Toddler Scavenger Hunt (Free Printable List)

The hunt list

Only 20 items so the game stays short. Most toddlers will manage ten to twelve, and that is a perfectly good result.

How to play with a toddler

Toddlers do not read the list. The grown-up reads each item out and the toddler goes and finds it, so you are the clue giver, helper and cheerleader in one.

1. Print the sheet and keep it in your hand. Choose a small space such as one room.
2. Read the first item aloud in a bright voice. 'Can you find something red?'
3. Walk with the child. Point and wait. If they are stuck, offer a gentle clue, like 'Look near the toy box.'
4. Tick the box together and hold up the find. Celebrate each one with a clap or a cheer.
5. Stop when attention fades. Ten items is a full game for many two-year-olds.

Ways to adapt it

• Color hunt. Use only the first five items. Pick one color and find everything in the room that matches it.
• Basket game. Give the toddler a small basket and place found items inside, then tip them out for a second round.
• Sound hunt. Close your eyes together and listen. Look for the thing that makes the sound and tick it.

Tips for grown-ups

Make the hunt about practice with words rather than winning. Naming each item aloud builds vocabulary, and the satisfaction of finding it builds confidence.

Pre-place a few easy items where you know the child will see them. Toddlers love an early victory.

Have just one or two sheets handy. A toddler is quite likely to chew the first one, and that is fine.

Safety for the smallest players

Stay with your toddler throughout. Remove coins, buttons, small batteries and other choking hazards from the search area, and keep anything with a cord or sharp edge out of reach. Toddlers explore with their mouths, so check what is in the basket before they play.

Printing for little hands

Choose the checklist layout, which puts the words on a single clear page. Laminate or slip the sheet into a plastic pocket, since toddlers tend to wave paper around. Use cardstock if you want it to survive a second round. Plain black and white is fine; you can add stickers for colors.