One of my most fond memories from my childhood was going on bushwalk adventures and collecting all different kinds of ‘treasure’ along the way and then sharing these with my parents and friends. Not only was this a great way to connect with nature, but it also built those close connections I still have with my family and friends today!
You don’t necessarily need the outdoors either – indoor scavenger hunting will keep the kids busy on those rainy days, especially with the holidays coming up! In a more structured sense, scavenger hunting is not only a fun play idea for your child, but it also has some hidden benefits that children can embrace along the way.
Social Skills
Making a scavenger hunt a group activity is a great way to help your child play with other children and practice using concepts such as keeping their body in the group, following the group plan, and using their thinking eyes. It also allows them to make some close friends along the way.
Sensory Regulation
Scavenger hunts can provide the perfect play activity for kids to enhance their sensory development – whether it be simply exploring and becoming aware of their different senses or as part of a sensory diet to help keep your child regulated. For example, finding something green and soft, something wet and cold, or something fast and noisy. Using sight, smell, sound, and touch make for an awesome Sensory treasure hunt!
Mind and Body Exercise
Giving your child a Scavenger Hunt checklist (visual, written or verbal format) for them to go through and collect items to tick off is an enjoyable way of working on executive functioning such as sequencing, organising and reinforcing problem-solving skills. Scavenger hunting can also be a good exercise for the body, particularly those kiddos who are inseparable from their screens! You can incorporate clues that get kids moving in different ways, e.g. skipping, jumping, hopping from one point to another. Remember, you can get as creative as you like with this – Get those legs moving!
Connecting With Nature
If your kids are bouncing off the walls, then take the scavenger hunting outdoors and let them explore the natural wonders of our fantastic backyard here in Australia! The fresh air, vitamin D and green space are known to reduce stress and improve mood in adults and kids, so it’s a win all round. To get the benefits, encourage the kids to take their time collecting their nature treasures and take in their surroundings on their way. Bring along a magnifying glass or even binoculars to get up close and personal with the great outdoors. After the nature scavenger hunt is over, take some extra time to play with the treasure trove, and if in a group, allow the kids to share their treasures and strengthen those unique bonds with their peers and with you as parents!
Simply create a checklist (visual, written, verbal or both!) of things for your child/children to hunt for, and don’t forget you can be as creative as you like with this!
Some examples might be:
Find something that
- feels smooth
- is fluffy
- moves fast
- makes a sound
- you can crunch on
- has a nice smell
So if you’re stuck for some fun ideas in these upcoming holidays for your kiddo, why not get them to create their scavenger hunt or even come along to our OT-run Outdoor Explorers group. We’d love you to join us on a fun adventure!
FAQs
Scavenger hunts help build children's observational skills and teach collaboration and teamwork which enhance their language and communication skills, problem-solving skills, and social-emotional intelligence.
Why are scavenger hunts beneficial for kids? ›
Scavenger hunts help build children's observational skills and teach collaboration and teamwork which enhance their language and communication skills, problem-solving skills, and social-emotional intelligence.
What skills do scavenger hunts work on occupational therapy? ›
Scavenger hunts are a favorite activity of ours to do with children in Occupational Therapy sessions. There are so many skills that can be incorporated into a scavenger hunt: visual skills, executive functioning, ideation, motor planning, sensory exploration, and even more!
What do children learn from a scavenger hunt? ›
Scavenger hunts are stealthy teachers. As kids read the clues and make decisions on where to look, they're also honing executive functioning skills. Sequencing, organizing, and problem-solving, all wrapped up in the thrill of a game. And let's not forget the physical aspect.
How does a scavenger hunt help cognitive development? ›
Scavenger hunts are powerful tools to foster observation skills. These activities cultivate a keen eye for detail, nurturing a heightened sense of awareness and attention. During scavenger hunts, students must carefully scrutinize their surroundings, as they are on a quest to locate specific items.
What is the learning objective of scavenger hunt? ›
Participating in a group scavenger hunt at school or for fun helps teach kids the value of teamwork, in addition to promoting social interaction. Kids will have to work together to solve clues and get to the final destination.
What lessons can you learn from scavenger hunt? ›
Not only can scavenger hunts be done just about anywhere, they also boost observation skills and help children develop early learning skills in a fun, relaxed, and natural way. Plus, it's just so much more fun to hunt for the color red, the letter E, and an octagon than it is to fill in a paper about them!
How can a scavenger hunt be therapeutic? ›
Mind and Body Exercise. Giving your child a Scavenger Hunt checklist (visual, written or verbal format) for them to go through and collect items to tick off is an enjoyable way of working on executive functioning such as sequencing, organising and reinforcing problem-solving skills.
What are the benefits of the sensory scavenger hunt? ›
This activity provides opportunities for sensory engagement (i.e. through vision and touch) in order to promote tolerance of different textures and (messy) sights. This sensory bin activity provides the child with a fun chance to build trust with messy textures through play.
What is the scavenger hunt teaching strategy? ›
Simple Strategies for Using Scavenger Hunts
- Use scavenger hunt cards or clues as daily bellringers to get students thinking about the lesson.
- Post clue cards from scavenger hunts around the room for content gathering or reinforcement. ...
- Provide sets of scavenger hunt clues to practice skills or test sets of knowledge.
The goal is to be the first to complete the list or to complete the most items on that list. In variations of the game, players take photographs of listed items or be challenged to complete the tasks on the list in the most creative manner.
What are the values of scavenger hunts? ›
Why Are Scavenger Hunts Good for Team Building
- Scavenger Hunts Encourage Leadership, Communication, and Interaction. ...
- Improved Business Skills. ...
- Encourages Creativity. ...
- Increase in Morale. ...
- Flexibility. ...
- Build Problem Solving Skills. ...
- Easy to Customize. ...
- Tips for Planning a Scavenger Hunt.
Learning Targets:
- Developing and using models to represent their ideas, observations and explanations through approaches such as drawing, building or modeling with clay.
- Collecting, describing, comparing and recording information from observations and investigations.
Problem Solving and Creativity
Scavenger hunts often involve solving riddles, puzzles, and clues, which stimulate critical thinking and problem-solving skills. As teams brainstorm and think outside the box to overcome challenges, they develop their creativity and innovative thinking abilities.
What is the scavenger hunt theory? ›
Scavenger hunts utilize the theory of game-based learning to: Develop critical-thinking skills; Review course content; Create familiarity with resources on campus and location of services; and/or.
What is the rationale for scavenger hunts? ›
Scavenger hunts are timeless for a reason. Both children and adults enjoy scavenger hunts. These activities encourage independent exploration, critical thought and problem-solving. They are also easily applicable from a playground, to a park, to a nature reserve.
How does a scavenger hunt help a child's social development? ›
Social Skills
Making a scavenger hunt a group activity is a great way to help your child play with other children and practice using concepts such as keeping their body in the group, following the group plan, and using their thinking eyes. It also allows them to make some close friends along the way.
What are the benefits of scavenging? ›
Scavengers eliminate harmful substances from the environment, mitigating the spread of disease that may otherwise impact not only local food webs, but potentially human health and the economy.
Why is treasure hunt good for students? ›
Treasure hunt games and location-based games are becoming increasingly popular in education as they offer many benefits to students. These games can improve learning outcomes, increase engagement, and promote teamwork and problem-solving skills.
