Long Weekend Scavenger Hunt—While Supporting Language Development!

Looking for a fun, screen-free activity this May long weekend? A scavenger hunt is a playful and active way to support language development! Whether indoors or outside, your child can build vocabulary, follow directions, and practice using expressive language—all while searching for hidden clues.

How can a scavenger hunt help develop language?

Scavenger hunts create natural opportunities to model and practice language. Children can build on what they already know while adding new words, phrases, and concepts. Plus, the excitement of finding clues keeps them engaged and motivated to communicate!

Here are some speech and language skills you can target during a scavenger hunt, along with sample phrases and tips for each one.

To make the most of your scavenger hunt, try focusing on language skills that match your child’s current stage of development. You can check our age-specific language goals and areas to support growth to find the right targets for your kid. Think about what they’re already working on and what they might need more practice with—this helps keep the activity both fun and purposeful.

As you model language during the hunt, highlight key words so your child can notice and learn them. Repeat important phrases often—children learn best when they hear words multiple times in different situations. Give your child a chance to join in by pausing, waiting for their response, or asking open-ended questions to guide their thinking.

1. Verb Tenses

Irregular past tense:

“What did you find?” → “I found the teddy bear!”

Present tense (-ing):

“What are you looking for?” → “I am looking for the next clue.”

Tip: Model both past and present tense naturally during play. Repeat your child’s sentence with correct grammar if needed.

2. Describe What You Found

Encourage children to describe each item using:

• Adjectives (small, soft, shiny)

• Color (blue, green, red)

• Size (big, tiny, medium)

• Function (used for cleaning, you wear it, etc.)

“I found a small, soft teddy bear!”

“The car is red and fast.”

Tip: Ask open-ended questions like “What does it feel like?” or “What can you do with it?”

3. Follow Directions

Use scavenger clues to give multi-step directions:

“Open the closet and look under the shoes.”

“First, touch the couch. Then, look behind the cushion.”

Tip: Adjust the number of steps based on your child’s skill level. Use visual supports or gestures as needed.

4. Prepositions

Model spatial words while hiding and finding items:

• Under, on, next to, behind, inside, in front of

“The toy is under the pillow.”

“It was behind the curtain!”

Tip: After each find, ask your child to explain where they found it using a complete sentence.

5. Pronoun “I”

Practice self-statements:

“I found it!”

“I am looking under the table.”

Use sentence starters like:

I see... / I found... / I put...

Tip: Provide a visual or a sentence strip to help your child begin their response confidently.

6. “Where” Questions

Incorporate open-ended questions during the hunt:

“Where was the sock?”

“Where should we look next?”

Encourage responses with prepositions:

“It was inside the box!”

Tip: Use a toy or puppet to ask questions if your child is more engaged with characters.

7. Core Words

Target simple, functional language:

• Find “Find the ball!”

• Go “Go under the table!”

• Look “Look behind the chair!”

• In/out “Put it in the basket.”

• Help “Help me find the next one!”

Tip: These core words are great for children using AAC, gestures, or emerging verbal language.

Make it Your Own

You can create a quick list of clues, draw pictures, or just go freestyle with hidden objects. Bring in favorite toys or seasonal items to personalize the hunt. If you’re outside, include natural elements like leaves, rocks, or flowers for more vocabulary-building opportunities.

By turning a scavenger hunt into a language-rich experience, you’ll be supporting your child’s development in a fun and interactive way. Whether you're focusing on pronouns, prepositions, or descriptive language, there are endless teachable moments waiting behind every clue!

Happy hunting—and enjoy the long weekend!