Backyard Scavenger Hunt with Free Printable

Looking for an activity to get your kids outside and active? Be sure to save the Backyard Scavenger Hunt picture and FREE printable to start exploring with this outdoor scavenger hunt for kids!

Warm days mean more time spent outdoors for my girls. But even after just a few minutes outside, I’m already hearing “What can we play? I’m bored!”

Oh, children, at ages four and six, you should not be bored!

I admit, I don’t like hearing those words, but they’re pretty easy to remedy at this age and one of our favorite ways to get active outside is by having a Backyard Scavenger Hunt! I’m always on the lookout for outdoor scavenger hunts for kids and this one is so simple and can be done just about anywhere – even in your own backyard!

The girls love to explore their surroundings, so I’m constantly coming up with little items for them to find. It’s all fine and dandy until we get on our 6th round of a backyard scavenger hunt and I can’t think of anything else for them to find.

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For that very reason I decided to come up with a full list of ideas that I could keep on my phone to keep them entertained while they explored their back yard.

I add items to our outdoor scavenger hunt for kids list like:

1. ants
2. yellow flowers
3. green leaves
4. rocks
5. pinecones
6. footprints
7. sticks
8. purple flowers
9. bird feathers

During most of our scavenger hunts, I use a list like this and just tell them what to find, changing up the color, shape, and number of items to find.

It’s convenient because I can pull it up on my phone for an impromptu back yard scavenger hunt, but sometimes they want something a little more organized and official.

That’s why I came up with this fun Back Yard Scavenger Hunt printable!

A scavenger hunt for kids is more than just a way to keep them busy.

Outdoor scavenger hunts promote:

• Understanding and exploring their surroundings.
• Literacy [when using a printable version that includes pictures and words]
• Accomplishment – I used easy to find objects so a child feels a sense of accomplishment when the outdoor scavenger hunt is completed.

This scavenger hunt printable is perfect for all ages because it contains words and pictures. This makes it a great option for little children who are just learning to read also!

[Click on the image for your own FREE printable back yard scavenger hunt PDF version].

To make this outdoor scavenger hunt for kids even more fun, be sure to print out your own FREE copy for every child. While I love the picture on my phone for quick hunts and games, the printable really gets them excited!

Back yard scavenger hunt supplies:

• Printable scavenger hunt
• Clipboard
• Marker or crayons

You’ll want to print 1 copy per child and then affix them to a clipboard for each child. Be sure to go over the list with your child so they understand what they are looking for in the scavenger hunt.

Scavenger hunts in your backyard are a great way to spend some time exploring the outdoors and interacting with your children.

You don’t have to have anything fancy, but I do find that when they have fun science exploring tools like this set, they get really excited to explore.

This back yard scavenger hunt can also be used just about anywhere! In your own back yard or print it and take it with you on a trip!

If you’re looking for an activity to get your kids outside and active, be sure to save the Back Yard Scavenger Hunt picture and printable to get your kids exploring!

And if your children love outdoor scavenger hunts, be sure to check out these other FREE printable scavenger hunts for kids!

• Beach Scavenger Hunt – Free Printable
• Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt
• Kids Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt
• Christmas Scavenger Hunt for Kids

This post was originally published in June 2016.