This printable earth day scavenger hunt is a fun, screen-free way to celebrate and explore nature with preschoolers.
Designed just for young kids, it features a bright and simple list of easy-to-spot outdoor items. Perfect for homeschool moms, preschool teachers, or any parent wanting a hands-on Earth Day activity, this scavenger hunt gets kids excited about the natural world, builds early science skills, and gets kids outside.
With minimal prep, you can take this printable on a walk, to the park, or just out to your backyard. It’s a great way to make Earth Day memorable and educational.
Related: Zoo Scavenger Hunt
What is Earth Day?
Earth Day is celebrated each year on April 22nd and is dedicated to raising awareness about environmental issues and encouraging people to take better care of our planet.
It started in 1970 and has grown into a movement that promotes recycling, reducing waste, protecting wildlife, and conserving energy and water.
For young children, Earth Day offers a gentle introduction to the idea that they can help keep the Earth clean and beautiful, even in small ways. It’s never too early to teach kids that they can make a difference.
Why Should Preschoolers Learn About Earth Day?
Earth Day is a great chance to start teaching preschoolers how to care for the world around them. Little kids are naturally curious and love being outside, so it’s the perfect time to show them how things like picking up trash, planting flowers, or recycling can help the Earth.
At this age, they’re just starting to understand how their actions make a difference. Simple activities like looking for bugs, digging in the dirt, or exploring leaves help them learn and grow while also building a love for nature. It’s all about making it fun and easy to understand.
Printable Earth Day Scavenger Hunt
This printable Earth Day scavenger hunt is designed with preschoolers in mind. It’s bright, simple, and filled with nature-themed items that are easy to find and recognize. The list includes:
- Grass
- Pine cone
- Ant
- Flowers
- Butterfly
- Tree
- Ladybug
- Bird
- Bee
- Leaves
- Caterpillar
- Nest
Each word is paired with colorful pictures, which makes it perfect for early readers and pre-readers to participate. Even if your child isn’t reading yet, they can still follow along by looking at the images.
You can laminate the sheet for reuse or print individual copies for each child. This scavenger hunt works well in your backyard, on a nature walk, at a park, or even during a trip to a botanical garden or nature center. Whether you live in the city or the country, most of these items can be found with a little exploring.
Where to Go for Your Earth Day Scavenger Hunt
Here are a few ideas for places to explore with your preschoolers while using the scavenger hunt:
- Your backyard or front yard
- A neighborhood walk
- Local park or playground
- Nature trails or hiking paths
- School or church garden
- Community botanical gardens
- Outdoor spaces at a zoo or nature center
Remember to take your time and enjoy the process. The goal isn’t to rush through the list but to spark curiosity and get your kids noticing the world around them.
More Earth Day Activity Ideas for Preschoolers
If you want to explore and celebrate Earth Day more with your kids, here are some other fun and educational activities to add to your plans:
- Make a mini greenhouse that uses recycled materials
- Make a bird feeder from a toilet paper roll, peanut butter, and birdseed
- Plant a flower or veggie seed in a small pot or garden bed
- Create a nature collage using leaves, sticks, and petals
- Paint rocks with Earth Day messages or images of bugs and animals
- Sort recyclables into bins as a mini recycling center activity
- Sing songs about nature and the Earth (like “The Earth is Our Home”)
- Watch a short nature video for kids and talk about what you see
- Read Earth Day-themed picture books
These ideas are great for home or classroom settings and help reinforce the themes of caring for nature and observing the environment.
What If Everybody Did That?
I Am Earth: An Earth Day Book for KidsHappy Earth DayEarth Day Storybook for Kids10 Things I Can Do to Help My WorldHappy Earth Day!
Earth Day is a wonderful chance to slow down and help preschoolers appreciate and learn about the beauty of the natural world.
With this simple earth day scavenger hunt printable, you can turn a walk outside into an exciting learning adventure. It’s an easy way to bring Earth Day to life for young children while helping them develop important skills and values.
Whether you use it as part of a homeschool lesson, a preschool activity, or a family tradition, we hope it brings lots of smiles, curiosity, and memories to your Earth Day celebration.
