Entertaining with Nature

September is a wonderful month for picnics, projects and activities.  The weather is conducive to exploration and plants and trees are mature and starting to seed. The weather is still warm enough for an outdoor campfire and picnic.  A nature guessing game can provide entertainment that includes the outdoors and is fun for all ages. 

Give each person a grocery bag.  Label each one with a different number on the outside.  Be sure the grocery bag is not opaque, because you don't want people to be able to see shapes or shadows of what's inside.  Have everyone go outside for a walk in the woods, a park, or the back yard.  Each person is to find and gather five different items that they find.  Make sure they don't collect live things, but other nature objects instead. Things to look for could be pine cones, leaves, rocks, seeds, seed pods, an acorn, a feather, a stick, fallen pine needles, and more. Set a timer for 15 minutes and then have everyone return to a central location.

When everyone has returned, have them sit in a large circle.  Give each person a pencil and paper. Have each person pass their bag to the person on their right.  Allow them one minute to feel what's inside the bag, guess what it is, and write the names of the items in the bag on their paper. Make sure they write the bag number on the paper along with the names of the objects. 

Then, continue with the next person's bag and so on, with individuals writing the names of objects guessed on their paper.

After all the bags have been explored, have each person show the items in their bag and tell about it.  As they do this, everyone should check their papers to see how correct they were. 

Although this game is very simple, it is fun, entertaining, and educational for all ages! What a great way for all ages to enjoy a nature activity together.