Squirrels Nature Activities: Fun Ways to Explore the Outdoors

Getting Squirrels interested in nature doesn’t need to involve complicated equipment or long walks.

Young children are naturally curious about the world around them.

A strange-looking leaf, an unusual insect or an interesting bird can be enough to start a conversation.

Nature activities give Squirrels the chance to explore that curiosity while developing observation, teamwork and an appreciation for the environment.

1. Nature Treasure Hunt

Give Squirrels a list of things to find.

It could include:

A leaf bigger than their hand.

Something rough.

Something smooth.

A feather.

A pine cone.

Something yellow.

They don’t need to collect anything.

Simply finding and pointing things out can turn an ordinary walk into an adventure.

2. Wildlife Spotting

Take the group somewhere suitable and see how many different animals they can spot.

Birds are an easy starting point, but they might also find insects, squirrels, rabbits or signs that animals have been nearby.

Encourage quiet observation rather than chasing animals.

3. Nature Bingo

Create bingo cards with things Squirrels might encounter.

A bird.

A flower.

A tree stump.

A spider web.

A cloud.

A feather.

A different-shaped leaf.

The first person or team to complete a row wins.

4. Tree Detectives

Choose several trees and get Squirrels to compare them.

What colour is the bark?

Is it smooth or rough?

Are the leaves different shapes?

Is the tree tall or short?

You can then introduce the idea that different trees have different characteristics.

5. Leaf Matching

Collect a selection of fallen leaves before the activity.

Mix them up and ask Squirrels to match leaves that came from the same type of tree.

You can make it more challenging by asking them to find the trees themselves.

Use fallen leaves rather than pulling leaves from living plants.

6. Listen to Nature

Find a safe place where everyone can sit quietly.

Give the Squirrels a minute to listen.

Then ask:

“What did you hear?”

You might get answers such as birds, wind, insects, traffic or other people.

Try it again somewhere else and compare the sounds.

7. Mini Beast Hunt

Give Squirrels the chance to look for small creatures.

They might find beetles, woodlice, worms or spiders.

The emphasis should be on observation rather than collecting.

If you move a log or stone to look underneath, replace it carefully afterwards.

8. Nature Photography

If suitable devices are available, give Squirrels a simple photography challenge.

Can they photograph:

Something tiny?

Something colourful?

An interesting texture?

A pattern?

A creature?

A favourite tree?

This encourages them to look closely at things they might normally walk past.

9. Find the Colours

Give each Squirrel a colour.

Their challenge is to find something naturally occurring in that colour.

Green is easy.

Purple or orange might be harder.

It becomes a simple observation game that can be played almost anywhere outdoors.

10. Nature Texture Hunt

Ask Squirrels to find things that look or feel different.

Something smooth.

Something rough.

Something soft.

Something hard.

Something spiky.

Avoid allowing them to touch unknown plants or animals.

They can simply point to or describe the object instead.

11. Animal Tracks

Look for signs that animals have been nearby.

Depending on the location, you might find footprints, feathers, droppings, chewed nuts or other evidence.

Ask:

“What animal do you think was here?”

This introduces the idea that wildlife can be discovered even when you can’t see the animal itself.

12. Nature Shapes

Ask Squirrels to find natural objects that look like familiar shapes.

A leaf shaped like a heart.

A branch shaped like a letter.

A cloud that resembles an animal.

It encourages imagination as well as observation.

13. Weather Watchers

Give Squirrels a simple weather challenge.

What can they see?

Clouds.

Wind.

Sunlight.

Rain.

Frost.

Then ask:

“What do you think the weather will do next?”

It’s a simple introduction to observing changing conditions.

14. Build a Nature Picture

Instead of collecting natural objects, ask Squirrels to create pictures using fallen materials already on the ground, where this is permitted.

They might make:

An animal.

A face.

A tree.

A campsite.

A pattern.

Dismantle the artwork afterwards and leave the area as you found it.

15. Nature Sound Bingo

Create a list of sounds.

Birdsong.

Wind.

Leaves moving.

Running water.

An insect.

A person walking.

Squirrels can tick off sounds as they hear them.

It works particularly well on a quiet woodland walk.

16. Five-Minute Sit Spot

Choose a safe place and ask everyone to sit quietly for five minutes.

They aren’t allowed to talk.

Afterwards, ask:

“What did you notice that you wouldn’t normally have seen?”

This can be surprisingly effective.

Once people stop moving and talking, the environment seems to come alive.

17. Nature Scavenger Hunt

Give teams a list of things to find rather than collect.

For example:

Something that has been eaten by an animal.

A fallen branch.

A feather.

A seed.

A spider web.

A sign of water.

This keeps the activity moving while reducing disturbance to the environment.

18. Bug Hotel Planning

Instead of immediately building one, ask Squirrels to investigate what different creatures might need.

Where would insects shelter?

What materials might provide hiding places?

Where would the habitat be best positioned?

They can then build a simple bug hotel if appropriate for the site.

19. Nature Story Walk

Take Squirrels on a short walk while telling a story.

At different points, the environment becomes part of the story.

A fallen tree might become a giant’s bridge.

A stream could be a magical river.

A woodland clearing could be the setting for the next part of the adventure.

It’s a great way to combine imagination with outdoor exploration.

20. The Big Nature Challenge

Finish with a team challenge.

Give each team a checklist containing different things to discover.

They might need to find:

Three different leaf shapes.

Two types of tree.

A sign of an animal.

A natural pattern.

A bird.

Something that makes a sound.

Something they didn’t expect to find.

The team then returns and shares what they discovered.

Let Squirrels Lead the Discovery

One of the best things about nature activities is that you don’t have to know everything yourself.

If a Squirrel asks:

“What’s that?”

you don’t always need to have the answer immediately.

You can say:

“I don’t know. Let’s see if we can work it out.”

That turns curiosity into part of the activity.

Don’t Try to Control Everything

Nature is unpredictable.

You might plan to see birds and find none.

You might discover an interesting insect you weren’t expecting.

The weather might change.

That’s part of the fun.

Leave room in your programme for Squirrels to stop and investigate things that catch their attention.

Teach Respect for Wildlife

Nature activities are also a good opportunity to establish simple habits.

Look rather than chase.

Observe rather than disturb.

Leave habitats where you found them.

Don’t feed wild animals.

Don’t pick living plants unnecessarily.

Take rubbish home.

These lessons can become habits that last well beyond Squirrels.

Final Thoughts

Nature activities don’t have to be complicated.

A short walk can become a wildlife hunt.

A fallen leaf can become a science lesson.

Five minutes of sitting quietly can reveal sounds that nobody noticed before.

The important thing is giving Squirrels the opportunity to look, listen, explore and ask questions.

🌿 THE BIG IDEA

You don’t need to bring nature to Squirrels — take Squirrels outside and let them discover it.

Keep activities simple, encourage curiosity and give young people time to explore the world around them.

The best nature activity might be the one you didn’t plan.