The Best Fall Activity: Treasure Hunts
One of the best ways to celebrate autumn is to go on treasure hunts to appreciate the sights, smells, and sounds of the season. While ideal for backyards or outdoor spaces, they can still be fun indoor activities for cold, rainy afternoons, too. This usually works best for 2 or more participants. We recommend using our enchanting and rustic Forest Mushrooms Basket Set or Dozen Bird Eggs Set to add some charm to your treasure hunt. They come with a sturdy wicker basket to help gather items.
1. Set Up: Hide the eggs or mushrooms between the roots of changing trees or among fallen acorns. It’s a lively way to bring attention to the world around us, like animals preparing to hibernate and the air getting crisper.
2. Activity: Let your children know how many eggs or mushrooms are hidden. If this is an activity for one child, consider setting a timer to add excitement. How many can be collected before the time is up? Otherwise, watch them compete, burrowing through piles of orange leaves or reaching for tall branches. This activity can be repeated with one of your children hiding the eggs/mushrooms for other participants. This is a great way to encourage them to be aware of the nature surrounding them.
3. Discussion: An important part of the treasure hunt is to draw it back to what they noticed and what they can learn from the experience. Some example questions to pose: -What did you observe? Did you see a pretty leaf, a strangely shaped pinecone, or flocks of birds flying across the sky? -Do animals gather things in fall? If so, what animals and what sorts of things do they gather? -What do you like about fall? What do you not? Have you seen examples of that today?
4. Don’t forget to warm up with some apple cider or hot chocolate inside. If you enjoyed the activity, share the photo and tag us on Instagram at @playplanet.us!
