Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Ideas

158 look-only nature finds: pick where you are in the menu, press Pick 10 new finds, then print.

Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Ideas

TeamDate

  1. Look, listen and photograph. Every find stays where it is.
  2. Never feed or follow an animal. Watch from a distance.
  3. Keep to the path, and stay where your adult can see you.
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All 158
  1. A cattailThe sausage-shaped spike breaks up into cottony fluff when it is ripe.
  2. A fireflyFireflies are beetles. They flash, mostly at twilight, to find a mate. Watch them without catching them.
  3. A cicada shell clinging to barkThe empty skin a cicada climbed out of. It stays gripped to the trunk.
  4. A ladybugMost ladybugs eat aphids, which is why gardeners are glad to see them.
  5. Your own campsite with no trace of you on itThe last find of the trip: a photo of the site looking as it did before you came.
  6. A moth at a lightMost moths fly at night. Look for feathery antennae.
  7. Duckweed: green dots floating on still waterEach dot is a whole floating plant. It grows on still or slow-moving fresh water.
  8. A tree too wide to hugTwo teammates linking arms around it is allowed, and makes a good photo.
  9. Something that smells of pineFallen needles warmed by the sun are enough. No need to break anything.
  10. A bird's nest, seen from belowLook from the ground and move on. Nests and eggs are protected along with the birds.

Next step More finds at the water's edgeFinds for the walk to the park

All 158 finds

Woods and trails 51

  • A baby tree shorter than your shoe Look near a big tree of the same kind. Step around it.
  • A berry ripening on a bush, left for the birds Look, do not taste. Many wild berries are not for people.
  • A bird you can hear but cannot see Everyone points to where they think it is. Count how many directions you get.
  • A bird's nest, seen from below Look from the ground and move on. Nests and eggs are protected along with the birds.
  • A bundle of pine needles: count them Pine needles grow in bundles, generally of two to five. Count one that has already fallen.
  • A cairn: a stack of stones marking a route Cairns mark trails where there are no trees to paint. Do not build one or add to one.
  • A caterpillar Look under chewed leaves, and look only.
  • A cicada shell clinging to bark The empty skin a cicada climbed out of. It stays gripped to the trunk.
  • A curled fern tip A young frond that has not opened yet is called a fiddlehead or a crozier.
  • A cushion of moss Press it with one finger, like a pillow. Leave it where it grows.
  • A dead tree still standing Look for woodpecker holes and fungus on it, from a safe distance.
  • A fallen log with something living on it Moss, fungus, a beetle, a seedling. Look without rolling the log.
  • A feather on the ground Photograph it where it lies. A US law protects most wild birds' feathers along with the birds, so it stays put.
  • A fern with dots under the frond The dots are sori, which hold spores. Ferns have no flowers and no seeds.
  • A hole in a tree trunk A woodpecker hole or a rotted knot. Look from the path, because somebody may live there.
  • A leaf bigger than your hand Hold your hand beside it for the photo. The leaf stays on the plant.
  • A leaf smaller than your thumbnail Whole leaves only. A torn piece does not count.
  • A leaf that crunches and a leaf that bends Both already on the ground.
  • A leaf that has been chewed Holes, scalloped edges or a wiggly tunnel inside the leaf. Find the eater for extra glory.
  • A mushroom or a shelf fungus Look and photograph. Nobody touches or tastes a wild mushroom.
  • A nibbled cone or nutshell Proof that somebody ate here. Jays and squirrels both hoard acorns for later.
  • A paint blaze marking the trail A painted rectangle on a tree. In the US they are usually white, red, blue or yellow.
  • A pine cone Cones open when they are dry and close when they are wet, so a tight cone can mean recent rain.
  • A plant with leaves in threes, seen from a step back 'Leaves of three, let it be' is the rhyme for poison ivy. Point. Do not touch.
  • A round gall on an oak twig or leaf A gall wasp made the tree grow it. They are often called oak apples.
  • A seed that sticks to your sock Burs like these, caught in a dog's fur, gave an engineer the idea for hook-and-loop fasteners in 1941.
  • A seed with a wing Maple and ash seeds spin as they fall, which is why people call them helicopters or whirlybirds.
  • A spider web between two plants Low morning light shows them up. Leave it whole.
  • A squirrel Watch from a distance. No feeding and no following.
  • A squirrel nest high in a tree A ball of leaves and twigs in a fork, called a drey. They are easiest to see when the branches are bare.
  • A trail sign with a distance on it Read it aloud and guess how many minutes that is on foot.
  • A tree root crossing the path Step over it. A root in a trail is a find and a trip hazard.
  • A tree stump with rings you can count Many trees add one ring a year. Wide rings were good years and narrow rings were dry ones.
  • A tree that has dropped something today Petals, seeds, leaves, twigs or fruit, fresh on the ground beneath it.
  • A tree too wide to hug Two teammates linking arms around it is allowed, and makes a good photo.
  • A tree with peeling or papery bark Look and photograph. The bark stays on the tree.
  • A woodpecker drumming A fast, hollow knocking. Finding the bird itself is a bonus.
  • A Y-shaped stick On the ground, where it stays. Hold it up for the photo, then put it back.
  • An acorn still wearing its cap Only oaks make acorns. The cap has its own name: the cupule.
  • Animal tracks in mud Photograph them next to your shoe for scale.
  • Dead wood on the ground that snaps by hand The campers' test for firewood: down, dead and breakable by hand. Check the campground's own rule before burning any.
  • Five different bird sounds Count on your fingers. Nobody has to name the birds.
  • Lichen on bark or rock A lichen is two living things in one: a fungus with algae living inside it.
  • Small round holes drilled in bark Sapsuckers, a kind of woodpecker, drill holes for sap and eat the insects that come to it.
  • Something a bird would eat Berries, seeds, a worm, a beetle. Point to it. Never feed it to the bird yourself.
  • Something rough and something smooth Bark and a river stone are the classic pair. Touch, then leave both where they are.
  • Something that smells of pine Fallen needles warmed by the sun are enough. No need to break anything.
  • Sticky sap on a trunk Look and sniff, and keep it off your sleeves.
  • Three kinds of leaf Different shapes, not different sizes. Point to them on the tree or photograph them on the ground.
  • Two blazes stacked on one tree On many US trails two blazes, one above the other, warn of a turn.
  • Wind you can hear in the leaves Stand under the tree and close your eyes.

