Free Printable Winter Scavenger Hunt for Kids

Our free printable winter scavenger hunt for kids is such a fun way to practice observational skills and have a blast completing it. The best thing about this activity is it can be done with one child, a group of children, inside, or outside on a walking trail. It’s so versatile! So grab some hot chocolate and pencils and get ready to work on this fun scavenger hunt for winter.

square image of winter scavenger hunt with pictures of winter objects

Recommended Grade Level:

Preschool

Kindergarten

1st Grade

Supply List
Coordinating Activities

Materials for the Free Printable Winter Scavenger Hunt:

Paper
Writing Utensils
Winter Books (optional)

winter lego mats fine motor activity for preschool

winter gross motor brain break featured image

“Let it snow! Let it snow!” Did you sing that to the tune of a certain winter-themed movie like me? Where we live, it doesn’t snow very much, so when it does we get a little excited.

This activity is great to use during your winter theme or send it home with the kids to use with their whole family! Younger children can use the picture based scavenger hunts and older kids can use the word based scavenger hunts to draw what they find. Either way, it is sure to be a big hit!

Preschool Scavenger Hunts

printable SCAVENGER HUNT ideas for kids

CHILDREN CRAVE AND NEED TO GET OUTSIDE EACH DAY TO DEVELOP GROSS AND FINE MOTOR SKILLS. OUTSIDE TIME ALSO HELPS DEVELOP SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING WITH PEERS. THIS THEMED KIDS SCAVENGER HUNT ACTUALLY OFFERS A LOT OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS.

Outdoor activities, like scavenger and treasure hunts, are highly recommended and provide an interactive way for kids to practice important problem solving and observation skills from a very young age.

I love this free printable winter theme scavenger hunt game because it can be adapted for different learning styles and English language learners.

The images included in the winter theme for preschool scavenger hunt are: scarf, snowman, snowball, sled, tree, snowflake, snow globe, ice skates, hat, earmuffs, cardinal, sweater, mittens, and hot cocoa.

You could use the winter scavenger hunt outdoors in your backyard or in the warmth of your home or classroom. You could use it to kick-off a winter unit, to culminate, or somewhere in between! It’s a fun addition to a holiday party or for early risers on Christmas morning. It really doesn’t matter!

Your students will love this scavenger hunt list regardless of how you choose to implement it in your unit. There are many thought-provoking questions you might ask before/during/after this fun winter activity for kids:

What other animals might you find outside during the winter season?
Why do you think polar bears are white?
What is your favorite thing to do in winter?

photo showing the pages of the winter scavenger hunt for kids. one page has pictures of winter items to find, and the other has words with space to draw pictures.

Skills Preschoolers Learn Through the Winter Scavenger Hunt for Kids

preschool themed SCavenger hunt

TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOLERS LEARN IMPORTANT SKILLS WHEN THEY ENGAGE WITH SCAVENGER HUNTS, CLUES, AND SEARCHING FOR ITEMS.

Problem-solving
Observation
Compare/contrast
Teamwork
Perseverance
Reasoning

winter theme scavenger hunt pages and the book over and under the snow.

Why Are Scavenger Hunts for Kids Valuable?

Develop a Child’s Creativity: Crafts for kids aren’t the only way we can help students develop creativity. A scavenger hunt helps them think and problem solve while using clues to find specific objects.

Encourage Teamwork: Whether you have students work in pairs or teams, a free printable winter scavenger hunt is an ideal opportunity to get them working together towards a common goal.

Improve Observational Skills: Observation is important when it comes to learning how to read. Why not help preschoolers develop those skills early by searching for specific objects with specific characteristics.

Develop Perseverance: Not all of the items might be easily found, which isn’t a bad thing! Children will learn to stick with a task, follow through, or possibly adapt for items that simply aren’t there.

How To Use This Easy Preschool Winter Scavenger Hunt for Kids

Enter your email below and then check your email to get the free PDF download.
Choose whether you want color or black-and-white printables.
Print, attach the scavenger hunt to a clipboard and you are ready to go.

Ideas for Using the Free Winter Scavenger Hunt for Kids Outside

Group your students accordingly.

Decide whether you want them to cross off the items when they find them, or draw a picture.

Set a time limit, or provide an additional activity for groups to do as they complete the scavenger hunt.

Ways to Modify the Winter Scavenger Hunt

Adapt to Indoor: During winter months, if weather isn’t on your side, adapt the hunt for indoors by hiding as many of the items as you can in the classroom or common area, if possible.

Book Scavenger Hunt: Use the same scavenger hunt pages, but challenge kids to find each item in a classroom book! This is a great indoor activity for when the weather doesn’t cooperate. It is a fantastic way to incorporate literacy into this fun game.

Snap a Picture: If you have technology available that allows students to take pictures, you can require them to snap a photo of each item before they check it off the list. Big kids, especially, will love this option!