Looking for a simple way to get children exploring outdoors this autumn?

Our Outdoor Autumn Scavenger Cards for Early Years are designed to encourage children to look closely at the natural world, move around their outdoor space and discover familiar seasonal objects through active, child-led play.

The current Look for It Outdoors – Autumn Range includes simple picture-and-word prompts such as stick, stones, grass, brown leaf, acorn, conker, red leaf, pine cone, yellow leaf and pine leaves.
The cards are deliberately simple so children can pick one, head outside and begin exploring.  Explore more: The Complete Guide to Early Years Outdoors. 

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What Are Autumn Scavenger Cards?

Autumn scavenger cards are visual prompts that encourage children to search for objects in their outdoor environment.

Rather than giving children a long checklist, each card focuses on one thing to find.

For example:

• a stick
• stones
• grass
• a brown leaf
• an acorn
• a conker
• a red leaf
• a pine cone
• a yellow leaf
• pine leaves

This makes the activity accessible to young children and easy to use within everyday outdoor provision.

Children can work:

• independently
• with a friend
• in a small group
• alongside an adult

Why Use Autumn Scavenger Cards in EYFS?

The best Early Years activities are often the simplest.

A scavenger hunt gives children a clear reason to move, explore and notice what is around them.

It can support:

Understanding the World

Children begin to notice seasonal changes, plants, colours, textures and natural materials.

Communication and Language

Adults and children can talk about what they find and introduce vocabulary such as:

• rough
• smooth
• crunchy
• dry
• damp
• red
• yellow
• brown
• pointed
• curved

Physical Development

Children walk, squat, reach, carry and move around their outdoor environment.

PSED

Children can work together, take turns, share discoveries and build confidence exploring independently.

Literacy

The picture and word together help children make connections between objects, images and print.

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A Child-Led Outdoor Activity

These cards are designed to be easy for children to access independently.

The resource guidance suggests placing the cards in boxes or hanging them outdoors so children can choose a card and then go and play, find or make with their friends.

That means the activity does not need to become another adult-led task.

You might simply say:

“Choose a card and see if you can find it.”

Then allow the exploration to begin.

How to Prepare the Autumn Scavenger Cards

The cards are designed to be reused.

The preparation guidance recommends:

1. Print the cards.
2. Laminate them.
3. Hole punch them.
4. Thread them onto a lanyard.

Once prepared, they can remain part of your outdoor provision throughout the season.

Where Can You Store Them?

There are several simple ways to make the cards accessible.

The resource suggests:

• hanging them in the outdoor play area
• storing them in boxes
• creating a mystery dip-and-find play box
• hanging them on specific posts around the outdoor space

The aim is to make them easy for children and adults to pick up and use without needing a complicated setup.

Keep Your Outdoor Provision Simple

One of the most important ideas behind this resource is that your outdoor environment does not need to be completely changed every few weeks.

The guidance recommends a simple, consistent outdoor environment that can remain in place all year, with permanent areas such as:

• mud kitchen
• sand
• gravel
• pebbles
• bikes
• teaching space
• large loose parts

The learning changes through what children do within the space, rather than through constant adult-led redecoration.

That is exactly where simple scavenger cards can help.

They give children a new purpose without requiring you to rebuild the environment.

Autumn Scavenger Hunt Ideas

Once children are confident using the basic cards, you can extend the experience.

Try:

Find and Compare

Find two leaves.

Which is bigger?

Which is darker?

Which feels rougher?

Find and Count

Find:

• three sticks
• four stones
• five leaves

Find and Sort

Collect natural objects and sort them by:

• colour
• size
• texture
• type

Find and Describe

Choose one object.

Can the child describe it without saying its name?

Find and Make

Find natural objects, then use them to:

• make a face
• create a pattern
• build a tiny house
• make a picture
• create a number

Find and Move

Each time a child finds an object, add an action:

• jump three times
• spin
• march
• hop
• stretch

Use the Cards on an Autumn Walk

These cards are not limited to the nursery or Reception playground.

Take a small selection on:

• woodland walks
• park visits
• school grounds
• local nature walks
• forest areas
• garden exploration

Children can take turns holding the cards and looking for matches.

Remember that not every location will contain every item.

That is part of the learning too.

Children can discuss:

Why can’t we find a conker here?

Where might pine cones grow?

Why are some leaves still green?

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Autumn Vocabulary to Introduce

Try using rich language naturally as children explore.

Words might include:

• autumn
• season
• leaf
• branch
• twig
• acorn
• conker
• pine cone
• seed
• crunchy
• brittle
• damp
• smooth
• rough
• pointed
• colourful
• golden
• scarlet
• fallen

You do not need children to memorise these words.

Simply use them in conversation. Discover more about Knowledge and Understanding of the World Outdoors. 

