We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Scavenger Hunt

Activities
Literacy & ABCsReading
Scavenger Hunts2 Comments

Amber uses a classic children's book as the inspiration for an adaptable bear hunt scavenger hunt!

In our house, we love using books as inspiration for play. Books can inspire art projects, make-believe play, and even book-based STEM learning!

We love the classic children’s book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen. It’s a great one for inspiring activities and hands-on play.

Everyone loves to sing the song and play along as you read it, but we decided to take it a step further and turn it into a bear hunt scavenger hunt.

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Scavenger Hunt

Originally I wanted to do this activity outside, but then it was rainy. So we had a pj day and played it inside.

Keep on hunting with 32 more fun indoor/outdoor scavenger hunts!

First, we read and sang “We’re Going On a Bear Hunt.” When that was over I asked them, “Would YOU like to go on a bear hunt?”

We had previously made these “binoculars.” So we took those on our bear hunt.

Make your own Bear Hunt Binoculars with your kids!

I had set up a few stuffed animals on a path going up the stairs, down the hall, and leading to a stuffed bear. We sang the song as we walked.

“We’re going on a bear hunt, we’re gonna catch a big one, we’re not scared!”

And we walked around “discovering” the stuffed animals I’d set up.

Hunt & Discover Hands-On Fun Together

Different parts of the house we pretended were different obstacles. The tile floor was the swishy grass, the stairs were a mountain, etc.

“Oh no, a mountain! A great, tall mountain! Can’t go under it, can’t go around it, we’ll have to climb up it!”

Then after each “obstacle” was a stuffed animal, and we would declare, “That’s not a bear!” and keep on our little scavenger hunt.

The original idea was to pretend to be afraid of the bear at the end, but my 3-year-old was just delighted!

“It’s just my brown bear! I love my brown bear!”

I think even though it didn’t end as I had planned, we still had fun! And for something that took only about 1 minute to set up, I’d say it was worth it.

How have you turned a favorite book into a fun hands-on activity? Tell us your tricks and tips!