Signs of Summer Scavenger Hunt

With this summer scavenger hunt idea, challenge children to go on a nature scavenger hunt to look for clues of the first signs of summer!

Get outside to search for the first signs of summer with this fun and educational nature scavenger hunt idea, perfect for kids and adults alike. If you look closely, you will notice that the first signs of summer usually appear in late spring. This makes May 1, after May Day (Beltane), a great time of year to get outside and start noticing the first signs that summer is on its way. However, this is dependent on the climate in which you live.

According to the Gregorian calendar, summer officially begins on the summer solstice, which typically occurs on June 20th or 21st. However, you can often find subtle clues much earlier than that, indicating that summer is not far away if you pay close attention. Some clues that summer is coming are hard to miss, while others require keen attention. Becoming aware of these natural signs of summer requires more than your eyes.

Because I currently live in a warm temperate climate with an extended growing season in the Central Valley of California, about an hour north of Sacramento, my family and friends begin to notice these signs earlier than most. We start seeing some of these signs as early as May, with the peak in late June and July. If you live in a colder climate, such as Canada, the signs of summer will become much more apparent throughout June and into July. You might also enjoy this bucket list of summer activities.

First Signs of Summer Scavenger Hunt Outdoor Activity:

It’s fun to head outside searching for the first signs of summer. Learning to pay attention to the subtle shifts in nature and our surrounding area is an outdoor activity that both kids and adults can enjoy. Teaching children to be mindful of the seasonal changes that occur just before and during the summer is a great educational activity for kids from toddlers to teens. Even adults might learn a thing or two from this seasonal scavenger hunt idea. Once they are aware of what to look out for, children begin to point out the signs of summer that they see, hear, smell, and feel.

A few of the first signs of summer can be harder to notice than those of spring. It’s much easier to notice that the snow is melting and new shoots are appearing than to see some of the subtler signs of summer. As you pay attention to the signs of each season, you will notice seasonal shifts in your area throughout the year. Record your observations and experiences in your nature journals to learn more about your neck of the woods!

This post is a part of the Get Outside & Connect Series.

Searching for the Signs of the Season’s Arrival with Kids:

I recommend inviting children outside for a nature scavenger hunt to look for the first signs of each season throughout the year using the Nature Scavenger Hunt Printable Library. It includes several nature scavenger hunt options for summer, fall, winter, and spring! There is even a simplified version for each season, complete with pictures, that toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners who have not yet learned to read can use. You can view the summer version of these simplified scavenger hunts for younger children–>HERE.

My daughter is known to start a spontaneous game of “I-Spy” when she notices signs that the season is changing. This has become a fun way for our family to enjoy the seasonal scavenger hunts we play as one season transitions to the next. Learn more about how to play “I-Spy” with children, using clues about the next season’s arrival, in my article about our signs of spring scavenger hunt.

Signs of Summer Printable Scavenger Hunt Idea:

Visit the Rhythms of Play Learning Center to access the Signs of Summer Scavenger Hunt Printable I created, or use the entire collection of nature scavenger hunt ideas to enjoy hunting for the signs of each season. Alternatively, you can copy the lists of signs to look for into your homemade nature journal. With that said, please refrain from publishing these clues as a scavenger hunt similar to this one.

Searching for the signs of each season is a series of scavenger-hunt ideas I invented with my daughter and first published in 2015 as part of the “Get Outside and Connect” series, when she was a toddler. The series began with spring, followed by summer and fall, and culminated with winter. Each seasonal scavenger hunt idea is regularly updated and occasionally republished to improve the text and ensure its content remains current. You might also enjoy this list of outdoor activities for kids.

Here are Some Typical Signs of Summer to Look for:

How do you know when summer is here? The most common signs of summer are those most people can see, feel, or experience at the season’s onset and throughout. Some first signs of summer will differ slightly depending on where you live, while others, such as a rise in temperature, are universal.

Related: Summer Activities for Kids.

Once May or June arrives, pay attention to your surroundings and look for the signs that summer is approaching. Below, you will discover a list of the first signs of summer, briefly explained. Scroll down to the next section for more clues and a detailed explanation of how to enjoy this fun scavenger hunt idea. Here are some typical signs of summer to look for:

1. Warmer temperatures and hot weather:

• Temperatures increase significantly as summer approaches.
• People wear lighter clothing such as T-shirts and shorts.
• The hum of air conditioners and the use of fans increase as the days get hotter.

2. Longer days:

• The sun rises earlier and sets later until the summer solstice.
• There’s more daylight to enjoy outdoor activities.

3. The Natural World Grows and Transforms:

• Faster-growing plants and grass.
• Leaves grow bigger than your hand.
• Spring blooms fade while summer flowers begin to bloom everywhere.
• The scent of booming flowers is in the air.
• Most trees and plants grow green and lush.
• Grasses and weeds in meadows and valleys grow tall and transform from vibrant green to yellowish-brown.
• Plants, other than trees, become taller than you.

