Tag Archive for: scavenger hunt

Winter Treasure Hunt Activity (With Free Reference Poster)

Winter Treasure Hunt Activity (With Free Reference Poster)

Today’s Winter Treasure Hunt activity is a great antidote to the cold temperatures and shorter days that families experience during this season. So long as the weather is not dangerous or insanely cold, families can still enjoy the outdoors if they are dressed appropriately and children are adequately supervised. Even in winter, there is still so much for children to discover in The Great Outdoors! What’s more, spending time in and around nature is generally very good for both children and adults (more about that later). With all that in mind, we’ve put together a free reference poster that families can download and use as the basis for an exciting Winter Treasure Hunt. There are all manner of magical things for children to search for and discover in the winter months — from leaf skeletons, pine cones, and frosted spider webs, to animal tracks, icicles and miraculously unique snowflakes. So, take a look and download a free reference poster for your child today — and check out others in the same series.

Poster Preview:

Winter Treasure Hunt reference poster preview - click to view or download.

Click the poster preview image to either view or download it in high resolution (Acrobat PDF format). It can be printed out as large as A3 or as small as A4 or A5 if preferred. Perhaps print out a copy for children to take with them when they embark on their winter treasure hunt. Families can use the little tick boxes to keep track of each treasure discovered.

When the time is right, this activity should encourage children to get outdoors* to see some of the magical things that nature provides during the winter. Nature lifts the spirits, helps children and families get exercise, gives children a sense of freedom and adventure, and also has a whole host of other incredible benefits. So, this is a wonderfully worthwhile activity for children to take part in.

Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green, Wigan

Little Acorns Nursery & Preschool in Hindley Green, near Wigan, Bolton & ManchesterLittle Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green is rated as a good childcare provider by Ofsted.Little Acorns is a superb childcare nursery in Hindley Green, near Wigan. Children here also get to enjoy nature and outdoor play as we have extensive grounds, nature zones, wild areas, and many other high-quality facilities. And, of course, our facilities and resources indoors give them a rich environment where they can play, discover and learn, all at their own pace. It’s a wonderful home-from-home environment where children under five have fun, thrive in their learning and development, and feel valued. All in all, we give children the very best start in life and ensure they become well-rounded and school-ready by the time they leave us to begin school.

Get in touch today to enquire about a possible nursery/preschool place for your baby, toddler, or child under five. We’d love to show you and your little one around and answer any questions:

Little Acorns Nursery is located in Hindley Green, near Wigan, Greater Manchester. Families in Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, and Bolton will also find that it’s conveniently close for their childcare needs.

*Safety Notice

Children, particularly the young, will need to be closely supervised and stay vigilant to potential danger when venturing outdoors. Ensure children take care not to slip on mud, snow, or ice. Teach them how to avoid hurting themselves, for example when stumbling on uneven ground or catching themselves on sharp things like thorns, brambles, and rocks. Water sources like ponds and lakes are particularly dangerous — especially so when iced over — and children need to take extra care near traffic. And, of course, they need to be aware of possible stranger danger. These are just a few examples and parents/supervising adults will need to do their own risk assessments and stay vigilant at all times when accompanying children outdoors.

Let's Go on an Autumn Nature Hunt! (With Free Reference Sheet for Children)

Let's Go on an Autumn Nature Hunt! (With Free Reference Sheet for Children)

Autumn is a beautiful season and one of the most magical times of the year. It is particularly fascinating for young children as they witness the wondrous changes that take place in nature. From the crisp, clean air and trees turning a myriad of colours, to leaves falling like leafy snowflakes, and nature providing an array of seeds, nuts and food for wildlife, it’s remarkable. At such a time, children can enjoy a wide variety of fun and educational activities out in the Great Outdoors. Such activities will demonstrate just how incredible Autumn and nature are and what a fascinating bounty of magical things they provide. There is so much to see and discover and all children need to do is get outside with family and friends and explore. With that in mind, we’ve put together a reference sheet that highlights 20 of Autumn’s treasures for children to look out for and collect, under adult supervision, at this time of year.

Download a Free Autumn Reference Sheet for Your Child

Click the preview image to download the Autumn Nature Hunt reference sheet in high resolution. Try printing it out using your best paper and printer settings for the optimum results, or view it on a tablet or smartphone to take with you and your child when you’re out and about. They’ll be able to use the reference to see which autumnal treasures they can find and then tick off from the sheet. It also makes a great poster, suiting prints up to A3 in size.

Preview of the Autumn Nature Hunt reference sheet. Click to download or view on screen.

Nature Teaches Children So Much

The Benefits & Importance of Nature to Children in Early ChildhoodFinding natural autumn treasures is a great opportunity for children to appreciate the magic and beauty of nature, understand the seasons, and learn about the circle of life. Parents or accompanying adults can explain how seeds and nuts grow into plants and trees or even encourage little ones to plant them in pots to grow at home.  Demonstrate how seeds from trees like sycamores can fly on the breeze like helicopters and spread the tree population to wider areas — children will love that! Explain how some of the season’s treasures provide a bounty of food that wild animals and birds can eat or even store for the winter. Children will find such conversations and insights fascinating. Spending time in and around nature is hugely beneficial to children. It will also help little ones better understand the world — and their place within it. Such conversations are also a wonderful starting point for children to explore further as, like the seeds, they grow and flourish.

“Let nature be your teacher.” — William Wordsworth.

More inspirational quotes about nature and childhood can be found here.

Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green, Wigan

Consider a Place for Your Child at our Hindley Green Nursery and Preschool, near Wigan

Little Acorns Nursery & Preschool in Hindley Green, near Wigan, Bolton & ManchesterLittle Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green is rated as a good childcare provider by Ofsted.Staff and children love nature at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green, near Wigan. With our extensive grounds, nature-themed zones, wild areas, and high-quality facilities, children get to play, discover and learn in a rich environment. It’s a wonderful place where babies and under-fives have fun, thrive and flourish. Rest assured, too, that our early years practitioners do everything they can to help each child become the very best version of themselves in readiness for the start of their school life.

If you have a baby, toddler, or child under five and live in the Hindley Green or Wigan area, why not come for a guided visit with your child? We’ll show you around and you’ll see, first-hand, what a lovely home-from-home childcare setting it is — and how well your child will fit in. And, once you’re ready, we’d love you to register for a place so that we can welcome you to the Little Acorns family. Choose a button to get started:

Little Acorns is a high-quality nursery and preschool in Hindley Green. As such, we are also conveniently close to families in nearby towns and villages including Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, and Bolton, Greater Manchester.