Nature Seek & Sort

Move & Learn
Science
ThinkingGrade SchoolKindergartnersPreschoolersToddlersNature
Outdoor
Scavenger Hunts
SortingLeave a Comment

Give your kids a mission to go find rocks, sticks or leaves outside, and you’ll have treasures given to you over and over again.

Kids love a good scavenger hunt.

This activity can turn a simple walk in nature into a hands-on sorting game that will get your kids moving, observing, and thinking.

Set out a few bowls to sort their findings into. Label them for things they might find in your area (think sticks, rocks, leaves, etc).

Then simply head out on a simple walk, or exploration in your backyard to start collecting!

As your child finds items, they can match and sort them in the bowls at your “sorting station”.

Its super simple, but kids love it.

Repeat with Different Nature Categories

You can do this activity over and over again with different categories. Change it up, have some fun!

Think of all the different types of categories you could sort into. Maybe not just be object. Think of the things your child is learning. If they’re learning colors, look for green, brown, gray, white, etc.

Or maybe sort by size or even texture (soft, rough).

Listen to what your child notices as they’re finding things and then do another round based on those.

Try Leaving the Sorting Open-Ended for your Child to Decide

Set out the bowls and just see how your child decides to sort the items.

They may see something you never would have thought of.

Maybe they’ll notice items being smooth versus bumpy. Or light vs dark.

Kids often see patterns that we might completely overlook.

Kids are learning how to sort and organize. They’re working on their observation skills and vocabulary development.

And bonus, they’re outside and moving around. It just feels like playing to them!