Need a way to spice up the next trip to the zoo with your little one? Your toddler will love this zoo scavenger hunt printable. This Montessori style scavenger hunt features real life photos of common zoo animals to get your kiddo even more pumped for their adventure!
Why Choose This Zoo Scavenger Hunt?
There are loads of zoo scavenger hunt printables available but the majority of them use clipart. The main benefit of using clipart images is that it provides you the option to print in black and white. But, zoo animals are full of unique colors and textures that deserve to be depicted a bit more accurately.
One thing I’ve observed amongst kids from a variety of demographics- they love photographs, especially kids 3 and under! I’m not the only one that’s taking note of this.
Montessori principles are based in the realistic depiction of objects, people, and nature. The goal is to expose babies and toddlers to things in everyday society that they’re familiar with or are expected to become familiar with. Familiarity comes through exposure, which can be nurtured through imagery and photographs. While it’s slightly more common to find photography in board books, it’s rare to find printable scavenger hunts that feature real life photographs.
Unlike cartoon clipart, real photographs evoke a level of emotion and curiosity in toddlers that flat, unfamiliar cartoon clipart characters don’t convey as well. Unless it’s a popular cartoon character, it’s hard for toddlers to get excited about a random cartoon image (clipart) of a tiger smiling. But, when a child sees a photograph of a tiger yawning on their list, they get eager to see if they can find that exact tiger and catch it mid-yawn to match the picture! (Odds are they will not, considering I took most of the pictures at the Buffalo Zoo and the animals at your local zoo will look different) It’s likely that your kiddo will ask questions, like: is the tiger yawning? Why is it yawning? Tigers yawn? And some kids might find it overly hilarious that the tiger is yawning. Or they might share some observations about the animal in the photo.
I actually used this scavenger hunt printable with kids ages 6, 5, and 4 and they had an awesome time using it. Even though I didn’t think to bring clipboards, they ended up using the wood ledges throughout the zoo or circling animals while they took walking breaks in the stroller.
Benefits of Using a Scavenger Hunt Printable at the Zoo
Problem Solving
Scavenger hunts gamify zoo adventures by presenting a challenge for kids to complete. In order for them to complete their challenge, t
hey have to do quite a bit of problem solving around navigation, utilizing context clues, and general planning. Here are a few examples of questions kids might work through in their head, along with guided questions to prompt discussion and collaborative problem solving:
Toddler Thought: Where are the elephants?
Parent Prompt: Which way do you think the elephants are, can you smell them?
Toddler Thought: This place is big, how do we know where to go?
Parent Prompt: Can we look for signs around the zoo that will help guide us to the animals on our list?
Toddler Thought: It’s still taking forever for us to find the animals on our list!
Parent Prompt: Should we look at a map of the zoo so we know where each animal is?
Toddler Thought: I don’t see the snake, there’s nothing here [in the exhibit]!
Parent Prompt: Maybe if we’re patient and take our time to look, we’ll be able to spot the snake hiding somewhere?
Mindfulness
One of the unexpected, but awesome benefits of having this scavenger hunt was the recentering aspect. As we all know, zoos are often full of the proper conditions for at LEAST one toddler meltdown per kid. Bees, big crowds, heat, missed naps, the long lines for the train… perfect recipe for fits and tears.
It's super helpful to have a physical resource to redirect the kid's attention. The printable makes redirection less abstract, which is handy in a spacious place like the zoo. Think about how spread out animal exhibits are at the zoo- when your kid has a meltdown at the concession stand, it could be a good 5 min walk to the closest animal exhibit. We all know that 5 min of screaming and tears can feel like forever, especially when a distraction isn’t in immediate reach.
Having the scavenger hunt on deck can make redirection a lot easier. Let’s say it’s a hot day and you guys stop at a stand to get ice cream to cool down. You both enjoy the ice cream but your kiddo starts having a fit because they finished their ice cream and are demanding more. While holding your ground you typically might say something like, “I’m sorry you’re sad that you finished your ice cream. I’m sad that I finished my ice cream too. But, I’m happy to be at the zoo with you. Let’s go find more animals.“
Now, you’ll be extra prepared with, “I’m sorry you’re sad that you finished your ice cream. I’m sad that I finished my ice cream too. But, I’m happy to be at the zoo with you. Which animal on the list do you think we should go look for next?”
This small tweak will likely redistribute a feeling of control back to an emotionally overwhelmed toddler. Most importantly, it’ll remind them of the big picture experience of being at the zoo. Simply having the scavenger hunt resource can act as a mindful reminder for kids to return to the present moment.
Physical Activity
Not only is a trip to the zoo great at getting kids active, it also tires them out, so they sleep like a rock! Honestly, it can be a lot of walking for anyone, I do recommend you bring a stroller 3 and under just in case their tiny legs need a few breaks.
Fine Motor Skills, Letter & Word Recognition, Vocabulary, Counting
There are a number of additional educational benefits to using scavenger hunt printables. Toddlers practice their fine motor skills while holding markers and circling or crossing out the animals. Younger toddlers might be exposed to new vocabulary, like gorilla instead of the usual monkey. Some older toddlers will be able to recognize the letters that spell each animal. Regardless of age, all kids can practice counting the number of animals on the list and how many more are left to find. For younger kids, point to each image and count aloud to them.
Recommended Supplies for Maximum Fun
Color Printer
Epson Presentation Printing Paper
Laminator or Iron
Dry Erase Markers (thin ones, not the thick ones)
Used dryer sheet or sock
Instructions:
Print on 8.5 x 11″ letter-size paper. If you want to reuse the printable multiple times, you’ll want to laminate it. In terms of dry erasers, I recommend the thin markers for toddlers… they tend to push down too hard on the thick markers, which ruins the tip. A used dryer sheet or a single sock (who’s pair has been lost for far too long) makes a good eraser.
If you don’t have a laminator, you can actually use an iron. Simply put your iron on a low setting (such as the setting for silk). Next, insert your printable into a laminating sheet. Then, place a white sheet of paper on top of your project and run the iron over it.
Next Steps
What are you waiting for, go print this activity! Between the realistic images, problem solving skills, mindfulness support, and a bundle of other educational values- I hope one of these convinces you to bring the zoo scavenger hunt along on your next trip to the zoo! When those inevitable toddler meltdowns arise, the scavenger hunt can be a lifesaver in shifting their attention. Incorporating this resource will make your trip to the zoo even memorable for you and your little one, while supporting your family with making mindful memories!
