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Fun and easy kids activities

Picture Book Hunt

Apr 13, 20145,876 views
Nature Play
Outdoor Activities for Kids : Picture Book Hunt Save
caterpillar book hunt Save
easter book hunt Save
checking for books scavenger hunt with books Save
book riddles book hunt Save

by TurkeyMom in Nature Play

Ages3–7 yrs
Prep25 min
Activity30 min
Leveleasy
MessLow
Works for1:1 · Small group

Hide favorite picture books among the bushes, trees and plants in the backyard, then give kids a list of riddle clues to find each book and check it off. A simple scavenger hunt that mixes outdoor play with a dash of literacy.

⚠️ Safety first

  • Supervise outdoor play at all times.
  • Adult checks hiding spots first. Hide books within kids' reach and away from thorny plants, insect nests, pools, streets and high branches.

Before the kids arrive

  • Choose your favorite picture books for the hunt.
  • Write one riddle clue for each book on a list (or use picture clues for beginning readers).

Steps

  1. Adult: hide the picture books among the bushes, trees and plants in the backyard. Put a few in tricky places.

  2. Give each hunter the clue list and a pencil.

  3. Read a clue, then search the yard for the book it describes.

  4. When you find a book, go down the list and check off the matching clue.

  5. Or solve the book riddles first, then go out and hunt for the books.

  6. Keep hunting until every book is found and every clue is checked off.

  7. Take turns hiding the books and play again.

Tips

  • If playing with beginning readers, visual clues will be better!from the author
  • Some books were hidden in very tricky places, and that made the hunt more interesting.from the author
  • We played the game at least 5 times and took turns hiding the books.from the author
  • Instead of just giving a list of the books hidden around the backyard, give a set of clues. It adds the learning.from the author
  • A reader noted that the hunt can build reading habits as kids become familiar with the books.from readers

Make it your own

  • Mix up this year's Easter egg hunt with a dash of literacy by hiding books too.
  • Solve the book riddles first, then go out for the hunt.
  • Use picture clues for pre-readers.
  • Let the kids take turns hiding the books for each other.

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · April 2014
Outdoor Activities for Kids : Picture Book Hunt
To spice up our outdoor activities and incorporate some learning, we made this super simple book hunt. My children love scavenger hunts, and when the weather is warm we do many treasure hunts!
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Picture Book Hunt: the original post

It’s warm and breezy at the same time here. To spice up our outdoor activities for kids and to incorporate some learning in there, we made this super simple “book hunt”. My children love scavenger hunts and when the weather is warm we do many, many treasure hunts.! Unfortunately I don’t blog much about our outdoor adventures. Last spring however I wrote about out sticky scavenger hunt” we did along with my toddler. Spring is such a great time to get out of the house and enjoy nature - how about making some “spring flowers potions” and “fresh flowers play dough” ?

Outdoor Activities for Kids : Scavenger Hunt with books

The set up was simple. I gathered our favorite pictures and hit them among our bushes, trees and plants in our backyard. easter book hunt My daughter was very excited to play this “game”. { She is a good reader now. If playing with beginning readers, visual clues will be better!} Learning through outdoor activities for kids is SUCH great combo that almost all children adore these kind of activities. The books were not that hard to find! checking for books scavenger hunt with books But instead of just giving her a list of books hidden around the backyard I gave her a set of clues. An example : ” A book about an egg-legged creature building a house”

Once she found the book, she would go down the list and check off the clue that is appropriate. Alternatively you can also suggest the child to solve the “book riddle” first and then go out for the hunt. Whatever works! book riddles book hunt Some books were hidden in very tricky places that it made the hunt more interesting. We would have played the game atleast 5 times! and we took turns in hiding the books. caterpillar book hunt Mix up this year Easter Egg hunt with a dash of literacy! Try out book hunt.

Thanks for reading

More spring activities here

Yet, I created a simple list of all the book I used which has all the “cryptic clues” along with the answers.

Click here to download the file

What readers say

💬 2 comments

🎉 Worked for us

A fun way to build reading habits

A reader praised the book hunt as a fun approach that can help kids build reading habits as they get familiar with books.

“fantastic and fun loving approach which will also inculcate reading habits in kids once they become familiar with books!!!!”
vandana, Apr 2014

Tried it?

Reviewed before it appears. No links, and please no children's names.

Read all 2 comments

  1. vandana · Apr 2014

    fantastic and fun loving approach which will also inculcate reading habits in kids once they become familiar with books!!!! superb!!!!

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