Fall Scavenger Hunt Outdoor Activities for Kids

Go on a fall scavenger hunt with these outdoor activity ideas for kids of all ages!

Here’s a collection of outdoor activities, including a few printable fall scavenger hunts for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, elementary school-aged children, teens, and the young at heart. Fall is a wonderful time to head outside, explore, and notice how the natural world changes. Autumn-themed nature scavenger hunts offer a simple way for kids to get outside, learn, and have fun.

Leaves turn from green to brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold. Acorns and seeds scatter across the ground. Days grow shorter, temperatures shift, and plants and animals begin preparing for the season ahead. An outdoor fall scavenger hunt invites children to slow down and look more closely. What colors can they spot? Which leaves have begun to change?

Each discovery can spark another question, and each question offers another chance to wonder, explore, and connect with nature. Below, you’ll find several fun fall scavenger hunt ideas and printable scavenger hunts for kids. Try them in the backyard, at the park, on a nature walk, in a schoolyard, or with an outdoor classroom or homeschool group. Children of all ages will enjoy going on a fall scavenger hunt.

Use the list of ideas below as a starting point, then follow your child’s curiosity wherever it leads. The best scavenger hunts aren’t really about finding everything on the list. They’re about noticing what you might have walked right past. You might also enjoy these fall art projects for kids.

Fall Scavenger Hunt Ideas:

Fall activities like these scavenger hunt ideas give little ones a fun, interactive way to learn about the world around them. The list below includes several fall scavenger hunt ideas, with different printable checklists with clues children can use.

However, scavenger hunts aren’t just for kids. These activities can be as fun for grown-ups as they are for kids! You might also enjoy learning more about the first signs of autumn.

Crisp air, golden leaves crunching underfoot, and the warm, inviting colors of autumn create a beautiful backdrop for outdoor adventures. One of the most enjoyable ways to celebrate this season is with a fall scavenger hunt!

These fun outdoor fall activities are perfect for families, classrooms, afterschool programs, and other community groups, turning a simple walk or a day outside into an exciting game full of discovery. You might also enjoy this list of fall art projects, crafts, and painting ideas for kids.

First published on August 27, 2021, this list of outdoor fall activity ideas for kids is regularly updated to keep the content fresh. Today, it includes several different fall scavenger hunt ideas you can try. Get outside with the kids today to enjoy familiar seasonal sights, sounds, and sensations that make fall such a magical time of year. Here are a few fall scavenger hunt ideas for you to choose from:

1. Fall Scavenger Hunt with Locally-Sourced Nature Clues:

1. Collect fall-themed items from your backyard, neighborhood, or a local park. (Only use items found in nature that you know to be safe to handle.)
2. Put the items in an egg carton, a shoebox (or other recycled container), or glue them to a sensory card. (Get step-by-step instructions for making a sensory card.)
3. Then, send the kids out to look for matches to the locally sourced nature clues you collected.
4. Get step-by-step instructions that teach how to create a nature scavenger hunt with locally sourced natural clues for young children HERE–> Nature Scavenger Hunt.

2. Fall Leaf Scavenger Hunts:

• Encourage children to notice the trees and the ground below them as you walk through parks, neighborhoods, or wooded areas.
• If you’re outside with young children, such as toddlers and preschoolers, looking for specific autumn colors is a fun and educational activity. Fall leaves appear in a variety of colors. Look for bright reds, oranges, and yellows. Add counting to this fall-themed scavenger hunt for even more fun!
• Encourage older children to identify leaves from different kinds of deciduous trees common in your area, such as maple, oak, or birch.
• You might also enjoy these fun outdoor fall leaf activities. Ideas include several more fun ways to learn and play with autumn leaves.

3. Fall-Themed Scavenger Hunts:

Encourage participants to focus on a single classic autumn item, such as pumpkins, leaves (as mentioned above), migrating birds, or Halloween decorations like skeletons, spider webs, jack-o’-lanterns, or other fall-themed items.

Looking for a single fall-themed item, such as pumpkins, whether on a doorstep, porch, farm stand, or at a grocery store, can turn an ordinary fall scavenger hunt into a meaningful yearly family tradition you can continue through the season for years to come. You might also enjoy painting a fall harvest pumpkin.

4. Create an Autumn-Themed Nature Sensory Bottle, Bin, or Basket:

Invite children on a nature walk to collect items for an autumn nature sensory basket or bottle. Encourage them to look for specific items, such as fall leaves, acorns, and other nuts and seeds, or invite them to collect natural items that they find interesting and want to explore in more depth later.

The natural items children collect on a walk make fantastic educational tools and sensory play materials, but they are not always safe. Please don’t touch anything you are unsure about, and put small items in sensory bottles to keep children from handling them.

