• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
 logo
  • Home
    • Privacy Policy
    • Shop
  • Start Here
  • Family
    • Resources for Moms
      • Cloth Diapers
      • Pregnancy and Nursing
      • Preschool Kid's
    • Holidays
    • DIY Home Decor
    • Home Remodel Projects
    • Home Organization
    • Preschool Kid's
  • Spiritual Growth
    • Thankfulness
    • Book Recommendations
    • Morning Time
    • Devotionals
  • Trim Healthy Mama
    • Drinks
    • Meals
    • Health
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts
    • Snacks
    • Cast Iron Skillet
    • Breakfast
  • THM Coaching
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Start Here
  • Instagram
  • Spiritual Growth
  • Family
  • Trim Healthy Mama
  • ×

    FREE Printable Literacy Scavenger Hunt

    Jun 16, 2019 ·

    Sharing is caring!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    • Yummly
    literacy scavenger hunt

    If you have not noticed Summer is HERE! Alright, now that is established, let's get right down to business and say that just because Summer is here, does not mean that learning for our children has to stop. In steps in the literacy scavenger hunt!

    This page may contain affiliate links. To view my full affiliate link disclosure, click here.

    In fact, the 'Summer Slide' is a very real thing. Children cannot retain what they have learned during the school year if their Summer is void of educational enchantment. Google Summer Slide statics and you will be absolutely blown away by the gap that is created for many children during the Summer months. 

    This is even true for preschoolers! Now before someone reads this and gets all upset because preschool is more for social learning than academic learning, YES I agree with you. But there is absolutely no denying that modern education has led to higher standards upon entering kindergarten. Children are often expected to have some level of reading upon entering Kindergarten. Those that don't are often behind. It's the sad reality of how modern education has evolved in the last decade. 

    When I am in my preschool classroom, I am not trying to teach children academics. My goal is to engage them in what writer and educator Susan Bauer refer to as 'enchanted learning'. Its a simple idea that there is magic or enchantment in education. Her new book "The Brave Learner" is worth reading and pouring through every page. She writes it from a homeschooling perspective, but educators and public school parents alike will glean amazing knowledge from her wisdom and experience. 

    There are many fun ways to engage preschoolers in enchanted learning, and for these summer months, let me offer one idea for enchanting your child's education. Take them on an ABC scavenger hunt! 

    Did I just totally let you down? I just made a very simple and easy suggestion that any parent or educator has probably thought of before. However, hold on for a second and let me add some enchanted dimensions to this classic and simple activity. Keep on scrolling for some ideas to take an ABC scavenger hunt to the next level! 

    Click on the Pictures to Download the PDF version

    ABC Scavenger Hunt Materials

    One of the great things about an ABC literacy scavenger hunt is that there are many modifications you can make to allow it to work for your students or children. Here are some ideas to make whichever scavenger hunt you decide upon to work best. 

    Materials: 

    1. Clip Board
    2. Markers
    3. Pencil 
    4. Binoculars (for outdoor hunts, you'll want to look high and low) (The one linked is great because they work, but you are not out much if a child loses or breaks them) 
    5. Backpack for outdoor hunts (so you don't have to carry all the cool nature objects they want to keep).
    6. Stickers - Sometimes it's fun to simply cover up the letter on the worksheet with the corresponding ABC sticker. You can also use fun kid stickers like these animal ones to cover up the letters as you go. Disney of course is another fun sticker idea. Here are my favorites.

    ABC Scavenger Hunt Outside

    There are plenty of ways to adapt this literacy scavenger hunt to enchant and excite a young learner. 

    1. Find the letters in nature: Ask the child to point out letters as they see them in trees, grass, leaves, rocks, flowers, clouds, or objects. They don't have to be perfect! 
    2. Draw letters with sticks that are harder to find in nature. Use dirt, sand, or gently scrape away at a dead tree! 
    3. Create letters with nature. Such as creating an F with a large stick and two smaller sticks. Create an O by placing leaves together in a circle shape. 
    Can you spot the O and V, we even decided there was a U in here. It's a bit of a stretch!
    We found an A!
    Sometimes the outdoors proves to be difficult with a few letters and you may need to get creative.

    ABC Scavenger Hunt Inside

    When I do this activity in school it is almost always inside. A literacy scavenger hunt does not need to be complicated. Use it in whatever situation you find yourself in!

    1. Although TV time is a carefully monitored commodity in most preschool homes if you are going a little 'momma' crazy or it's a rainy day, sometimes that TV is a lifesaver. Add a little educational outlet to it by having your child find the letters in the show they are watching. They could do one of the worksheets or all of them! 
    2. Have your child create letters using their body. This can become quite ridiculous and funny to try. Sometimes their brains think they are making a letter, and yet it looks nothing like the real thing. Go with it! They are having fun and still making connections. 
    3. Create letters using household objects. Maybe the letter P is a butter knife and a bouncy ball. Maybe the letter O is the top of a lampshade. The letter B could be two small balls connected by a straight lego! You get the idea. The options are endless. 
    Can you find the Letter X?
    Our lovely letter P made out of a rock we had inside and a kitchen spoon!
    Our apple slicer was my favorite letter find. We spotted a O, V, T, I, C, U, and depending on how creative you get there might be a few F's. See what you can find!

    ABC Traditional Literacy Scavenger Hunt Ideas

    1. When we do this in school, we simply wander the hallways in small groups of 2-3 and look for letters on the walls, signs, and on posters. Thie children love the literacy scavenger hunt! The child has to point to them and identify which letter it is. We do one sheet at a time spread out through an entire school year. Doing the entire alphabet with preschoolers is not usually an option. Their attention span is just not long enough! We use clipboards and markers and the child crosses out the letter as we go.
    2. Get out picture books and have the child point out letters. Cross them out as they go. 
    3. Use the worksheets in the car! Make it into a traditional ABC letter hunt. Find the letters on signs, license plates, and restaurants. 

    I can't wait to see what you come up with! Save the pin for later!

    literacy scavenger hunt

    « The Venus Plant - A Bug Activity for Preschoolers -Free Download
    "Adventure" Tapping Into Your Child’s Sense Of Wonder »

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Rachael! I'm here to encourage you to bring more healing into your everyday home. You'll find that I love Jesus, the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle, my children, my exceptionally country-boy husband, and all things DIY. Welcome to Healing Home!

    More about me →

    Shop My Amazon Store Front

    Trending Recipes and Faith Articles

    An Unforgettable Chai Tea Latte

    Bible Verses for Advent Calendars

    Christmas Devotionals

    12 Baobab Powder Recipes

    Apple and Butternut Squash Casserole

    Cranberry Wassail

    Download the Free Healing Harvest Appetizer Cookbook!

    appetizer cookbook

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • CCPA Policy

    Newsletter and Amazon

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Shop my Amazon Storefront for Kitchen, organization, and home products.
    • Shop Trim Healthy Mama products with my affiliate code.

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Media Kit
    • FAQ

    Healing Home is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

    Copyright © 2022 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme