1-2-3 Brain Break: Outdoor Sensory Scavenger Hunt

This week’s brain break will explore the senses through an outdoor sensory scavenger hunt!

Brain Breaks are short activities, often only 1-3 minutes long, that help kids get ready to learn or refocus on the task at hand. They often involve physical activity and movement though relaxing activities can also boost mental brain power.

So in addition to encouraging your kids to participate in these fun breaks, join the kiddos and have some refreshing, stress-free fun yourself, too!

Supplies needed:  

• Print-out of the scavenger hunt (PDF)
• Your senses!
• An outdoor space (backyard, front porch, park)

Here’s what you do: 

• Watch the video explaining activity – pause video when indicated and return to video after you’ve completed the scavenger hunt.

• Step outside your home or apartment. Children could also do this activity at a park or other outside space.

• Using your senses, explore nature with the scavenger hunt – listening, looking, feeling, etc. the items on the list.

• Return to the video for a brief guided discussion about the scavenger hunt. Alternative: Download the questions sheet to talk about the experience following the activity.

Challenge Extensions to further explore the senses: 

For the little ones (Grades K-3)

1. Play a variation of “I Spy” using “I hear…”, “I taste”, “I feel”, and “I smell”
2. Partner up with a caretaker or sibling. One person gathers a few SAFE items as “mystery items”. The other person closes their eyes or wears a blindfold. Using their senses, the blind-folded person must guess what the mystery item is. You can do this with objects from the home or with food!  Have a partner try to guess what food it is just by using sense of smell.

For the older kids (Grades 4 to middle school) 

1. Create your own scavenger hunt using the senses. Partner up with a caregiver, sibling or friend and see if they can” find” the items in your scavenger hunt.
2. Partner up with a caretaker or sibling. One person gathers a few SAFE items as “mystery items”. The other person closes their eyes or wears a blindfold. Using their senses, the blind-folded person must guess what the mystery item is. You can do this with objects from the home or with food!  Have a partner try to guess what food it is just by using sense of smell.

“The Why” behind the Challenge: 

Did you know?

1. Sensory play:    
   • Builds nerve connections in the brain
   • Supports language development
   • Encourage “scientific thinking”
   • Can involve mindfulness activities which help center and calm children
2. Sensory skills are the foundation that children use in learning to read, write, and solve math & science problems
3. Keen observation skills give children an advantage throughout schooling and life

* Sources:
Goodstart.org
Michigan State University

Check out these books for more fun! 

My Five Senses / Mis cinco sentidos by Aliki

See, Hear, Smell, Taste, Touch: Using Your Five Senses by Andrew Collins

The Ultimate Book of Scavenger Hunts by Stacy Tornio