won’t tell you the obvious. But because of the nature of a Scavenger Hunt, take extra care near streams and rivers and warn the little ones against eating berries, mushrooms and anything else they find.
So there you go, the hunt is on, or soon could be. Grab a piece of paper and your bagful of deliciously squidgy energy… oh and don’t forget your little explorers!
