An Easy Fall Leaf Scavenger Hunt (With a Free Printable!)

For our easy leaf scavenger hunt activity, you’ll need:

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How to Make A Quick and Easy Leaf Scavenger Hunt – DIY Instructions

Download and print our leaf scavenger hunt kit.

Download our free printable leaf scavenger hunt bundle and print it onto cardstock or copy paper.

Cut apart the leaf ID cards and tape them to a paper bag.

Once printed, cut apart a few of the mini leaf ID pages and tape or glue them to a brown paper lunch or gift bag (a bag with handles works particularly well!).

Color leaves for a fall color hunt (optional).

Want to take your leaf spotting one step further and challenge your kids to find leaves of specific colors? Use crayons or markers to color in the leaf cards for a fun fall color scavenger hunt variation!

Six Creative Ways to Use Our Leaf Scavenger Hunt

1. Use our leaf search throughout the seasons

Try peeping leaves in the same spots during different seasons. How are things different? Can you even see any leaves? This is a great way to discuss the types of leaves and their trees and how they change (or disappear!) throughout the seasons.

2. Go on a leaf hunt and a fairy-finding mission

Before heading out on a leaf hunt, hide a few of our DIY woodland fairy peg dolls along the way to add a bit of intrigue and interest or some creative storytelling opportunities. You can look for leaves that match the colors of each fairy you find!

3. Try an indoor leaf scavenger hunt

Especially throughout fall, rainy, cool days abound. If you find it too wet or chilly for extended outdoor play, it can quickly turn into an indoor game! If you don’t have actual leaves handy, just print our page or two of our leaf templates, cut them out, and hide them around the house.

Or hide silk leaves, felt leaf cutouts, or wooden leaves inside. OR, grab a pair of binoculars and see how many leaves you can find from a window.

4. Search for specific leaf colors

Create a variation by coloring the leaves to make the search more specific – challenge your minis to find the rare red Oak leaf, an orange Maple, etc.

5. Get inspired with a good fall leaf picture book

Pair a leaf search with some of our favorite autumn leaf-themed picture books for a peaceful afternoon of nature-centric learning. Here are a few of our favorites…

1. The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming: This delightful book tells the story of a squirrel who thinks a mischievous thief is stealing his tree’s leaves, only to discover the natural process of autumn.
2. A Very Big Fall by Emmy Kastner: Follow the journey of leaves from three different trees as they approach their “big fall” with differing attitudes.
3. Leaf by Sandra Dieckmann: This visually stunning picture book chronicles the journey of a polar bear stranded in a forest and his effort to return home, all the while fascinated and bewildered by the never-before-seen trees and leaves.
4. Fall Leaves by Loretta Holland: A lovely exploration of the changing seasons, this book uses vibrant illustrations and lyrical text to explain why leaves change color and fall during autumn.
5. Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert: A creative adventure that tells the story of a leaf man who’s blown away by the wind, and the reader gets to decide where he ends up.
6. A Pile of Leaves by Jason Fulford and Tamara Shopsin: This interactive book uses transparent pages to create a layered experience as kids sift through the pile of leaves to discover what hides within, teaching them about nature and seasons in a fun, tactile way.
7. Leaves: An Autumn Pop-Up Book by Janet Lawler: A fun and educational journey that celebrates the vibrant colors and shapes of fall foliage with exciting pop-up illustrations.
8. Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak: This beautifully illustrated book captures the transition from summer to autumn as a young girl takes a walk and converses with animals and elements of nature, acknowledging the change of seasons.
9. If You Find a Leaf by Aimee Sicuro: In this picture book, children are introduced to the world of botany as a little girl finds a leaf and embarks on a journey to discover which tree it came from, teaching kids about various types of trees and their leaves.
10. We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger: This adventurous book takes children on an exciting autumn journey through different landscapes as they explore and collect various leaves.
11. Storm by Sam Usher: In this beautifully illustrated picture book, a boy and his grandad decide to brave the weather and venture out into the storm, discovering a world transformed by the rain (and LOTS and lots of colorful fall leaves!).
12. Look What I Did with a Leaf! by Morteza E. Sohi: A book that’s perfect for little creators, this provides an imaginative approach to leaf art, inspiring kids to see possibilities for creativity in nature’s most common item.

6. Make it an afternoon of nature investigation

Fold up your leaf scavenger hunt sheet and tuck it into your own DIY nature explorer’s kit. This cute and clever little trunk for outdoor adventurers is a fantastic way to incorporate science-based investigation and play.

10 Ways to Use Real Leaves For Kids Fall Leaf Crafts

So you’ve completed a very successful leaf scavenger hunt and have a big bag full of colorful leaves…what to do with them now? Here are ten of our favorite ideas…

• Make Mouse Mail: A great activity for little leaf collectors, this mouse mail leaf-cutting activity doubles as wonderful fine motor skill practice.
• Try Leaf Rubbings: Kids can create leaf rubbings with a piece of paper and a crayon. Simply place a leaf under a piece of paper and rub the crayon over it to reveal the unique patterns and designs of the leaf.
• Make Gradient Leaf Banners: Have you found a dazzling array of leaves in all different shades of the same color? Mount them on a piece of cardboard for a simple (but oh so elegant!) leaf banner.
• Press and Preserve Leaves: Children can press the leaves in a heavy book to preserve them. After a few days or weeks, they can use these pressed leaves for various art and crafts projects or to create a lovely leaf collection book.
• Create Colorful Leaf Collages: For some stunning yet simple leaf art, make a colorful leaf collage (substituting your real leaves for the photocopied leaves in our project).
• Hang a Leaf Mobile: Children can thread leaves of various colors and shapes onto string and hang them from a coat hanger or stick to make a colorful mobile.
• Decorate Autumn Jar Lanterns: Using our recycled jar lantern DIY, glue autumn leaves (or use leaf rubbings) onto your lantern liner for a (water resistant!) homemade fall lantern you can take on a twilight leaf hunt.
• Make a Leaf Garland: By stringing leaves together, kids can create a beautiful fall garland to decorate their room or house.
• Make Leaf Wands: Bundle your collected leaves and make your own leaf wand for sprinkling a little of that fall magic around. (substituting your real leaves for the paper leaves in our project).
• Build Leaf Creatures: By using leaves of different shapes and sizes, kids can make their own creatures or characters. Add some googly eyes and pipe cleaners for extra fun!

More Backyard Scavenger Hunts for Kids

Combine this with our free printable bug scavenger hunt or printable seasonal color hunt for a whole afternoon of backyard searches!

Fall Outdoor Play Activities for Kids

For adventurous older kids, definitely check out our art + play “alternative” scavenger hunt activity and printable outdoor explorer pack.

More Fall Nature Activities for Kids

This easy leaf hunt works well for younger kiddos who need visual clues and simple sights to search for (and if they loved this, try one of our loose parts leaf play activities or fall fine motor skill trays.

For fall leaf-hunting with a stellar soundtrack, visit our “Cozy Up to Autumn” playlist on Spotify.