We’re going on a nature hunt!

Whether your child is a would-be adventurer, detective, or a park ranger then this is the activity for them. As they go out hunting for interesting items in nature, they can look for clues about what has been happening. Are there animal tracks they can follow or signs that plants are changing with the season? Your child will learn to appreciate the natural world and look for beauty and wonder around them.

What do I need?

• Paper and crayons
• A bag, box or basket for collecting treasures
• Magnifying glass
• Camera (optional).

How do I do it?

1. Ask your child what they might find on their nature hunt. (This teaches them prediction skills.)
2. Go outside and look for these things and more! Talk about the colours, shapes and parts of the treasures they find – the parts of a flower, the colours in tree bark…
3. Ask them to look for clues about what has been happening in nature – fallen leaves, a hole in the ground…
4. Look and discuss the different textures of the things they find. Use the paper and crayons to take rubbings of rocks, leaves, tree bark – anything they like. Talk about the different textures and how they feel when you touch them.
5. When you get home, ask your child to sort the treasures they’ve collected. Talk about why they sorted them that way. Are there other ways to sort them, as well?

No-one knows your child better than you.  So, choose and/or adapt ideas here to best suit you and your child. Remember it’s the talking and time spent together that matters most.