Park 33

  • A bee on a flower Look at the back legs. Honey bees and bumblebees carry pollen there in a packed pellet.
  • A bird feeder or a bird bath Wait one quiet minute and see who comes.
  • A blob of white foam on a plant Often called cuckoo spit. A young froghopper is hiding inside.
  • A bridge or a set of stepping stones Cross only where the path crosses.
  • A butterfly Butterfly antennae end in small clubs, and most butterflies fold their wings up when they rest.
  • A cloud shaped like something The whole team has to agree on what it is.
  • A dandelion in flower The name comes from the French for lion's tooth, after the jagged leaves.
  • A dandelion seed head Sometimes called a clock. Each seed hangs from its own parachute.
  • A desire path: a track worn by feet across grass Look where people cut a corner. Then take the real path, which is the durable one.
  • A duck with its tail in the air Watch from the bank. It is feeding itself, which is how it should be.
  • A flower growing in mown grass Low enough to duck the mower. Photograph it and leave it for the bees.
  • A flower the color of your shirt Stand beside it for the photo.
  • A flower with exactly five petals Count twice.
  • A grasshopper Walk slowly through long grass at the edge of a path and watch what jumps.
  • A ladybug Most ladybugs eat aphids, which is why gardeners are glad to see them.
  • A molehill or another animal's digging Fresh soil in a heap, or a small scrape in the turf.
  • A park sign with a map or the rules Read one rule aloud. Make it the first find, because it tells you where you may walk.
  • A patch of clover Clover usually has three leaflets. A four-leaf one turns up now and then and is counted as lucky.
  • A piece of litter that is not yours, packed out The one thing on this list you do pick up, with an adult's say-so and never anything sharp. Pack it in, pack it out.
  • A pigeon, a duck or a goose Watch, do not feed. Feeding changes how wild animals behave and can harm their health.
  • A plant growing from a crack in a wall or a path Nobody planted it. Work out how the seed got there.
  • A seed pod or a seed case A pea-like pod, a spiky case or a papery lantern. Check under trees for last season's.
  • A trail map with a 'you are here' mark Trace today's route with a finger before you set off.
  • A tree in flower or in fruit Blossom, catkins, berries, nuts or cones all count.
  • A tree with a name tag Many parks and arboretums label their trees. Read the name aloud.
  • A worm cast on a lawn A small coil of soil left on the surface. The worm is somewhere below it.
  • An ant trail Follow the line with your eyes to find where it starts and where it ends.
  • Bird droppings under a favorite perch Look up. The perch, and maybe the bird, is right above.
  • Grass that has gone to seed Feathery tops at the edge of a field or a path.
  • The longest shadow you can find Pace it out heel to toe. Early and late in the day give the longest ones.
  • One bird on the ground and one on a branch Both in sight at the same moment.
  • The smell of cut grass Follow the sound of a mower, at a distance.
  • Something warm from the sun and something cool in shade Two stones, two benches or two patches of ground.