5. Printable Autumn Scavenger Hunt Ideas:

If you prefer bringing printables along with a list of clues, the remainder of this guide includes a few printable fall scavenger hunt lists you can choose from. The first features easy, picture-based clues perfect for younger children, such as toddlers and preschoolers, while the other offers more detailed, nature-inspired prompts ideal for older kids, teens, and even adults.

Whether it’s spotting acorns and pinecones or searching for colorful leaves and signs of wildlife, these autumn scavenger hunt ideas give kids and adults a great way to connect with nature, spark curiosity, and enjoy the beauty of fall. Nothing quite compares to the magic of autumn colors if you are lucky enough to experience them where you live.

No matter which scavenger hunt activity you choose, the fall-themed scavenger hunt ideas below are great ways to teach children about the gorgeous seasonal changes you can witness during autumn. The following sections discuss these printable autumn scavenger hunt activities in greater detail. You might also enjoy these fall autumnal equinox celebration ideas.

Printable Fall Scavenger Hunt Activities for Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Kindergarteners

Here’s a printable fall scavenger hunt perfect for young children, including toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners. Challenge the kids to check off all the autumn-themed clues they can find in one day or throughout the entire season, and feel free to join in the fun. I always do! Access the printable here: Fall Scavenger Hunt Printable.

As you can see in the photograph below, the pictures on this printable fall scavenger hunt make it easier for children who haven’t learned to read yet, while our Signs of Autumn printable in the next section is more challenging for older children and adults.

Search for Signs of Fall: A Printable Autumn Scavenger Hunt Activity for Older Kids and Adults

As fall approaches, my daughter and I enjoy pointing out the signs we see, hear, smell, and feel on our daily walks. This simple activity is an educational game that we enjoy playing whenever the seasons begin to change.

Access the printable here: Signs of Fall Scavenger Hunt.

This fun, educational outdoor nature scavenger hunt can help older children and adults explore the signs of fall. Learn more about the Signs of Autumn that signal the arrival of fall in this informative guide.

The transition from summer to autumn is one of the most magical times of year. In temperate regions, autumn is marked by a unique set of signs that captivate the senses and revitalize the spirit. It’s also a great time to collect colorful autumn leaves and other natural treasures, such as acorns, to make fall nature crafts.

Inviting children outside for a fall scavenger hunt is a great way to explore nature and teach them about weather, climate, ecology, and seasonal changes. As you can see in the photo below, this fall-themed scavenger hunt comes in two printable versions.

How Are These Autumn Scavenger Hunt Activities Educational?

Searching for the signs of fall is an excellent educational activity because it offers several unique learning opportunities. For example, as children watch tree leaves change color in the fall, they might notice that some trees change color while others do not. This helps children notice differences between trees and understand why they occur.

Deciduous trees change colors and lose their leaves, while evergreen trees do not. A child’s natural curiosity will lead them to wonder why, opening the door to more learning opportunities. Another example is migration patterns. Some animals migrate or hibernate for the winter, while others do not. Some crops begin to ripen while others go fallow. Each observation can turn children into keen, wonder-filled scientists as they discover new things about the world around them through daily explorations and adventures. You might also enjoy this nature scavenger hunt for Toddlers and Preschoolers.

How to Go on a Fall Scavenger Hunt With Kids:

The instructions below share how to offer these outdoor fall activity ideas to young children:

1. First, choose one of the following options:
   • Learn how to create a nature scavenger hunt with locally sourced natural clues for young children HERE–> Nature Scavenger Hunt.
   • Visit the Rhythms of Play Learning Center to access the printable autumn-themed scavenger hunt for toddlers and preschoolers HERE—> Fall Scavenger Hunt.
     • You can also try the Signs of Autumn scavenger hunt if you’re working with older elementary school-aged students, tweens, and teens.
     • Print your favorite fall scavenger hunt activity idea for kids onto cardstock or regular printer paper.
   • Choose one of the other fall-themed scavenger hunt ideas mentioned above, such as looking for colors of leaves or pumpkins.
2. Next, invite children to search for the autumn-themed clues, whether on a printable scavenger hunt or with the locally sourced nature clues you’ve gathered using this handy guide.
   • When you spot one of the clues or signs on the printable, put a check mark in the box next to the clue you noticed to complete that portion of the activity.
3. Finally, it’s optional to reward your children or students for a job well done once they have checked off a certain number of fall-themed items on the scavenger hunt list:
   • Children may not be able to find all the fall clues during a single outdoor adventure, depending on their location and the natural resources available in that area or region.
   • Excellent fall-themed rewards for kids include a trip to the pumpkin patch, a visit to the library for fall-themed books, a trip to the park, apple picking at an apple orchard, baking a fall treat such as pumpkin bread or apple pie, or going on an adventure to a corn maze.

