Invite children (or adults) to search for heart-shaped treasures in nature; a fun outdoor nature scavenger hunt idea to do on Valentine’s Day, at a summer camp, or any day of the year!
Send the kids outside to look for heart shapes in nature with this creative scavenger hunt idea for children (and adults). A heart-shape nature scavenger hunt is a fun activity for kids of all ages, homeschool families, and school groups. Children from toddlers to teens will enjoy going outside in search of heart-shaped treasures in the backyard or schoolyard, down the block, at the park, or in the wild.
Get outside on a nature hunt to see how many hearts and heart shapes you can find on this fun nature scavenger hunt idea for kids and adults. First published on January 25, 2018; this post is regularly updated and republished to improve the content. You might also enjoy going on a nature scavenger hunt with a homemade Sensory Card, and this list of outdoor activities with fun things to do outside with kids.
How to go on a Heart Shape Nature Scavenger Hunt
Going on a heart-shaped nature scavenger hunt is a delightful and educational outdoor activity that appeals to kids and adults. This unique scavenger hunt idea for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and abilities involves searching for natural items resembling a heart’s shape. You might also enjoy looking for natural treasures to put in a nature sensory bin or basket.
This outdoor activity is perfect for students in outdoor nature schools, forest kindergardens, homeschooled students, or traditional students on a field trip outdoors. Scroll down to find an informative guide on how to go on this heartwarming adventure, the types of heart-shaped treasures you might find, and the benefits of participating in this outdoor activity. It can also be fun to make nature sensory bottles with some of the natural items you find.
Heart-Shape Nature Hunt Instructions:
Follow the step-by-step instructions below to enjoy a heart-warming nature activity that’s loads of fun for young and old alike. You might also enjoy making nature mandalas.
1. Prepare to hunt for heart shapes in nature:
- Gather a group of students, homeschool buddies, friends, or family members. This activity is more fun and meaningful in groups, though it’s also enjoyable as a serene solo endeavor.
- Pack essentials like a camera or smartphone for taking pictures, a nature notebook for jotting down finds, other nature study supplies, and basic needs such as water, snacks, and a first aid kit.
2. Select a location to look for natural treasures shaped like hearts.
- Choose a location rich in natural diversity. Forests, parks, beaches, nature reserves, hiking trails, and gardens are excellent choices as they offer a variety of potential heart-shaped finds.
- Ensure the outdoor area is safe and accessible for all participants before going on a heart-shaped nature hunt.
3. Go outside to search for heart-shaped natural treasures.
- There are two primary ways you can go on a heart-shaped nature scavenger hunt:
- Head out into nature for the day to search for heart shapes including heart-shaped items and other natural objects.
- Or look for them every time you head out into nature like my daughter and I do.
4. Hunt for hearts with care.
- Encourage respect for nature by observing without disturbing it.
- Teach students and other participants to look closely without harming living plants or animals.
- When on an outdoor nature hunt for heart shapes, use the opportunity to educate about the importance of conservation and the beauty of natural forms.
- Collect only a few heart-shaped natural materials to take home with you, if any. Or take pictures of all the hearts you find and put them in your nature journal.
- A heart-shaped tree isn’t exactly something you can put in your pocket and take home with you. Nor should we take more than we need from nature.
- My daughter and I have a small collection of heart rocks, and we occasionally press and preserve a few of the flowers and leaves we find that look like hearts. Click HERE to learn how.
Related: How to Make and Keep a Nature Journal
Related: DIY Heart Leaf Lanterns
Types of Heart-Shaped Treasures to Find in Nature
Heart shapes of all kinds occur naturally in the wild. Sometimes the heart shapes you find will be stationary, while other times they are moving like clouds or animals. For example, look at the beautiful swans making the shape of a heart with their necks in the photograph and video below.
These natural occurrences highlight the diversity and beauty of heart shapes in the wild, reminding us of nature’s capacity to mirror symbols that humans hold dear. However, when the naturally occurring heart shape is moving, it’s not only hard to spot but can be especially challenging to photograph. Encourage children and adults of all ages to give it a try to see how many heart shapes they can capture in nature!
Scroll through the following list of ideas for fun heart-shaped natural items and objects to look for. You might also enjoy looking for the Signs of Spring, another fun outdoor nature scavenger hunt idea for kids or adults.
1. Plants and Leaves:
- Look for plants and leaves with naturally occurring heart shapes.
- Many plants have heart-shaped leaves, such as the redbud tree (Cercis canadensis), philodendrons, and certain types of ivy.
2. Flowers and Seeds:
- In the plant kingdom, many leaves and flowers naturally grow in heart shapes and several types of flowers and seeds have heart-shaped petals and flowers.
- Certain flowers and seeds, like bleeding hearts or heart-shaped seed pods, naturally mimic the shape of a heart.
- The leaves of the Heartleaf Philodendron or the Anthurium flower are also heart-shaped.
- How many other heart-shaped flowers and seeds can you find?
3. Rocks and Stones:
- Water and wind erosion can sculpt rocks into heart shapes, often found in riverbeds, beaches, and hiking trails.
- Heart-shaped rocks are one of my favorite treasures to find, and sometimes it seems as if someone has left them on the trail for someone else to find. Especially when they seem to be positioned or peeking out of the dirt so perfectly.
