Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Autumn Scavenger Hunt: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 2
- ForYear 2
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Autumn Scavenger Hunt is a free printable science worksheet for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7). Children go outside with a checklist and tick off signs of autumn, such as an acorn, a conker, a feather and a spider web. It needs only paper and a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Page 1 is a nature checklist for children to take outdoors. They look for signs of autumn on a walk in the garden, the park or the school grounds. When they spot something on the list, they tick it off. Children look closely, name what they find and talk about it. The sheet is a prompt for looking and noticing, not a test.
- An acorn
- A conker
- A red leaf
- A yellow leaf
- A pine cone
- A feather
- A spider web
- A berry
- A seed
- A twig
Why go looking for autumn?
In the UK, autumn is the season between summer and winter. It is a good time for outdoor looking because many natural things lie on the ground where small children can see them easily. Acorns, conkers, pine cones, twigs and seeds are all things that trees and plants make or drop. A short walk can turn into a real science investigation.
Scientists start by observing. They look closely, notice details and describe what they see. A scavenger hunt gives a young child a clear reason to do this. Searching for a named object makes children slow down and look under trees, along paths and on walls. Talking about each find helps them build the words they need for science.
Look, do not pick. Take only things that have already fallen. Do not eat berries, because some wild berries can make people ill. Leave spider webs where they are. An adult should choose a safe place to search, away from roads and water. Wash hands afterwards.
Did you know?
- An acorn is the seed of an oak tree.
- A conker is the seed of a horse chestnut tree.
- A pine cone is part of a tree called a conifer. It holds the tree's seeds.
- A spider makes its web from silk that its own body produces.
- A feather is part of a bird's body covering.
Skills and curriculum link
- Observing
- Noticing seasonal changes
- Naming plants and natural things
- Describing what you find
- Talking about nature
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | Science | Seasonal changes | Key Stage 1 |
What children will be able to do
- I can find signs of autumn in plants and trees.
- I can describe what I have found.
- I can say how things change as the seasons change.
Ideas for the grown-up
- Look low and highMany finds are on the ground, but webs and berries are often higher up on hedges and fences. Ask your child to look in different places.
- Use describing wordsEncourage words such as smooth, spiky, shiny, rough, light and heavy. Describing builds the vocabulary used in science.
- Let them leadChoose a spot and let your child decide where to look first. Children notice more when they feel in charge of the search.
- Return to the same placeVisit the same spot again another day. Ask what looks the same and what looks different.
Key words
- AutumnThe season between summer and winter.
- SeasonOne of the four parts of the year. Each has its own kind of weather.
- ObserveTo look closely and notice details.
- SeedThe part of a plant that can grow into a new plant.
- TwigA small, thin branch of a tree.
- WebA net of silk that a spider makes to catch food.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2 for the grown-up.
- Read the safety rules together before you go out: look, do not pick, take only fallen things, do not eat berries, wash hands afterwards.
- Work through the checklist together the first time. Talk about each find and tick it off.
- Check against the notes on page 2, then talk about what you saw.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Look under trees, where fallen things gather. Search one small area slowly rather than walking far. Read out one item from the checklist at a time and look for just that. Tick each one as soon as it is found.
To stretch confident children
Sort what you find by colour. Group the things you have found into colours such as brown, red, yellow and green. Then ask which colour has the most. Finish by describing one finding in three words.
Make it a game
Draw one finding. Each player chooses one thing from the hunt and draws it carefully. Then they describe it aloud using colour, shape and feel, without naming it. The others guess which item on the checklist it is.
Talk about it
- Which sign of autumn was easiest to find? Why do you think that was?
- Where did you find most things, high up or low down?
- What does it feel like to hold a twig or a pine cone?
- How is autumn different from summer where you live?
- What do you think will happen to the trees in winter?
- What would you look for if you did this hunt again next week?
Take it off the page
Autumn collage
Stick fallen leaves and twigs onto card to make a picture. Wash hands after handling them and let an adult help with any glue.
Colour chart
Draw a row of boxes on paper. Colour each box to match a colour you spotted outside, then write the name of what you saw next to it.
Autumn word bank
Write a list of words you could use to describe autumn, such as crisp, damp, brown or windy. Use them to write a short sentence about your walk.
Who it is for
Parents
Choose a short walk and go together. Let your child look first and lead the search. Short bursts of ten to fifteen minutes work well. Remind them of the safety rules before you set off.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary or table activity, or as part of a school grounds walk. Check the area beforehand and brief children on the safety rules. It links to the seasonal changes strand of Key Stage 1 science.
Home educators
Pair the hunt with a library book about trees or seeds. Repeat it in a different season to compare. Brothers and sisters of different ages can join in, with older children helping to describe finds.
Where this fits
Before this sheet, children are used to noticing the outdoors in everyday play. They may have collected leaves, watched the weather and named common plants and trees. Autumn Leaf Collection is a gentler sheet on the same subject, one year down.
After this, children can keep practising careful observation by looking at the same place across the year and comparing what they see. This builds the habit of noticing, describing and comparing that later science work relies on. Rock Property Compare Cards is the same subject, one year up.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- What changes did you see in the leaves and trees?
- How is autumn different from summer where you live?
- What do you think will happen to the trees in winter?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Autumn Scavenger Hunt for?
It is written for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. It also works for younger or older children who enjoy outdoor looking, as long as an adult goes with them.
- What will children practise?
Children practise noticing seasonal changes in plants and trees. They also practise observing closely, naming natural things and describing what they have found in their own words.
- Is it safe for children to pick things up?
Children should look and take only things that have already fallen. They must not eat berries and should wash their hands afterwards. An adult should choose a safe place to search and stay with the child.
- How long does it take?
It depends on the weather and how far you walk. Short bursts of ten to fifteen minutes work well for most children, and you can come back to the sheet on another day.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children can add their own colours, which also helps when they sort what they have found.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and an adult should check the search area first.
- Is it free, and is it screen free?
Yes to both. It is free to print for home and classroom use, and it needs only paper and a pencil. It suits quiet time, weekends and school holidays.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.