Use our winter scavenger hunt bingo as a guide. You can try to find everything on the sheet or make it into an outdoor bingo game! This is a great way to show children a different side of nature, engaging the senses and making it lots of fun (and hopefully helping them forget about the cold!). You can go for a scavenger hunt anywhere (even your backyard or local park), but here are some ideas of Land Trust Preserves that work too:
- Camp Polk Meadow Preserve: Great for a super short walk (perfect for little legs!), the trail has opportunities to see birds, animal tracks (wild turkeys are often in the area!), squirrels, and more.
- Indian Ford Meadow Preserve: A slightly longer option with a 1-mile loop, you might be able to spot ice along the creek, hoarfrost, twigs browsed by deer, snowy mountains, and more.
- Metolius Preserve: This Preserve gets the most snow, so check weather conditions first, and make sure to bring your winter gear! This is your best bet for finding ski tracks, snowy trees, snowdrifts, tunnels in the snow, rose hips, and more.
- Whychus Canyon Preserve: A great option when it's not snowy and not muddy. Whychus Canyon Preserve is an ideal place to spot juniper berries, animal tracks, ice along a creek, and boot prints.
Download the Winter Scavenger Hunt bingo card pdf
We also have some other helpful hints for our scavenger hunt. Did you know that some butterflies overwinter in Central Oregon? The best time to spot butterflies is on a warm, sunny day. Be sure to also check out our blog post on the difference between hoarfrost and rime ice.
Good luck! We hope you have a wonderful time!
Learn more:
- Encouraging a Sense of Wonder in Children
- Nature's Great Disappearing Act: Decomposition
- Make New Discoveries with a Hand Lens