Questions to Ask

Avoid turning the scavenger hunt into a test.

Try conversational prompts such as:

• What did you notice?
• Where did you find it?
• What does it feel like?
• What colour is it?
• Can you find another one?
• Are they the same?
• Which is bigger?
• What do you think this came from?
• Where else could we look?
• What has changed outside since last week?

Make the Activity More Challenging

For older EYFS children, move beyond simply finding the object.

Try cards or prompts such as:

• Find something longer than your hand.
• Find two leaves that are different colours.
• Find something rough.
• Find something that has fallen from a tree.
• Find three natural objects and put them in size order.
• Find something you think an animal could use.
• Find something beginning with a taught sound.
• Find something that has changed because it is autumn.

This keeps the activity open-ended and encourages deeper thinking.

Autumn Scavenger Cards and Maths

The cards can quickly become a maths activity.

Children can:

• count collections
• compare quantities
• order by size
• sort by colour
• measure sticks
• make repeating patterns
• create number representations

For example:

Find five conkers.

Then ask:

Can you split them into two groups?

Now a simple nature hunt becomes mathematical exploration.

Autumn Scavenger Cards and Literacy

Use the cards as a starting point for:

• autumn vocabulary
• initial sounds
• mark making
• labels
• simple lists
• storytelling

Children might collect three objects and invent a story involving all three.

Or Reception children could draw or write about their favourite find.

Keep writing optional and meaningful.

The outdoor exploration should remain the heart of the experience.

Autumn Scavenger Cards and Expressive Arts

After collecting natural objects, children can use them creatively.

Try:

• transient art
• leaf faces
• nature mandalas
• patterns
• mini sculptures
• stick characters
• natural pictures

This links the scavenger activity naturally with Expressive Arts and Design.

Autumn Scavenger Cards for SEND

The simplicity of one picture and one word can make scavenger cards particularly useful for children who benefit from clear visual prompts.

You can adapt by:

• using fewer cards
• offering one card at a time
• matching real objects to pictures
• working alongside a familiar adult
• using symbols where appropriate
• allowing children to point rather than speak
• pairing children together

Children should be able to participate in ways that work for them.

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Keep It Sustainable

The resource is designed to be downloaded, printed, laminated, stored and reused.

Once prepared, the cards can be brought out each autumn.

You do not need to print a new scavenger sheet every time you want children to explore.

Reuse the cards.

Reuse the environment.

Change the challenge.

The Muddy Puddle Teacher Approach

At The Muddy Puddle Teacher, we believe outdoor provision does not need to be complicated.

The resource itself explains that the magic comes from changing what children do within the space, not constantly changing the whole environment. A plank might become a bridge or ramp, mud-kitchen equipment can become part of cafés or potions, and bikes can become delivery or curriculum vehicles.

The same principle applies here.

You do not need an elaborate autumn activity table.

Give children a card.

Give them access to the outdoors.

Then let them explore.

Outdoor Autumn Scavenger Cards FAQs

What age are autumn scavenger cards suitable for?

They are particularly useful in Early Years, including nursery and Reception, but can be adapted for younger children with adult support.

What can children find on an autumn scavenger hunt?

The current autumn card set includes prompts such as sticks, stones, grass, coloured leaves, acorns, conkers, pine cones and pine leaves.

Do children have to collect the objects?

No. Children can simply find, point to, photograph or talk about what they discover. Some natural objects are best left where they are.

Can I use the cards in a small outdoor area?

Yes. Select the cards that match the environment available to you.

Do I need to lead the activity?

No. The cards are designed to support child-led use as well as adult-guided exploration.

How can I make an autumn scavenger hunt more challenging?

Add comparison, counting, descriptive language, sorting, initial sounds or open-ended prompts.

Can I reuse the cards?

Yes. The resource is intended to be printed, laminated, stored and reused.

Download the Outdoor Autumn Scavenger Cards

Use the Look for It Outdoors – Autumn Scavenger / Discover Cards to encourage simple, active and child-led seasonal exploration.

Print them.

Prepare them.

Place them outdoors.

Then let children choose a card and head off to discover what autumn has to offer.

Want More Outdoor Play Ideas?

Explore the wider Muddy Puddle Teacher outdoor play range, including:

• Look for It Outdoors Cards – discovery and scavenger activities
• Play it Outdoors Cards – imagination and play prompts
• Make it Outdoors Cards – expressive arts, loose parts and STEM ideas
• Lanyard Play Prompts – adult-led play provocations and questions

The resource introduces these as part of the wider play range.

Want to develop your outdoor provision further? Sign up for a 60-day free trial today. 

Explore The Muddy Puddle Teacher Play Training to learn how to create purposeful, sustainable outdoor provision and use simple resources to extend children’s play, learning and independence.