Cubs Nature Activities: Fun Ways to Explore the Outdoors

Nature activities are a simple way to get Cubs outside and looking more closely at the world around them.

A woodland, park, campsite or even the area around your meeting place can provide plenty to explore.

The aim isn’t necessarily to identify every plant or animal. It’s about encouraging Cubs to notice things, ask questions and develop an interest in the natural world.

1. Mini Beast Hunt

Give Cubs a short time to search for insects and other small creatures.

They might find beetles, worms, spiders, woodlice or caterpillars.

Encourage them to look without harming or disturbing what they find.

A simple checklist can turn it into a friendly competition.

2. Nature Bingo

Create bingo cards featuring things Cubs might find outdoors.

A feather.

A pine cone.

Moss.

A yellow flower.

A bird.

A large tree.

A spider web.

Cubs search for the items rather than collecting them.

3. Tree Detective

Choose several trees and challenge Cubs to compare them.

Look at:

Leaves

Bark

Shape

Seeds or fruit

Can they work out which trees are the same species?

4. Wildlife Spotting

Take Cubs somewhere suitable and spend a few minutes quietly looking and listening.

How many different birds can they see?

Can they hear birds they can’t see?

What other animals or signs of animals can they find?

Binoculars can be useful but aren’t essential.

5. Nature Scavenger Hunt

Give Cubs a list of things to find, rather than collect.

Something rough.

Something smooth.

Something green.

Something that smells interesting.

Something that has fallen from a tree.

Something that shows evidence of an animal.

It encourages observation without damaging the environment.

6. Animal Tracks

Introduce Cubs to common animal footprints.

You can use photographs, drawings or prepared footprint cards.

Then take them outside and look for real signs of animals.

They may not find actual footprints, so look for other clues too.

7. Birdsong Challenge

Take Cubs somewhere quiet.

Ask everyone to stand still for a minute and listen.

How many different sounds can they hear?

Can they identify any birds?

You can play recordings of common birds afterwards and see whether they recognise any.

8. Nature Photography

Give Cubs the challenge of finding interesting natural patterns.

Tree bark.

Leaves.

Flowers.

Clouds.

Insects.

Shadows.

If devices are appropriate for your group, they can photograph their discoveries rather than collecting them.

9. Build a Nature Map

Ask Cubs to draw a map of the area they’ve explored.

They can mark:

Large trees.

Streams.

Paths.

Interesting plants.

Wildlife sightings.

Other natural features.

This combines nature observation with navigation skills.

10. Habitat Hunt

Choose several different habitats around your activity area.

Perhaps:

Woodland.

Grassland.

Hedgerow.

Pond edge.

Ask Cubs what creatures might live in each one.

Then look for evidence.

11. Nature’s Colours

Give Cubs a list of colours.

Red.

Yellow.

Green.

Brown.

Purple.

White.

Can they find something naturally occurring in each colour?

This works particularly well with younger Cubs.

12. Tree Bark Rubbings

Place paper over suitable tree bark and gently rub over it with a crayon or similar material.

Compare the patterns from different trees.

Avoid damaging the bark and don’t use this activity on protected or delicate surfaces.

13. Build a Bug Hotel

Create a small habitat using suitable natural materials.

You could use pieces of untreated wood, hollow stems, pine cones and other appropriate materials.

Place it somewhere suitable and leave it undisturbed.

Then check back later to see whether anything has moved in.

14. Nature Sound Map

Sit quietly outdoors and ask Cubs to draw themselves in the middle of a piece of paper.

Every time they hear a sound, they mark it on the paper in the direction it came from.

A bird might go on the right.

A car might be behind them.

The wind might be above them.

It creates a simple map of the soundscape around them.

15. Seasonal Detective

Repeat the same nature walk at different times of year.

What changes?

Trees may lose or grow leaves.

Flowers appear and disappear.

Different birds may be present.

The weather changes the landscape.

It teaches Cubs that nature is constantly changing.

16. Nature’s Camouflage

Ask Cubs to find examples of animals or insects that are difficult to spot.

Explain how camouflage helps animals avoid predators or approach prey.

You can then play a game where leaders hide natural-looking objects and Cubs try to spot them.

17. Leave No Trace Challenge

Take Cubs on a short walk and talk about how to enjoy nature responsibly.

Can they identify examples of people caring for an area?

Can they spot litter?

If appropriate, organise a supervised litter-picking activity using suitable equipment.

The goal is to leave the area at least as good as you found it.

18. Cloud Watching

Find a safe place to sit and look at the sky.

What shapes can Cubs see?

Can they identify different types of weather?

You can turn it into a short discussion about how clouds and weather change.

19. Nature Detective Mystery

Create a fictional mystery.

“Something has been eating the plants in our woodland. What animal could it be?”

Give Cubs clues such as footprints, photographs, droppings or feeding marks.

They have to work out which animal is the most likely culprit.

20. The Big Nature Challenge

Finish with a nature adventure combining several activities.

Cubs could follow a short trail, identify trees, spot wildlife, complete a nature bingo card and create a simple map of what they’ve discovered.

Finish by asking:

“What was the most interesting thing you found today?”

There doesn’t have to be one correct answer.

Encourage Curiosity

You don’t need to know the answer to every question a Cub asks.

If someone asks:

“Why does that tree have that shape?”

it’s perfectly acceptable to investigate the question together.

Encouraging curiosity is often more valuable than giving Cubs a list of facts to memorise.

Don’t Disturb Wildlife

A good rule for nature activities is:

Look, listen and leave it where it is.

Cubs don’t need to catch animals to learn about them.

Watching a spider build a web or spotting a bird in a tree can be just as exciting.

If animals are handled as part of a properly planned educational activity, this should be done appropriately and with animal welfare in mind.

Make Nature Part of Other Activities

Nature doesn’t have to be a standalone meeting.

Combine it with other Cub skills.

A nature walk can become a navigation activity.

Animal tracking can become a scouting game.

A woodland visit can include shelter building.

A campsite can become a place for wildlife observation.

This makes it easier to give Cubs regular opportunities to experience the outdoors.

Final Thoughts

Nature activities help Cubs slow down and pay attention to their surroundings.

They don’t require expensive equipment or elaborate preparation.

A short walk can become a wildlife hunt.

A tree can become a detective challenge.

A patch of grass can become a mini-beast safari.

The most important thing is giving Cubs the opportunity to explore, observe and wonder.

🌿 THE BIG IDEA

You don’t need to go far to find nature.

Look closely at the world around you and there’s almost always something interesting to discover.

Give Cubs time to explore it safely, respect the wildlife they encounter and encourage them to ask questions. That’s where a lifelong interest in the outdoors can begin.