2013 Summer Nature Photo Scavenger Hunt

Did you have a chance to play along with this year’s spring nature photo scavenger hunt? No worries if you didn’t: It’s already time for the summer update. (And for my friends in the southern hemisphere, check out the winter version instead.)

Here’s how the photo scavenger hunt works: I’ve come up with 30 things you and your kiddos can hunt for outside this summer. Find an item, snap a picture and check the item off your list. Will you be able to find everything before summer is over?

Don’t worry if your little explorer isn’t an aspiring photographer or sometimes needs your help to snap a shot. The point is to get outside exploring!

To help keep you inspired all season long, I’ll be sharing photos we take here every week as part of “Saturday Snapshots.”

Join the fun!
You don’t need to sign up to play. To join the fun, it’s as easy as 1 – 2 – 3:

1. Print out the free Summer Nature Photo Scavenger Hunt list. Post it somewhere you’ll see it every day. Then head outside and into nature with your family and start exploring!

2. Use the hashtag #summernaturehunt if you’re on Instagram.

3. If you’re on Pinterest, leave your username in the comments below & follow any of my boards. I can then invite you to add your photos to the Summer Nature Photo Scavenger Hunt board.

And if you’d love to play along but have no desire to share your photos publicly, please do so! At the end of summer, you’ll have a wonderful collection of memories perfect for a photo book.

Ready to play along but need some ideas for getting outside? Here are a few to get you started:

• 50 ideas for your summer outdoor bucket list 
• Summer nature scavenger hunt
• Summer outdoor fun ideas on Pinterest
• Your a-to-z guide to summer backyard nature fun

50 Ideas for Your Summer Outdoor Bucket List

The seasons, they are a changing! In just a few more days, summer will officially be upon us – no matter what the weather report might suggest.

At the start of every season, we create an outdoor fun list. Together, we dream up some things we’d like to do, write those ideas down and then try to make them happen. Of course, we also plan for lots of downtime to allow for enjoying summer’s simple pleasures.

Instead of sharing what’s on our list this year (you can see our 2010 and 2012 lists for a sense of what we’ll be up to), I thought I’d put together some ideas to help inspire you to make your own.

10 Nature crafts

• Dragon cave 
• Fairy house
• Land art 
• Nature bracelets 
• Pressed flower keepsakes
• Recycled bottle lanterns 
• Rock necklace 
• Scented flower petal potions 
• Summer adventure journal
• Wind streamers

10 Things to Do in Your Backyard

• Backyard bug hunt 
• Backyard campfire 
• Backyard field guide 
• Backyard movie night 
• Camp out 
• Cardboard box fort
• Create a fairy garden 
• Make fresh lemonade
• Outdoor tea party 
• Summer nature scavenger hunt

10 Ideas for Outdoor Messy Play

• Backyard beach 
• Backyard mud bath 
• Dig in the dirt
• Make drip castles
• Make mudcakes
• Make mud prints
• Mud painting 
• Paint & splash outside
• Run through the sprinklers
• Toss water balloons

10 Ways to Explore in Your Community

• Chase butterflies 
• Explore tide pools
• Fishing
• Geocaching
• Go fruit picking
• Go on a picnic
• Go stargazing 
• Take a hike
• Visit a farmers’ market
• Visit a state or national park

10 Fun Science Activities

• Catch (& release) lightening bugs (aka fireflies)
• Ice sculptures
• Look at something under a microscope
• Make a rainbow 
• Make your own bubbles
• Make & float paper boats
• Make sun prints
• Mentos & soda geyser experiment
• Set up a backyard weather station 
• Trace your shadows with sidewalk chalk

Need a few more ideas? Check out my summer outdoor fun board on Pinterest. And don’t miss your A-to-Z guide to summer backyard nature fun.

Saturday Snapshot: Cloud

Welcome to “Saturday Snapshot,” a weekly feature that highlights photos we take as part of our seasonal nature photo scavenger hunts.

The List: The 2013 Spring nature photo scavenger hunt (You can see our complete collection of #springnaturehunt photos on Instagram and Pinterest.)

The Find: Cloud

The Backstory: It wasn’t until after we got back from our rock climbing adventures in Vasquez Rocks earlier this week that I realized this shot looked like The Explorers were headed straight for the clouds.

DIY First Aid Kit for Outdoor Adventures With Kids

Do you bring a first aid kit with you when you head out on an outdoor adventure with your kids? Before The Little Explorer’s run in with a rock on the river a couple of years ago, I didn’t give it much thought. Since then, I don’t leave home without one.

We actually have several first aid kits, depending on the adventure. I had no trouble finding pre-made kits for camping and earthquake preparedness. But gathering the first aid essentials for a day hike or other half-day outdoor adventure was another story. Which is why in the end I created my very own first aid kit for outdoor adventures with kids.

DIY First Aid Kit
First aid kits come in many shapes and sizes. You can buy one from your local drug store or outdoor retailer, or make your own. I opted to start with a pre-made basic first aid kit, then added to it to meet our family’s specific needs.

The trick is to include enough to cover the basics without carrying the kitchen sink. Our outdoor adventures usually don’t take us that far from civilization (and an emergency room), so I pack accordingly.

Here are some items to consider including in a first aid kit for outdoor adventures with kids:

• Adhesive bandages (in several sizes)
• A gauze pad or two, tape & bandage scissors
• Moleskin
• Elastic bandage
• Antibacterial ointment
• Children’s allergy melts
• Ibuprofen & acetaminophen tablets (as needed for kids & adults)
• Any personal medications needed in an emergency (such as an EpiPen, insulin or the like)
• Tweezers (for removing splinters)
• Nail clippers (for removing hangnails & broken nails)
• Insect repellant
• Sunscreen
• Snacks (more than you think you’ll need!)
• Extra water
• Hand wipes
• Plastic trash bag or zip-top bag (for disposing of barf or poop)
• Cloth diaper or other soft, absorbent cloth (great for applying pressure to a wound or absorbing blood from a cut)
• Cell phone (preferably one that’s charged & has reliable reception) 
• Flashlight (with batteries)
• Bear spray*
• Snake bite kit*

* As needed in your area

Whether you buy a first aid kit or put one together, make sure to restock it regularly. Summer is the perfect time to check expiration dates and replace any used or out-of-date items. Then pack it in your bag and don’t leave home without it! 

Your turn: What do you carry in your first aid kit?