Purpose of Scavenger Hunts: Learning Objectives and Benefits

A scavenger hunt combines fun and learning by engaging participants in finding items or clues. As such, scavenger hunts encourage exploration, problem-solving, and teamwork as participants search for items based on a list of clues. This activity stimulates critical thinking, promotes physical activity, and enhances social interaction, making it a versatile option for team-building, education, and entertainment for all ages.

These fall-themed scavenger hunts were created to inspire people to connect with the changing season in an enjoyable and meaningful way. As autumn brings its vibrant seasonal changes across the landscape, scavenger hunts help participants slow down and notice the details they might otherwise miss. They offer a chance to connect with nature, explore the outdoors, and build observational skills while appreciating fall’s sensory beauty.

Scavenger hunts also support education and bonding. For children, they are an interactive way to learn about the environment, seasonal cycles, and local wildlife. For families and groups, a scavenger hunt offers a shared experience that encourages communication, cooperation, and play. Whether it’s finding specific colored leaves, animal tracks, or signs of animals preparing for winter, the tasks foster curiosity and teamwork.

Beyond the recreational and educational benefits, a fall scavenger hunt promotes physical activity and mental well-being. As people spend more time indoors during the colder months, these hunts provide a reason to stay active outside. They help children and adults of all ages disconnect from their screens and reconnect with their surroundings, making them a simple yet powerful way to celebrate the autumn season.

Benefits of This Fall Outdoor Activity:

As briefly discussed above, these printable scavenger hunt activities offer a delightful blend of educational, physical, and social-emotional benefits for toddlers, preschoolers, and kids of all ages. Scavenger hunts are more than just a hunt; they’re a journey of discovery. They encourage active play as toddlers and preschoolers run, walk, and explore their surroundings, learning to navigate their environment. This improves gross motor skills, overall coordination, and other physical benefits. 

Outdoor scavenger hunts like this are also an educational fall activity that encourages toddlers and preschoolers to engage with nature in a new way. This helps them notice subtler seasonal changes, not just the vibrant autumn colors most people associate with fall. Thus, an autumn scavenger hunt can be a powerful tool for enhancing the observational skills of toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners, an essential aspect of cognitive development. 

Ultimately, participating in a scavenger hunt with this printable fall outdoor activity for kids is a powerful way to foster social-emotional health and well-being. It promotes teamwork and communication as children work together to find items, and it is also a fun way to encourage friendships. It also helps children explore the great outdoors, sparking their curiosity and deepening their understanding in new and meaningful ways. 

Related: Nature Sensory Bin Scavenger Hunt

Explore Autumn with a Fall Scavenger Hunt

Fall is full of small wonders waiting to be noticed. Colorful leaves, acorns, pinecones, shifting weather, migrating birds, and other signs of the season can turn an ordinary walk into an autumn adventure.

Outdoor fall scavenger hunts give children a fun reason to slow down, look closely, and notice what is happening in the natural world. As they search, collect, compare, and wonder, they practice observation skills, build seasonal awareness, and learn more about the plants, animals, and natural places around them.

Best of all, there is no single right way to go on a fall scavenger hunt. Take one of the printable scavenger hunts on a walk, bring it to the park, use it in the backyard, or try it with a classroom or homeschool group. You can also skip the checklist and let children create their own list of autumn treasures to find.

And remember, the hunt doesn’t have to end when every box is checked. Follow the questions and discoveries that come up along the way. Sometimes the most interesting thing you find is something you weren’t looking for at all.

So grab a printable fall scavenger hunt, or create your own DIY version, head outside, and see what autumn has in store for you. Slow down, look closely, and enjoy exploring the changing season together. For more fun outdoor activity ideas for kids, check out this list of engaging outdoor learning activities.

Please visit our About page to learn more about Rhythms of Play. For more information about this website and the author of these outdoor fall scavenger hunt activities, please visit the Rhythms of Play home page or the author page, Nell Regan Kartychok.

More Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids:

• Nature Sensory Bin Scavenger Hunt
• Seasonal Nature Scavenger Hunt Ideas
• Sensory Card Nature Scavenger Hunt
• Bird Scavenger Hunt Ideas (Included in Birding for Kids)
• Signs of Summer Scavenger Hunt
• Search for the Signs of Autumn Fall Scavenger Hunt
• Signs of Winter Nature Scavenger Hunt
• Search for the Signs of Spring Scavenger Hunt