27 May 2009
My kids don't always wake up each morning and race out the door to play in the fresh air and tall, green grass. Even though our backyard can be filled with all kinds of adventures and cool things to discover, my children aren't always eager to go out. Some days, I have to give them a little push. A little direction on my part can drum up excitement for what lies just outside our door.
One of my favorite ways to get my children busy exploring their backyard habitat is to send them on a scavenger hunt. By giving them just a few items to search for around our yard, I find that they will quickly discover much more than what is on "the list." It is a great way to start an outdoor adventure.
I’ve made a printable scavenger hunt list to get you started, but you can also make your own to fit the region or the habitat you will be exploring. Send your children out with any "tools" you think they might need -- a clipboard, pencils, a basket or bucket for collecting, a magnifying glass. Before you know it they'll be discovering all kinds of natural treasures in their own back yard.
Green Hour also has a nature scavenger hunt you can dowload. Have fun outside!
On her blog MommyCoddle, Molly Balint tells stories about her life with her husband in a fixer-upper farmhouse in rural Maryland, raising three little girls, a clutch of chickens, and a litter of barn cats that have made their home on her front porch. She believes there is beauty in the everyday, that moments in the outdoors with her children stir creativity, curiosity and wonder. And that every child has an innate desire to know their natural surroundings. |
