From local parks to great big forests, playing in open and sunny spaces is a summertime must for toddlers. Parks give little ones the opportunity to run around, jump about, play a sport, discover, and learn!
Walk, Find and Gather
What better way to explore nature’s wonders than a scavenger hunt? As your curious kiddo walks, observes, and collects little things they find in the wild, they can learn about what grows and thrives around them (with your guidance, of course!).
Gather your materials:
- A printed or hand-written sheet that includes the items your mini explorer needs to find in order to complete the scavenger hunt. This can include as little or as many items as you want, such as: a leaf, pine cone, rock, flower, ladybug, twig, grass, moss, mushroom, wild berries (taste-test excluded), and much more!
Next steps:
- Head over to a park of your choosing – the main thing is to make sure the spot you pick has the items your child needs to collect!
- Walk around, find a bucketful of little treasures, cross items off the list, and voila!
- Don’t forget to learn along the way! Throw in a lil’ explanation with each found item.
If you want to up the developmental factor, you can also put a sensory twist on this classic game! When making the list for the scavenger hunt, focus on color and texture instead of writing out the actual item. For example, ask your child to look for “Something green,” “Something yellow,” “Something red” and “Something soft,” “Something prickly,” or “Something wet.” This approach is sure to yield some creative results!