How to Prepare for a Preschool Nature Walk

Do your preschoolers love being outdoors? Do they love exploring nature? If so, they’re sure to love taking a nature walk with you. Don’t forget to print out your scavenger hunts before you go.

To make the most of nature walks this spring, it is helpful to do a little preparation in advance. With a few simple supplies and the printables shared below, you can turn your next walk into a fun learning experience.

Do your preschoolers love being outdoors? Do they love exploring nature? If so, they're sure to love taking a nature walk with you. Don't forget to print out your scavenger hunts before you go.

Prepare for a Nature Walk with Your Preschoolers

Bring a small bag for collecting nature.

Brown paper lunch sacks are the perfect size for collecting nature findings on your next walk. Kids can fill their bags with sticks and rocks and feathers.

Once home, preschoolers can spread out their findings for further investigation and observation. Have them sort the objects by type, size, or color. Have them line the objects up from biggest to smallest.

Bring a small camera along.

Bring along a small camera. Your cellphone will do. Help your kids take pictures of the things they find that they can’t put in their bags.

Maybe, they’ll see a beautiful bird in a tree or a frog in a pond. They might think the neighbors flowers are very pretty, but they know not to pick them. Let them take pictures of the things they can’t bring home with them.

Have your preschoolers glue each picture into a nature journal. If they glue the image at the top of the page or one side, they can use the rest of the page or the opposite page to sketch their findings.

Put together a small nature walk backpack.

When my kids were younger, we loved exploring our neighborhood pond. I put together a backpack to carry along so the kids could explore nature up close and personal. Look below to find some ideas of things you can add to your nature walk backpack.

Print out these fun nature walk scavenger hunts.

Here’s a little collection of nature scavenger hunts for all seasons. There’s one for summer, spring, winter, and fall. No matter the season, it’s always the right time to head outside and take a  with your preschoolers!

Do your preschoolers love being outdoors? Do they love exploring nature? If so, they're sure to love taking a nature walk with you.

Kids Books About Nature

• The Kids’ Nature BookShore to desert, country to city, exciting nature activities await discovery from beneath the smallest rock to the vast sky above.

• Curious Kids Nature Guide: Explore the Amazing Outdoors of the Pacific Northwest | Filled with fun facts and 100 full-color, beautiful, and scientifically accurate illustrations, this nature guide will inspire kids to go outdoors and discover the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest.

• Child’s Introduction to the Night Sky | Whimsical color illustrations on every page and handy definitions and sidebars help engage younger readers and develop their interest. The special star wheel helps locate stars and planets from any location at any time of year.

Summer is long, and kids can get a little antsy. If you’re looking for more activities that encourage kids to get outdoors to burn off some energy, check out 10 fun activities you can do with your kids that double as exercise.

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