Garden and yard 21

  • A buzz you can trace to its owner Follow the sound with your eyes, not your hands.
  • A climbing plant and the thing it climbs A fence, a trellis, a drainpipe or another plant.
  • A compost heap or a leaf pile Warm, damp and busy. Look at the edge without digging in.
  • A flower taller than you Sunflowers and hollyhocks are the usual winners. Stand beside it for the photo.
  • A fly dressed as a wasp Hoverflies mimic wasps and bees but are harmless to people. They hang in the air over flowers.
  • A herb with a square stem Mint, basil, sage and lavender belong to one family, and many of its plants have square stems.
  • A herb you can name by its smell In your own garden, rub one leaf between finger and thumb. Mint, rosemary and thyme are the easy ones.
  • A moth resting on a wall or a fence Moths usually rest with their wings spread, and many have feathery antennae. The rule has exceptions.
  • A roly-poly under a flowerpot Pill bugs are crustaceans, not insects, and can roll into a ball. Put the pot back as it was.
  • A seed head left standing Sunflowers, coneflowers and grasses. Watch for a bird picking at one.
  • A snail, or the silver trail it left Follow the trail to find the owner.
  • A spider sitting in its web Usually at the center or tucked in a corner with one leg on a thread.
  • A spider web in a flashlight beam Hold the light to one side and the threads shine.
  • A sprinkler, a hose or a watering can at work Look for who turns up for a drink: birds, bees, wasps.
  • A vegetable or a fruit still growing On the plant, not in the kitchen. It stays there until the gardener says so.
  • A worm on damp soil Easiest after rain. Watch it, then let it go back underground.
  • Aphids on a stem or under a leaf Tiny soft insects in a cluster. Ladybugs eat them, and so do the larvae of many hoverflies.
  • One flower closed up tight and one wide open On the same plant if you can.
  • One flower with a scent and one with none Lean in. Noses do not pick flowers.
  • One plant a gardener chose and one that planted itself Say which is which, and how you know.
  • The softest leaf you can find Lamb's ear in a garden is hard to beat. One gentle stroke, then leave it.

Pond and creek 16

  • A cattail The sausage-shaped spike breaks up into cottony fluff when it is ripe.
  • A dragonfly or a damselfly At rest, a damselfly folds its wings along its body. A dragonfly holds them out flat.
  • A fish, or the ring a fish left Stand still where the bank is firm and watch for one full minute.
  • A frog, a toad or a tadpole Look from the bank and keep hands to yourselves.
  • A long-legged wading bird A heron or an egret standing still in the shallows. Watch from a distance and do not approach.
  • A plant growing with its feet in the water Reeds, rushes, irises or a tree with wet roots.
  • A stone made smooth by water Feel it, then put it back where it was.
  • A tree reflected in the water Still water, low sun. Turn the photo upside down and see who notices.
  • A turtle sunning on a log Move slowly. They drop into the water at the first sudden step.
  • A water strider skating on the surface Surface tension and water-repellent legs hold it up. Some people call it a pond skater.
  • An empty shell at the water's edge A snail or a mussel. Photograph it and leave it, because something else may move in.
  • Bubbles rising with nobody near them Watch a still patch of pond. Argue about what is down there.
  • Duckweed: green dots floating on still water Each dot is a whole floating plant. It grows on still or slow-moving fresh water.
  • Mud that squelches Boots on, at the edge of a path. One step is enough.
  • Something floating downstream A leaf, a twig or a petal that was already in the water. Time it between two points on the bank.
  • The sound of moving water Close your eyes for ten seconds and point to where it comes from.

