Free Printable Zoo Scavenger Hunt Book for Kids

Over the years we’ve been to many zoos, but somehow it feels like a brand new experience each time we go. While lions, zebras, and elephants are sure to be spotted, the special exhibits unique to each zoo makes it new and exciting. This free Printable Zoo Scavenger Hunt Book for Kids works at any zoo, anywhere! While it does have animals specific to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, you’ll find common zoo animals within the book. Whether you are visiting with your family, playgroup, or school class, use it to keep kids motivated, focused, and having fun throughout your entire visit!

up close photo of a giraffe and a photo of a girl at a zoo giraffe exhibit.

Recommended Grade Level:

Preschool

Kindergarten

Supply List
Coordinating Activities

Materials for Zoo Scavenger Hunt Book:

Printer/Paper
Paper cutter
Laminating supplies
Hole punch
Book ring

free printable scavenger hunts for kids.

free printable zoo scavenger hunt for kids to use on a a zoo field

Zoo Scavenger Hunt Book

This zoo scavenger hunt book is sure to make your trip to the zoo more engaging and educational. It will help kids stay focused as they look for specific animals, and it will help the learning “stick,” more than it would if they were just wandering around looking at stuff. When kids have never been to the zoo before, it can also help to build background knowledge and excitement BEFORE you go! I compiled a great list of activities and information you can use to do just that! Click on our Zoo Themed Activities to Get Your Kids Ready for the Zoo to see!

Looking for more animal-themed activities? Check out:

Educational Benefits of the Zoo Scavenger Hunt Book

These benefits make the zoo scavenger hunt book a valuable tool for enriching a child’s educational experience during a zoo visit.

1. Enhanced Observation Skills

Children learn to pay close attention to their surroundings as they search for specific animals, improving their ability to notice details and differences in the environment.

2. Increased Vocabulary and Literacy

Reading the phrases “I see a (insert animal name)” helps reinforce word recognition and animal names, boosting vocabulary and early literacy skills.

3. Engagement and Focus

The scavenger hunt book keeps children actively engaged during the zoo visit, providing a focused activity that maintains their interest and reduces potential boredom.

4. Cognitive Development

Matching the pictures in the book with real animals supports cognitive development by encouraging children to make connections between images and real-world objects.

5. Fine Motor Skills

Handling the cards, turning pages, and manipulating the metal ring help develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

6. Family Bonding and Social Interaction

The scavenger hunt activity encourages family participation and teamwork, promoting social interaction, communication, and quality time spent together.

7. Educational Enrichment

Parents and educators can enhance the learning experience by discussing interesting facts about the animals, their habitats, and behaviors, fostering curiosity and a love for learning.

8. Sensory Experience

Walking through the zoo and experiencing different sights, sounds, and smells provides a rich sensory experience that contributes to overall sensory development.

Using the Zoo Scavenger Hunt

Once you have the book prepped and ready, just bring it along! If you’re with a large group of children, consider having partners share a book so you have less of them to prep.

You could alternatively just print the pages and leave them uncut and then staple them together instead. The difference in the finished product will be that it’s obviously bigger and more of a “disposable” item after the zoo trip. Creating cards on a ring will make the book last longer and it can be used with other activities.

It can be fun to snap a pic of your child with several (or all) of the animals as well. You can print and add them to the book later for a personalized way to help your child remember the experience.

Materials You Will Need for the Zoo Scavenger Hunt Book:

Printer/Paper
Paper cutter
Laminating supplies
Hole punch
Book ring

photo of a girl at the zoo holding up a free printable zoo animal scavenger hunt book.

How to Prep and Use the Zoo Scavenger Hunt Book

To Prep:

Print the Zoo Scavenger Hunt cards found at the end of this post. Then, laminate (always optional) and cut out the cards. If you don’t laminate, I highly recommend using card stock.

Use the hole punch to put a hole in the upper left corner of the cards and thread them onto a book ring. Now you are ready to head to the zoo!

your kids will love exploring the zoo with this free printable zoo scavenger hunt book. so many fun things to explore at the zoo!

To Use:

As you encounter each animal, ask kids to flip through the book to find it and read the simple, “I see…” statement on the card.

The elephants were our first animal to visit for the day. The Cleveland Zoo has a split habitat for the elephants to help them exercise different muscles and use multiple skills throughout the day.

The kids had fun watching them work together to break sticks to chew on. And they learned about how the elephants keep themselves cool with the mud in the habitat.

Jaida, my 8-year-old, wanted to try holding an elephant tusk that was longer than she is tall!

And she got to pet a hedgehog.

Then we headed to Australia for a bit to check out the wallabies. Or at least the Australian exhibit. My girls loved seeing the wallabies just a few feet away having a snack.

Then they tried out the kangaroo ears to see if it would help them listen better…

Of course, no journey to the Australian exhibit would be complete without a few turns on the serpent slide! All that playing worked up an appetite, so we took a little break and watched the zebras while we had a snack.

The kids were excited to feed the giraffes. I remember our first conversation about their purple tongues and this was even better because they got to see it up close.

Of course, we couldn’t escape without taking a ride on the carousel. Or climbing the huge stones by the new tiger passage. (So cool…the tigers can walk across a bridge above the walkway!)

We were there for seven hours exploring, snacking, playing and we barely scratched the surface! Which is why we have already gone back!

Nice Work, Now What?

Ideally, the cards should be used at the real zoo! However, if you don’t have a local zoo or a trip planned anytime soon, use the cards with a book! Your kiddos will still be engaged while trying to spot all the animals included in the zoo flip cards within your book. Or, stage a zoo at home with stuffed animals or figurines. I’m just saying, get creative!

Ways to Adapt

Thinking of using the cards differently? Of course! Here are a few ideas to adapt the book, but don’t let your imagination stop you from dreaming up more and better ways!

Virtual Tour: Use the scavenger hunt book while exploring virtual zoo tours or live animal cams available online.
Animal-Themed Playdate: Organize an animal-themed playdate where children use the scavenger hunt book to find toy animals hidden around the house or yard.
Library Visit: Take the scavenger hunt book to the library and find books or magazines about the animals featured in the book.
Museum Visit: Bring the book to a natural history museum, aquarium, or science center where there might be exhibits about animals.

More Ways to Explore Zoo Animals

If you’re looking for ways to continue a zoo animal theme with more engaging activities, check out our Zoo Themed Pattern Block Activity! They are a great way for kids to learn new animals and practice visual discrimination while looking closely for details.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are frequently asked questions about the zoo scavenger hunt book.

how do i make the book more engaging for kids?

To make the book more engaging, involve your child in the creation process by letting them help with cutting and laminating the cards. You can also add fun facts about each animal on the back of the cards, include stickers or a small reward for spotting all the animals, and encourage them to take photos with the animals they find.

what age group is the scavenger hunt book appropriate for?

The zoo scavenger hunt book is suitable for preschoolers and early elementary-aged children, generally ages 3-8. However, older children can also enjoy the activity, especially if you add more detailed information and challenges.

how can we use the book to enhance learning at the zoo?

The book enhances learning by encouraging observational skills and reinforcing vocabulary as children read the animal names. It also promotes engagement with the exhibits as children actively search for animals. You can further enhance learning by discussing the animals’ habitats, diets, and behaviors, and asking questions about what they observe during the hunt.

what can i use instead of a metal ring to bind the book?

If you don’t have a metal ring, or prefer to use another material, try ribbon or yarn instead.

Printable Zoo Scavenger Hunt Book

I hope your trip to the zoo was as awesome as ours! And I hope the zoo book made it even better! Comment below to share your experience with the printable zoo book.