Nature Scavenger Hunts & Outdoor Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

A young child, wearing a pink dress, tends to small plants in a wooden garden bed. The scene is set in a lush, green outdoor environment.

No matter what our age, spending time in nature helps us feel calm and aware, as we notice and explore our surroundings! This article features fun ideas and resources to inspire you to enjoy outdoor activities with the little ones in your care.

Outdoor Activity Ideas

Tinkergarten, a network of leaders that brings families together in a natural place in their community for activities that encourage children to learn through nature, has a website filled with a variety of outdoor activity ideas, broken down by age group. Here are a couple of fun examples:

My Friend, the Tree. This activity is an invitation to explore trees with all 5 senses! Invite the children to help you find a tree that sparks their interest, and together get up close to touch the tree, notice its fragrance, and listen to the sound of the leaves! This activity is free, simple, requires no set-up or clean-up, and helps children to develop a connection with nature.

Petal Potions. With so much blooming in spring and summer, it’s the perfect time for kids to make petal potions with a splash of water and other natural materials found outside, such as leaves and flower petals. To make a potion, encourage children to search for leaves and petals to collect, combine, mash, stir into a jar of water, and shake! Ask them what kind of color, fragrance, and magic their potion has!

Nature Hunts More Ideas for Outdoor, Play-based Learning!

A nature hunt can take place during a walk around the block, or as an exploration in your own yard! Either way, a nature hunt encourages us to go outdoors and use all of our senses to discover the natural world that we live in.

The lists below can be used to guide your next outdoor adventure, or as inspiration to create your own scavenger hunt.

Sensory Spring Scavenger Hunt