4. Reptile, arachnid, insect, bird, and animal activity increases:

• Birds nesting in their primary habitats (summer homes).
• Young animals exploring their world.
• Mother bats gather insects for their young.
• Spiders sit in their webs, waiting for their next meal.
• You’ll see and hear more insects:
  • Ants marching in lines.
  • Pollinators such as bees and butterflies visit flowers.
  • Dragonflies and Mosquitoes buzzing about.
  • The sound of crickets or cicadas chirping.
• Reptiles come out of hiding:
  • Lizards run across paths.
  • Slithering snakes can be spotted.

5. Fresh fruits and vegetables are available:

• Summer fruits, such as berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries), pit fruits (apricots and nectarines), and watermelons, are in season.
• Gardens and Farmers’ markets are full of fresh produce.

6. More outdoor Activities:

• People spend more time outdoors than indoors.
  • You will see more sunbathers at pools and shores.
  • Campsites, hiking trails, and parks are crowded.
  • More people walk and ride bikes around town.
  • Travelers sightseeing and locals enjoying their hometown amusements.
  • Kids are out of school and spend more time outside enjoying summer activities.
    • Sight and sounds of children playing
• The smell of BBQs wafts through the air.
• Sounds of neighbors enjoying their patios, balconies, and backyards.

7. Thunderstorms (in some areas):

• Thunderstorms and tropical cyclones occur in some climates.
• Monsoon season begins:
  • Hot, humid days often give rise to quick, powerful storms in the late afternoon or evening.
  • Hear the thunder, see the cracks of lightning, smell the approaching rain, and feel the wetness on your skin.

Many more signs indicate that summer has arrived or is approaching. The list above shares a few of the most typical “signs of summer” to look for and be aware of, but by no means all. Searching for the “Signs of Summer” is a fun seasonal scavenger hunt idea for children and adults. Access the Signs of Summer Scavenger Hunt Printable and invite elementary-school-aged kids, teens, or adults to hunt for clues that summer has arrived.

Alternatively, you can use this printable summer scavenger hunt, designed for younger children, such as toddlers and preschoolers who have not yet learned to read. You can view the lists of summer signs and clues on the printable, as shown in the photograph below and the following sections.

“Signs of Summer” Nature Scavenger Hunt Printable:

Search for the signs of summer with this Signs of Summer Nature Scavenger Hunt Printable for kids and adults, now available in portrait or landscape. You will notice that the clues are divided into four basic categories to simplify this fun summer activity idea for kids and adults. Each category includes clues you can see, hear, feel, smell, and sometimes even taste that tell you summer has arrived. For example, smell the summer flowers, feel the heat of the summer sun, and enjoy the taste of summer fruits and vegetables.

Encourage children and adults of all ages to use all of their senses to become aware of the clues of summer below. Of course, there are more signs of summer you can see, hear, feel, smell, and taste common where you live, such as the taste of saltwater or the smell of chlorine, so feel free to add to the clues included below and on the printable. As you can see in the photo above, the updated landscape version of this printable summer activity includes blank spaces for you to fill in with clues unique to your environment!

In other words, you can now tailor this summer scavenger hunt to the specific area you are located in. Invite children in your neighborhood (or the great outdoors) to search for each clue using your favorite printable version of this nature scavenger hunt for kids. Both include a list of general clues to hunt for similar to those found in this post. However, the new landscape version of this printable scavenger hunt also consists of a few more clues that summer has arrived than the portrait version. The list of clues below goes into more detail about the typical signs of summer to become aware of, to help you understand the differences between different environments in the summertime:

Sun, Weather, and Environmental Changes in Summer:

The clues in this section include changes in the sunlight, weather, and environment that happen in the summertime:

• Increase in temperature.
• The weather becomes warmer or hotter.
• The sun is higher in the sky.
• Sunlight is brighter and more direct.
• Longer daylight hours:
  • Each day grows longer and longer until the summer solstice.
  • After the solstice, the days grow shorter until the autumnal equinox.
• Clear, sunny skies become the norm in most areas.
• Earlier Sunrise.
• Later Sunset.
• Increase or decrease in humidity, depending on your location:
  • Humidity generally increases in areas near large, warm bodies of water and decreases in arid environments characterized by high winds and temperatures with low evaporation rates.
• Thunderstorms, monsoons, and tropical cyclones are commonly reported in areas where this type of summer weather is prevalent.
• Heat haze, shimmer, or mirage magically appears on a hot horizon.

Plant, Garden, and Other First Signs of Summer in Nature:

This section includes changes in plant wildlife at home, in your yard and garden, and in the natural world. Animal wildlife activity is included in the next section.

