O heavenly Father, who hast filled the world with beauty:
Open our eyes to behold thy gracious hand in all thy works;
that, rejoicing in thy whole creation, we may learn to serve
thee with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all
things were made, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Joy in God’s Creation, Book of Common Prayer, page 814

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the Creation Care Team of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Wake Forest, North Carolina created this Backyard Scavenger Hunt to encourage members to get outside and appreciate creation.

Scavenger Hunt List

A PDF of the Scavenger Hunt is available here.

Supplies: You may want to have some crayons, a couple of pieces of paper, and a small bag (like a paper lunch bag). But don’t worry if you don’t – your eyes and ears are all you really need. Check off items or add your own answers, and have fun!

• First, look up! Check the sky. What do you see?
• Name something living in your yard:
• Place a nonliving, but not manmade, thing in your bag.
• Find 3 different trees in your yard and make tree bark rubbings with your crayons, using your extra paper.
• Is one of the trees taller than your house?
• Put 3 different leaves in your bag, and try to find a Y-shaped twig to add to your bag.
• Can you see any bird’s nests in your trees? How many?
• What birds do you see – what colors are they?
• Find some flowers in your yard and draw a picture of them.
• Do the bees like your flowers?
• Name the other insects that you see. Maybe they help to spread pollen like the bees. You can talk with your family about why pollinators are important.
• Can you find a spider web? Is the spider at home?
• Close your eyes and listen for a minute.
• What do you hear? Enjoy nature with your family!

Sharing the Results

Pictures of scavenger hunt findings can be shared on church FaceBook pages or in church FaceBook groups. You could also share pictures on your website, in your weekly announcements, or by asking people to tag your church in their personal social media posts.

Special thanks to Julie Arthur, member of St. John’s Creation Care Committee & St. John’s Preschool Teacher.