Looking for a fun activity to do with your family?  A nature scavenger hunt could be just the ticket to give your hiking trips a new twist or teach your kids a greater appreciation for nature.

Some of us might be lucky to complete this scavenger hunt in the backyard, for others of us it might mean a day trip to a nature center, state or national park or a friend’s or family’s house that does have a lot more nature.

Even though we live in a rural town, we can still find many of these things in our yard or at a local park. You could even try doing this scavenger hunt at both your home and at a nature center and talk about the differences afterwards. Most parks and nature centers have rules that you leave it where you found it and take out what you brought in, so just cross off things as you find them, do not collect them or touch them. Leave them for future visitors to the park or nature center to enjoy. This list would also be great to take along camping for when the kids tell you there is “nothing to do.”

 If getting outside is a priority, or you would like to make it be, then get some more ideas to get outside with this post with over 45 ideas. Or try this spin on a scavenger hunt and do an outdoor photo scavenger hunt.