- Was it the hand of spirit, or was it someone like me or YOU?
4. Tree Trunks and Branches:
- Look for trees that have grown or been shaped into a heart form through natural growth patterns or the way branches intertwine.
- Sometimes the branches of a tree reaching towards the heavens will resemble the lobes of a heart like the one in the photograph above.
- Another more destructive heart shape found in tree trunks is carvings. While these heart shapes are fun to find in nature, we don’t encourage their creation. They are destructive and hurtful to the trees and our environment. Besides, how would you feel if someone carved a heart on your leg?
5. Tunnels and Natural Arches:
- Some natural arches and tunnels carved by erosion or wind or waves can form a heart shape when viewed from the right angle.
- These can be hard to find in nature, so look for these types of natural heart shapes in the video below to gather inspiration for where you might look.
6. Puddles, Ponds, and Lakes:
- It’s fun to find a puddle, pond, or lake in the shape of a heart, but most can be hard to spot from anything but an airplane or a mountaintop.
- I have found many a heart-shaped puddle, however, especially in the crags of large boulders and rocks.
- You can see one I found in the video below with a heart-shaped rock in it. I didn’t put the rock in the heart-shaped puddle before I took the photograph, but someone else might have to surprise someone like me!
- Get outside to see if you can find water on the ground in the shape of a heart.
7. Clouds and sky:
- Look for heart shapes and patterns in the ever-changing canvas of the sky.
- Search for both clouds in the shape of a heart and heart shapes in the space between the clouds that look like a sky heart.
- Hearts spotted in the clouds are particularly fun to find because they symbolize love, hope, and the serendipitous beauty of nature.
- Finding heart shapes in clouds is a whimsical experience that can add an element of wonder to your outdoor adventures.
- Don’t forget to take a photo of the heart-shaped cloud or section of the sky if you can!
8. Birds, Animals, and Other Wildlife:
- Heart shapes in wildlife are a fascinating demonstration of nature’s artistry, seen in various species and behaviors.
- In birds, the heart shape can often be observed in the mating displays of some species, such as the courtship ritual of the peacock spider, where the male arches his body to create a heart-like shape to attract females.
- Animals, too, can inadvertently form heart shapes, such as when two swans touch heads and their necks create a perfect heart shape, a symbol often associated with love and fidelity.
- Certain butterfly and moth species have heart-shaped patterns on their wings that offer a stunning visual spectacle.
- What heart shapes have you found? Share any other heart shapes that birds, animals, and other wildlife display in the comments below!
Video of Heart Shapes in Nature
There are so many heart-shaped things you can find in nature, just look at them all!
Related: Heart Art Projects (and Heart Crafts, Too!)
Benefits of Searching for Hearts in Nature
Going on a heart-shaped nature scavenger hunt has several benefits for kids and adults of all ages. Read through the list below to learn more.
- Educational: Participants learn about various species of flora and fauna, geological formations and processes, and the importance of biodiversity.
- Physical Activity: Going outside on a nature scavenger hunt encourages physical exercise through walking, climbing, or hiking, which promotes a healthy lifestyle.
- Mental Well-being: Being in nature reduces stress, enhances mood, and improves mental health. The focused activity of searching for heart shapes can also be meditative.
- Fosters Connection: Sharing this experience fosters a deeper connection with nature and fellow participants. Spending time in nature looking for heart shapes is a great opportunity to create lasting memories and strengthen bonds.
- Inspires Creativity: Observing the natural world’s variety inspires creativity and can lead to artistic or educational projects based on the treasures found during the hunt.
Amazing Heart-Shaped Nature Finds
Some heart shapes you find are always changing due to the elements such as the heart-shaped rock sticking out of the snow in the photograph and video above. Shells that wear down over time due to erosion like the one found below by Kate found over at The Craft Train in the photo below are another example. Pop on over to check out her cute little pebble love bugs HERE. You might also enjoy making Shell Frames with Handprints.
Related: Signs of Autumn Fall Scavenger Hunt
More Heart Shape Nature Hunt Ideas
Invite the kids to make nature collages and get creative with some of the hearts they find in nature. As an example, Liska over at Adventure in a Box shows you how to go on a name-writing nature hunt. You can see the red heart-shaped leaf she included in her example to complete the message she wrote in the photograph below. Try her name-writing idea, make a nature mandala filled with heart-shaped treasures, or come up with another way to create a collage with a few of the natural heart-shaped items you find.
Get outside and go on a heart shape nature scavenger hunt to see how many hearts you can find with the kids!
A heart-shaped nature scavenger hunt is not just an enjoyable outdoor activity; it’s a pathway to learning, discovery, and connection. By engaging in this unique exploration, participants of all ages can deepen their appreciation for the natural world, enhance their well-being, and create joyful memories that last a lifetime.
Whether you’re a child, an adult, or somewhere in between, searching for heart-shaped natural treasures can invite a sense of wonder and adventure into your life. After you go on a heart nature hunt invite the kids to record the types of heart shapes they find in their nature journals.
For more nature play ideas have a look at this giant list of Outside Learning and Nature Activities for Kids.
Learn more about Rhythms of Play HERE!
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