It’s fall again, y’all. It’s kinda funny that when everything starts dying, the O’shea household starts to come alive. We hibernate through the hot summer months and come out just in time for the first frost. What can I say? We’re Canadians at heart. 
This weekend my husband cooked up a last minute activity that had everyone outside, running around, and working together – on a nature scavenger hunt. With two homemade lists of wild and wonderful creatures and features of the forest, the kiddos split up into groups and went to work hunting. I love these kinds of activities. So Charlotte Mason. Full of cooperative fun. Even exercise included. This fits right in perfectly with the Nature Walk assignment in My Father’s World.
The kids were challenged to find everything on the two lists in a limited amount of time for a small prize. If they found the 12 total items within 30 minutes, the prize was a hot chocolate chip cookie from a favorite restaurant. If found in 20 minutes, a slushee from the service station. They just barely got under the 20 minute mark. Yes!
The scavenger hunt was an easy activity that required little preparation. I hope you’ll try this with your family. It was nice to get out of the house for the afternoon and do something worthwhile. The kids had fun and we all got a little exercise and learning. While at the park we got to watch the fish in the creek, identify leaves, see a cool burnt out tree and observe a dead mouse. Dead things. So cool. (at least according to the boys.)
I hope you’ll plan your own nature scavenger 
hunt this weekend. Here are some ideas of things to look out for.
- smooth rock
- maple leaf
- oak leaf
- pinecone
- nuts
- mushroom
- feather
- berries
- animal print
- wild flower
- butterfly
- grasshopper
- spider
- bird
- squirrel
- litter (and throw it away)
Happy Hunting!
-Sara O’