With winter in full swing, it’s the perfect time to get out and explore nature with your kids. This printable winter nature scavenger hunt will help your kids engage with the world around them.
Because this scavenger hunt idea for kids contains both word and picture clues, kids of all ages can participate.
Kids can pair up or work individually to find all of the items on this list.
I love finding new ways to encourage my kids to get outside and connect with nature. Scavenger hunts are a great reason to get outdoors this time of the year.
Winter Nature Scavenger Hunt
Most kids I know love exploring nature. Those who don’t will usually enjoy it with a purpose. That’s where a scavenger hunt can come in handy.
Many kids these days would rather stay inside and play video games or watch television especially on a cold winter day. They may be reluctant to go outside because “there’s nothing to do” or “it’s too cold”.
Give your kids something to do! Print out this fun nature scavenger hunt, and go exploring.
HOW TO PLAN A SCAVENGER HUNT FOR YOUR KIDS
Print one copy of the winter scavenger hunt for each child or team participating.
You can laminate the page and use dry erase markers if you’d like to make the page reusable.
This winter scavenger hunt is perfect for all ages. Older kids can search for the items individually and race to be the first one to find everything on the list.
Younger kids can pair up with a buddy who can help them identify all of the objects and read the item descriptions.
If you’d like, bring along a small backpack to collect all of the objects they find. Add them to your nature table when you get back home.
HOW ELSE CAN YOU USE THIS SCAVENGER HUNT?
You can use this scavenger hunt as a springboard for more nature study with your kids.
On this page, kids are encouraged to search for pinecones. Have them gather a few, and then bring them home to make a snowman craft.
Take a black piece of paper and a magnifying glass to catch and observe snowflakes. Then, have your kids help you create a fun snowflake sensory bottle.
After seeing some birds outdoors, teach your kids about the life cycle of a bird.
Explore pine needles and evergreen trees with this set of worksheets designed to teach the life cycle of a pine tree.
After getting a peek at some squirrels scampering in the trees, kids can enjoy these squirrel cut and paste worksheets.
MORE SCAVENGER HUNTS
- Bedroom scavenger hunt (perfect for cold winter days)
- Forest scavenger hunt
- ABC nature scavenger hunt
- Number scavenger hunt (another indoor scavenger hunt)
BOOKS ABOUT Nature
Fill your book basket with a great collection of books about nature. Most of these books can be found at your local library or used bookstore.
If you have a hard time finding them, you can order them through my Amazon affiliate links by clicking the images below.
• Exploring Nature: Activity Book for Kids – Encourage young nature lovers to get outside and track, explore, discover, and create. This book is filled with hands-on, educational outdoor activities that kids will love to learn from, like crafting bird feeders out of fruit, pressing flowers, or creating sundials.
• Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt – Up in the garden, the world is full of green—leaves and sprouts, growing vegetables, ripening fruit. But down in the dirt there is a busy world of earthworms digging, snakes hunting, skunks burrowing, and all the other animals that make a garden their home.
• Curious Kids Nature Guide – Curious Kids Nature Guide is filled with full-color illustrations and fun facts about the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest, encouraging kids to discover and explore nature in their own backyards and beyond.
