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What Treasures Can You Find?

A Nature Treasure Hunt for Kids of All Ages

Help your kids connect with nature and put smiles on their faces by going on a Nature Treasure Hunt!

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Photo © Ellen Banner.

Treasure Hunt

An increasing number of studies say that kids who play outside are happier, healthier and smarter. Help your kids connect with nature and put smiles on their faces by going on a Nature Treasure Hunt!

Do this easy treasure hunt in your own backyard, in a nearby park or at a Nature Conservancy preserve near you…wherever you like to be in the great outdoors! This Nature Treasure Hunt offers two hunts: one for ages 4-7 and another for ages 8-10.

It's also kid-tested and produced with help from David Sobel, author of Wild Play: Parenting Adventures in the Great Outdoors and Susie Spikol, teacher-naturalist at the Harris Center for Conservation Education.

What treasures will your family find in nature?

Download the Nature Treasure Hunt » (PDF, 1.4 mb)

Tell Us: How'd You Do?

Parents, once your family is done with the Nature Treasure Hunt, let us know how it went through the form below. Do you have any tips for fellow family adventurers on where you found items? Did your kids find something surprising or unusual?

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What Others Have Said

Submitted by Chris November 23, 2012	nature
Submitted by Boo BOO November 20, 2012	THIS is called a treasure hunt please i"ll show you a picture of one of them.not really who ever illustrated this site is not what i'm looking for please can you please take this off and put what is really that should be needed for people.I'm like guys please just please do IT RIGHT NOW!!!
Submitted by NichoT September 11, 2012	We loved the treasure hunt - even the older kids got into it! Found everything on the list and keep looking out for those things on other walks now as well
Submitted by nmebonaire August 2, 2012	I started to use this too - love it! Easy and all so all around us
Submitted by grandmac. June 10, 2012	My granddaughter and I are planning a summer full of adventures, treasure hunts, and fairie tea parties in the woods near our home. We are lucky to have swans, owls, deer, and many other animals to spy on. Thanks for the Nature Hunt Ideas!
Submitted by cami April 23, 2012	my kids love treasure hunts it was awesome
Submitted by Rachna November 17, 2011	comment
Submitted by thieted October 27, 2011	thank you!
Submitted by PA October 25, 2011	Grandson (5) and I did the hunt in the woods behind my home. Started out following the list, but got diverted by everything else: rocks, water, nuts, leaf color, bugs, etc. A great excuse to get in the woods and a WONDERFUL hour and a half experience with him.
Submitted by Ana September 23, 2011	My niece (age 6) and daughter (7) LOVED it! (and I did, too!)
Submitted by 4th graders September 5, 2011	It was a good experience too look in nature. Making my own tool was fantastic to do. Searching for the hunt made it feel fun too." - 4th Grader from Ms. Horbin's class at Paradise Education Center. Thank you Ms. Horbin and Sydney Smith for sharing this with the 4th grade class! looks like they all had a great experience!
Submitted by Titus September 5, 2011	"I learned that nature is pretty cool. I can see cool bugs and find cool rocks. I learned also that the Grand Canyon was built by water." - Titus, from Paradise Education Center; Surprise, AZ
Submitted by Payton September 5, 2011	"I liked the scavenger hunt because... I liked exploring and discovering my back yard. I especially liked building the fairy house and spying on the bug. The type of bug I spied on was a rolly polly. I found a bird and fed it. I explored and learned that theres more animals to discover than just the ones you think about. I think it was really super fun and exciting." - Payton from Paradise Education Center; Surprise, AZ
Submitted by Jackson September 5, 2011	" I learned when you spy on an ant it will just walk around. I felt scientific" -Jackson from Paradise Education Center; Surprise, AZ
Submitted by Dusty August 31, 2011	We did this in our yard this week, and both of my children had a great time! I blogged about it here: http://reachtothemoonandback.blogspot.com/2011/08/nature-explorers.html Thanks for the resource!
Submitted by Pumpkin Patch August 19, 2011	We had a mommy-son night last night. My four year old son had a lot of fun with this hunt as we explored our backyard. He enjoyed watching the turtles in the pond the most. We also found a broken up turtle nest and a red tail hawk feather. I took pictures as we completed each step and posted the hunt for our family and friends to enjoy! A very fun adventure!
Submitted by susan August 9, 2011	can't seem to download the pdf. is there another url? would like to do this with my granddaughter
Submitted by The Harvey's Adventure August 3, 2011	Ryan and Jake built fairy houses using bark for roofs and moss for the floors. They used magnifying lenses to observe a banana slug. Decaying logs provided a variety of insects to be observed also. Their adventure took place on a nature trail in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains near Nevada City, California.
Submitted by Nature Jack Marine August 2, 2011	I am very excited to have found this on the web search. I will be giving this to inner city children from a day camp in Philadelphia as we wander and explore the trails at The John Heinz Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum Marsh.
Submitted by Vanessa August 1, 2011	This was absolutely wonderful!! We liked doing the fairy house the best. What an awesome way to spend the morning. :)
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