Summer Scavenger Hunt: You Decide Edition Free Printable

The Summer Scavenger Hunt: You Decide Edition adds a twist to the classic scavenger hunt by letting kids choose what to find at each step. This free printable is great for outdoor play, summer camp, classroom activities, or backyard adventures. If you love fun summer games, don’t miss our 100 Would You Rather Summer Questions for Kids for even more inspiration!

How to Play the Summer Scavenger Hunt: You Decide Edition

This activity is easy to use with any age group. At each line, kids pick one of the two options and then go find an item that matches. It gives children the freedom to choose, which adds a layer of fun and decision-making to traditional scavenger hunts.

Play it:

• As a timed game
• On a nature walk or field trip
• As a quiet-time indoor activity
• With a small group or whole class

All you need is the printable and a sense of curiosity!

Why Kids Love the “You Decide” Twist

Instead of a fixed list, kids enjoy choosing their challenge at each stop. It helps:

• Boost independence and confidence
• Encourage observational skills
• Provide sensory exploration with choices like wet or dry, round or bumpy, and more
• Promote movement and engagement, especially during summer downtime

Perfect for summer camps, homeschoolers, backyard play, or even on vacation!

Summer Scavenger Hunt: The 14 You-Choose Prompts

Here’s the complete list of prompts included in the printable. At each step, kids choose one item from the pair to find:

• Find something soft or cold
• Find something round or bumpy
• Find something that smells good or makes a noise
• Find something you can stack or you can roll
• Find something yellow or blue
• Find something wet or dry
• Find something tiny or tall
• Find something that can move or stays still
• Find something you use in summer or you use all year
• Find something from nature or made by people
• Find something you can smell or you can hear
• Find something with stripes or with spots
• Find something that floats or that sinks
• Find something you can wear or you can eat

This list offers open-ended opportunities for conversation, sensory exploration, and creative thinking.

More Summer Freebies from Growing Play

Looking for even more printable fun? Check out these reader favorites:

• Summer This or That Free Printable
• Happy Summer Coloring Pages – Free Printables
• Hard Summer Word Search – Free Printable Puzzle
• Summer Word Search Printables