Hobbies And Interests
Tailor Your Scavenger Hunt
Determine how many kids will participate. You can manage one or two on your own. Each child can have his own list of clues to find, with you assisting. If you have a group, as in a party, make sure you have help from other adults. Place the children in groups of at least two, with an adult to supervise each group. An indoor scavenger hunt may not require buddies or adult supervisors, but when playing outside, it is a good precaution against children getting lost.
Set the Boundaries of Space and Time
Choose your location -- in this case, a park or natural area -- and make sure the kids understand where the boundaries lie, including roads and off-limits areas. Within this perimeter, they will have a specified amount of time in which to collect clues. If the kids are young, keep the clues simple and easy to find during a short interval, say a half-hour to an hour. Older kids may have longer, even all day, depending on how long you make the list.
Choose the Clues
You can have the kids collect items or have them list, sketch or photograph them. Again, it depends on your time limits and the age of the kids. Younger kids are tactile, so let them collect items, as long as these aren't dangerous. Provide them with a bag or basket and a list of clues, such as a stick shaped like a letter, a heart-shaped pebble, a feather, something alive, something smooth, something rough. You may want your list to be more comprehensive, as well as interpretive, for older kids, so have them photograph, list or sketch the items on the list. For example, you may ask for a sign (such as a track or a half-eaten nut, or even a beaver dam) left by an animal, an animal's home (such as a nest, hole in a tree or beaver lodge), something natural that is red (a feather, flower or mushroom), something animal (an insect), something mineral (a pebble), something vegetable (a leaf), something an animal eats, a source of water, something beautiful. Use your imagination, and remember: If you host an indoor scavenger hunt, simply use man-made items instead of natural ones.
Discuss the Process
Allow each kid to explain her interpretation of items and ask questions. Use this opportunity to ignite the kids' interest in nature by discussing what they found and what each item represents. For example, if a kid finds an owl's feather, you could mention that this kind of bird has feathers that are hollow, which allows it to fly soundlessly so that it can surprise its prey. Then you can discuss the prey owls prefer. Discussions about nature will help children see a world that's beyond the television screen.