Keeping my kids busy during our camping trips used to feel like a chore. They would get bored quickly and just ask for snacks all day long. I decided that I needed to do a few changes. Bring toys, books, and even activities for them to do. One of the new things our family likes to do is our camping scavenger hunt. They can be so fun to go out and find new things but I decided to put my own little twist to it.
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THE CAMPING SCAVENGER HUNT
I had bought a few scavenger hunts before but after doing the same thing over and over again, it can get a little repetitive or boring to them. I decided to make it a little more interactive…. more educational!
I created this Camping Scavenger Hunt so that they learn about the environment around them. Some things may be easy to find while others may be a little more difficult but this keeps your kiddos on their toes and excited when they find those that are harder to find.
BUT WHAT IS IN THIS CAMPING SCAVENGER HUNT?!
This scavenger hunt has 4 different scavenger hunts in it perfect for various skill and age levels.
FINDING AND IDENTIFYING SCAVENGER HUNT
With this scavenger hunt you and your child will be able to explore around the campground searching for rocks, leaves, plants, and even animal tracks. There are multiple options. As you find these you will then classify them and write it on the scavenger hunt sheet. This doesn’t only get your child excited about finding them but also excited about learning about the items that they find. Note: I would laminate these two sheets together for a front and back.
CHECK IT OFF SIMPLE SCAVENGER HUNT
This scavenger hunt is a simple one consisting of a list of items for you and your kids to find around the campground. This one is also perfect for hiking trails and even for walks in the parks. Note: I would laminate this one by itself.
CIRCLE YOUR FINDS SCAVENGER HUNT
The last two scavenger hunts in this set include one for the campground and one for the campsite. These two have pictures for you to circle along with the name. This one is perfect for toddlers or kids who are just starting to learn how to read. They can go around the campsite finding these things like a flashlight, boots, or even a hat or they can go around the campground or on the trails finding trees, animals tracks, and more. Note: I would laminate these two sheets together for a front and back.
WHY MY KIDS LOVE THIS SCAVENGER HUNT!
My two girls are all about staying busy and doing all sorts of activities and games. When I created this they couldn’t wait to go out and use it. Literally begged me till I finally gathered up some books and took them outside to explore.
We decided to give it our first shot in our own backyard during one of our homeschool days. I figured this was the best way to have recces. We used the scavenger hunt that was to identify our finds. I had them collect leaves, sticks, rocks, and even search for animal tracks. Sometimes we are lucky to find some deer tracks but sadly we didn’t find any that day. We did find some leaves from the trees in our backyard and got to also identify some of the birds in our backyard. If you follow us on Instagram you will know that we do get a lot of bird friends in our backyard. Everything from woodpeckers to cardinals and many more.
Here is what we found and were able to identify:
- Cardinals
- Chickadees
- Doves
- Tufted Titmouse
- Rocks (unable to identify)
- Various leaves
- Small pieces of trash
- Squirrels
- Chipmunk
- Rollie Pollie aka Pill Bugs
- Earthworms
- Poison Ivy (know how to get rid of this? Yikes!)
- Virginia Creeper
- A snail
We were lucky to find many of these in our own backyard. Can you even imagine the things you could find at a campground? The possibilities are endless and so very exciting.
TIPS ON USING THE CAMPING SCAVENGER HUNT
Here are a few tips. Once you download the Camping Scavenger Hunt from our Resource Library you will need to print it out and then laminate it. I highly recommend laminating it cause this way you can write on it with a dry erase marker and reuse it on every camping trip. It will also be more durable in the outdoor environment. If you don’t have a laminator then I highly recommend using this Thermal Laminator along with these thermal laminating sheets. It comes very handy especially when doing activities such as these with them. Definitely bring some dry erase board spray to clean your sheets and a rag or paper towel for when you are finished.
BOOKS FOR CLASSIFYING YOUR SCAVENGER HUNT FINDS
In order to classify your finds I would highly recommend using a few books. These books include:
- 1,000 Things In Nature
- Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World
- The Tree Book
- First Nature Encyclopedia
You can also buy books specific to the local area that you will be camping at. These can be found at the gift shops at many campgrounds and parks.
Want to see a full list of items that we use for our printables and activities? Check out our Amazon Strorefront here and click under TWM Tribe – Resource Library Items for all of the items that I personally use to create these and use them outdoors with my little ones.
DOWNLOAD YOUR CAMPING SCAVENGER HUNT
Our Camping Scavenger Hunt is up for grabs in our Resource Library. This library is set up for TWM Tribe Members only. Don’t worry you don’t have to pay anything to become a member. All you have to do is subscribe here by entering your name and email and you will receive an email to your inbox with the link and password to access our library. Once you have access you will be able to print this Camping Scavenger Hunt along with other printables, activities, planners, packing guides, and much more. Every month you will receive access to at least one or two new items like this one that will be added to our Resource Library.
Want to see more activities and guides for kids? Check these out:
- Tips for Entertaining Kids During Camping Trips
- Baby Hiking Essentials (only for babies – 2 years of age and under)
- Healthy Snacks for Kids On The Go
- Must Haves When Hiking With Kids (for toddler age and up)
Follow our adventures on Instagram so you can stay up to date on upcoming travel adventures, tips, gear reviews, recipes and more. Don’t forget to share or pin to save it. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy your new scavenger hunt. Let us know how you like it in the comments below. What is the coolest thing you have ever found while camping? Would love to hear your stories.