• Plants, trees, and flowers are in full bloom.
• Deciduous trees have regrown a full crown of leaves.
• Some tree leaves grow bigger than your hand.
• Plants other than trees are growing taller than you.
• The smell and color of flowers in bloom are everywhere.
• Plants and grass grow faster than in the colder months.
• Lawnmowers are heard more often as they mow the grass.
• Green meadows and valleys transform from vibrant green to a yellowish-brown.
• Sunflowers grow tall and bloom.
• Milkweed is in bloom.
• The garden is blooming and beginning to bear fruit and vegetables.
• Berries ripening on the vine.
• Farmers’ markets are full of ripe summer berries, fruits, and vegetables.

Did you know that spotting a sunflower taller than you is a sure sign that summer has arrived? Make a flower crown or tiara to celebrate the height of summer (pun intended) with this fun sunflower coloring page.

Animal Wildlife Activity Signs of Summer:

For this section, the term ‘animal wildlife’ includes insects, arachnids (such as spiders), birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles, but excludes plant life. Plant life activity is included above.

• Pets and other animals shed their winter coats.
• Animals are more active:
  • Wildlife is more visible, especially in the mornings.
  • Animals that hibernate for the winter have fully returned from slumber. (Bears, hedgehogs, etc.)
  • Baby animals explore their world.
  • Bats fly around at night, hunting insects.
• Migratory birds leave their winter homes and are seen and heard in their primary habitats, such as geese, swallows, hawks, cranes, and sparrows that migrate:
  • Nesting birds raising their young.
  • Fledglings learn to fly.
• Insects become more active:
  • Bees gather nectar or pollen.
  • Invertebrates such as butterflies and ladybugs are flitting about everywhere.
  • Dragonflies and mosquitoes are seen and heard buzzing around.
  • Cicadas and crickets chirp, especially in the evenings.
• Frogs and toads can be seen and heard croaking.
• Spiders sit in their webs, waiting to catch their next meal.
• Reptiles come out of hiding:
  • Lizards running around.
  • Snake basking in the sun.

Human Activity Signs of Summer:

The clues below include changes in human activity in the summer, as well as random signs that people are generally responsible for:

• Children are on summer break from school in most parts of the world.
• Neighbors and landscapers are mowing the lawn more often.
• More people are seen and heard outdoors enjoying activities and amusements:
  • People walking, biking, and picnicking outside.
  • Parks, beaches, and hiking trails are busier.
  • More people outside enjoying pools, lakes, oceans, and shores:
    • People sunbathing and enjoying water sports and activities.
• As the temperature rises, people wear less clothing:
  • Shorts, T-shirts, tank tops, dresses, skirts, sandals, and swimsuits are the most common attire.
• The smell of BBQ in the summer air.
• Sounds of neighbors enjoying time outdoors can be heard.
• The hum of air conditioners and fans increases.
• Sights and sounds of children playing outside.
• Travel and tourism are increasing as people take road trips, go camping, go on beach vacations, and fly to distant lands to explore the world.
• Frozen treat consumption is increasing, with people eating ice cream, frozen yogurt, popsicles, and cold drinks.
• There are summer festivals and fairs, including outdoor music festivals, carnivals, and fireworks shows.

First Signs of Summer Scavenger Hunt for Kids:

Please add the signs of summer you and your children (or students) find in the comments below. I’d love to hear about the mysteries you discover that are specific to your region.

Please visit the Rhythms of Play Learning Center to grab the Signs of Summer Scavenger Hunt Printable or copy our list of signs to look for in your homemade nature journal.

Searching for signs of summer is a fun and educational science activity for kids. Even though the summer solstice is still a few weeks away, the first signs of summer are already showing up all around us. I’m sure you are beginning to see many more signs that summer is near than we have listed here.

So, tell me: What are the first signs of summer that you’ve noticed appearing around you? Let us know in the comments below!

Learn more about Nell Regan Kartychok, author, photographer, and creator of this original Signs of Summer scavenger hunt idea HERE, and about Rhythms of Play HERE!

Other Seasonal Nature Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids:

Invite children outside on a nature scavenger hunt to search for the first signs of each season, all four seasons of the year, with the Nature Scavenger Hunt Printable Library. It includes a nature scavenger hunt for summer, fall, winter, and spring!

• Search for Signs of Autumn
• Search for Signs of Winter
• Search for Signs of Spring

Summer Activity Ideas for Kids and Adults:

• Sunflower Crown Coloring Page and Flower Crown Craft
• Summer Scavenger Hunt for Preschoolers with Printable
• Ways to Celebrate the Summer Solstice
• Summer Bucket List of Fun Activities
• Summer Nature Table