At the campsite 17

  • A campsite number post Find your own, then the highest number you can see from the road.
  • A durable surface: rock, gravel, sand or dry grass Ground that does not wear out under boots and tents. A maintained trail and a marked campsite count too.
  • A fire ring that was already here Where fires are allowed, use a ring that is already there and never build a new one.
  • A food locker or an animal-proof trash can Where the campground wants food and trash kept. Read the sign on it.
  • A glowing ember, from a safe step back In your own fire ring, with an adult beside it.
  • A knot somebody tied well On your own tent, tarp or clothesline. Name the knot if you can.
  • A notice board or a camp host sign Read today's notice. It may name animals seen this week.
  • A roasting fork, or a stick that was already down and dead Nothing is cut from a living tree for a marshmallow.
  • A sitting log or a sitting rock Already in place and already flat. Nothing gets moved to make a seat.
  • A small animal eyeing your picnic table A chipmunk, a squirrel or a bold bird. Guard the snacks and never feed it.
  • A tent spot that is bare and already used Already-used ground is the durable choice, which is why campgrounds mark their sites.
  • A tent that is a different color from yours Spot it from your own site. Other people's campsites are their living rooms.
  • A water spigot or a pump Fill a bottle while you are there.
  • The Big Dipper Seven stars, part of the Great Bear.
  • Campfire smoke showing which way the wind blows From your own fire ring, or one you can see from your site.
  • The North Star, found from the Big Dipper Take the two stars at the end of the Dipper's bowl and follow their line about five times the gap between them.
  • Your own campsite with no trace of you on it The last find of the trip: a photo of the site looking as it did before you came.

Summer 10

  • A bird taking a bath, in water or in dust A puddle, a bird bath or a dry patch of soil. Keep still and keep back.
  • A cicada singing Only the males sing, using drum-like organs called tymbals.
  • A cricket chirping Males chirp by rubbing one front wing on the other, and they chirp faster when it is warmer.
  • A firefly Fireflies are beetles. They flash, mostly at twilight, to find a mate. Watch them without catching them.
  • A moth at a light Most moths fly at night. Look for feathery antennae.
  • A patch of shade cool enough to feel Step from sun to shade with your eyes shut and say when you cross the line.
  • An insect resting in the shade Under a leaf, under a bench or on the cool side of a wall.
  • Bare feet on grass On your own lawn or a mown park lawn. Check the clover for bees first.
  • The smell of rain on dry ground The smell has a name, petrichor, coined in 1964.
  • Your team's shadows at midday Photograph them around the middle of the day, when they are at their shortest.

After dark 8

  • A bat at dusk Look up against the last light in the sky. The team has to agree it was not a bird.
  • A light crossing the stars A plane blinks. Anything steady and moving is worth an argument.
  • An owl or another night bird, heard Stand still and stay quiet for two minutes. Hearing counts as finding.
  • The moon, and the shape it is tonight Draw the shape in the air with a finger so the team agrees.
  • The steadiest light in the sky Compare a few. Some twinkle hard and some hardly at all.
  • Three different night sounds Lights off, one minute, count on your fingers.
  • Two eyes shining back in a flashlight beam Spot it and leave it be. Never follow or approach a wild animal.
  • Your own shadow made by moonlight It takes a bright moon and no lamps nearby.

Listen, smell, touch 2

  • A place quiet enough to hear your own breathing Harder than it sounds. Try early in the morning.
  • An echo One clap is enough. Other visitors came for the quiet.

How it works

Woods, park, garden, pond or campsite: pick where you stand outside and these outdoor scavenger hunt ideas narrow to it. All 158 nature finds are looked at, heard or photographed, then left where they are.

Read the full guide

Nature scavenger hunt ideas, sorted by place

The All finds menu sorts by place: Woods and trails holds 51, Park 55, Garden and yard 43, Pond and creek 20. Summer scavenger hunt ideas have their own group, Summer, for a firefly or a cicada shell. At the campsite and After dark hold a fire ring that was already here or the North Star found from the Big Dipper. A campground has its own hunt. Pick 10 new finds deals ten.

Look, photograph, leave it

Nothing is collected: a find is pointed out or photographed. The three printed rules follow the Leave No Trace Seven Principles as the National Park Service publishes them: natural objects stay put, animals are never fed, wildlife is watched from a distance.

  • With small kids, pick Listen, smell, touch: mud that squelches needs no reading.
  • No park nearby? Garden and yard works on a balcony: a bee on a flower, an ant trail.

Questions and answers

Why can we not collect what we find?

The next family wants to find it too, and some of it is protected. In the US, a federal law covers most wild birds' feathers, nests and eggs, so even a feather on the ground stays there. The one thing to pick up is litter.

Is there a printable outdoor scavenger hunt PDF?

Press Print and choose Save as PDF in the print dialog: the sheet has a box per find and the three rules. Pick Woods and trails first for a printable nature scavenger hunt PDF; any other place makes an outdoor scavenger hunt list for it.

How do you spot poison ivy on a hike?

By the rhyme 'leaves of three, let it be', which is printed under the find. Poison ivy is on the list only to point at from a step back. Teach the rhyme before the hunt starts and keep to the path.

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