Explore Nature with these Learning Resources!
Ready for your next outdoor adventure? These simple activities contain everything you need for a fun and educational outdoor experience. Each activity will help you develop your observational skills, creativity, and a connection to your local ecosystems.
To get started, download or print the pdf. Each activity contains a description, directions, materials list (if any are needed), and activity sheet (if required).
Activities for all learners:
- Alaska's Animals
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Learn about the animals that share the outdoors with you.
Alaska Animal Olympics
Test your speed and endurance against the abilities of Alaska animals.
Animal Evidence Extravaganza
Find and identify the clues that animals leave behind when they move around in their habitat.
The Beaver and the Fox Play
Design costumes and put on your own performance of this educational beaver and fox adaptations play.
Be a Pollinator Impersonator
Pretend you are a pollinator in this fun, active game.
Create a Critter
Invent your own imaginary creature with unique characteristics in this fun craft activity.
What will you create? Photo by D. Coble, BLM.
Eye Spy Animal Eyes
Search for different types of animals’ eyes and discover their unique adaptations for survivalImprove a Habitat!
Use these tips to make habitat improvements in your own neighborhood and provide wildlife with additional food, water, or shelter.Insect Safari
Grab your safari hat and head outside to discover what the insects in your neighborhood are doing.Spider Patrol
Take a closer look at spiders and how they catch their preySalmon Life Cycle Game
Get ready to dart, wiggle, and leap as you transform into a salmon, travel from freshwater to the ocean, and return back home on this journey of a lifetime.
Decode Squirrel Behavior
Squirrels can teach us a lot about animal behavior. Head outside to sharpen your observational skills by watching squirrels.
Illustration by L. Pyle, BLM.
- Birding Basics
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Hone your bird observation skills with these engaging activities.
Color Your Own Alaska Bird Guide
Print and color this field guide of Alaska birds and bring it with you on your next adventure.Eye Spy Bird Behavior
Familiarize yourself with various types of bird behavior through the game of eye spy.The Five S's of Birding
Learn some simple tricks to identify different bird species.Tuning into Birds
Often it is easier to hear a bird than it is to see it. Learn to recognize birds by the sounds you hear.
Binoculars can give you an even better view of birds. Photo by BLM.
- Down at the Water's Edge
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Explore water and aquatic life from the shores of creeks and ponds.
Build-a-Boat
Construct boat's using natural items and see how well they float.Creek Critters
Many small insects, worms, and other living creatures live in creeks and rivers. Head down to the water to see what you can find!Draw like a Naturalist - Riparian Area
Sketch a river or a creek to become acquainted with a unique landscape known as a riparian area.
Students explore the waters edge on a warm summer day. Photo by BLM.
- Forest Investigation
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Get to know all the different parts of the forest, from the canopy to the forest floor.
Book of Trees
Discover what trees are around you! Using drawing and observation skills, create a guide to trees found in your local area.Interview a Tree
Ask a tree seven questions to increase your understanding of the role it plays in the forest.Investigate a Fallen Log
Even after they fall, trees are home to many living things. Sometimes you just need to take a closer look.
Students take a closer look at a fallen log while on a field trip at the Science Center. Photo by BLM.
Living on a Tree
A tree is home to many different plants, fungi, and animals. Look closer at a tree near you to see what life you can find!Meet a Tree
Find a partner and use a variety of senses to learn more about the trees around you.Phenology Wheel
Track seasonal changes by visiting a tree or shrub in your neighborhood through the year.Shelter Building
Shelters can protect you from the elements or provide a good hiding spot indoors. In this activity, build your own shelter. - Games, Games, Games!
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Discover new knowledge through these fun, active games.
Alaska Animal Olympics
Test your speed and endurance against the abilities of Alaska animals.Be a Pollinator Impersonator
Pretend you are a pollinator in this fun, active game.Going for Gold: Travel the Iditarod Trail
Transport back in time to become a musher traveling the Iditarod Trail during Alaska's gold rush through this interactive game!Salmon Life Cycle Game
Get ready to dart, wiggle, and leap as you transform into a salmon, travel from freshwater to the ocean, and return back home on this journey of a lifetime.
Salmon connect many parts an ecosystem together. Illustration by M. Harris, BLM.
- Take a Closer Look
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Take time to notice new things. Use these activities to guide your discoveries.
Berry Hunt
Head outside to find as many berries as you can in this berry scavenger hunt.Bingo! Minerals, Minerals, Everywhere!
Discover minerals in all sorts of products in your home using this bingo sheet.Color Search
Look past brown, green, and white to discover the rainbow of colors that exist in nature.
Students created a rainbow of colors while with Campbell Creek Science Center. Photo by J. Johnson, BLM.
Create Your Own Field Guide
Observe, draw, and identify the plants and animals you find outside. Record your findings to create your very own field guide.Ecosystem Connections
Observe the natural world around you to discover how different communities of living and non-living things interact with each other.Exploring Snow and Ice Crystals
Snow and ice crystals come in many different forms. Use these statements as you study the crystals: "I notice.... I wonder.... It reminds me of.... "Go Rockhounding
Channel your inner geologist and get to know the rocks around you.Nature Bingo
Can you get a nature bingo? Use your senses to explore nature in your own backyard using this bingo sheet as your guide.Map Your Yard
Map out a familiar spot and discover things you had not noticed before.Moon Journal
Record changes in the shape of the Moon to discover patterns in the Moon's cycle over time.Texture Search
Explore the variety of textures in your environment
Lots of different texture exist in nature. Photo by BLM.
Nature Scavenger Hunt
Find nature’s hidden treasures in your yard, a park, or a trail.Nighttime Observation
All sorts of things are visible at night that you cannot see during the day. Use this activity to observe as many nighttime wonders as you can!Seed Bracelet
Create a seed bracelet to document the variety of seeds near you.Square Foot Safari
Focus your attention on a very small area and turn up all sorts of interesting surprises.Sun Tracker
Chart the sunrise and sunset where you live to get a better sense of how the Earth travels around the sun and to discover how much your day length changes over time.The Great Sock Experiment
Learn how effective different sock materials are at keeping your feet warm through this scientific experiment. - Outdoor Art
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Inspire your creative side using nature as your muse.
Build a Fairy House
Use your imagination and creativity to build a fairy home out of natural materials.Draw like a Naturalist - Wildflowers
Hone your drawing skills by learning to notice the subtle details of wildflowers.Draw like a Naturalist - Riparian Area
Sketch a river or a creek to become acquainted with a unique landscape known as a riparian area.Draw with Detail
Notice the small things that make three similar objects unique.Ice Blocks
Make something beautiful using ice as your medium.Leaf Art
Discover ways to be artistic with leaves and create your own leaf art.Nature Art
Create art without any art supplies, use natural materials instead.
Postcard from Your Yard
Get ready. You are heading out on a big trip…to your own backyard! Write a postcard to share your experience with a friend. - Slow Down in Nature
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Take a deep breath, slow down, and enjoy the world around you.
Create a Sit Spot
Visit the same spot each day to observe your natural surroundings and the changes that take place over time.
Mindful Moments
Practice the art of awareness through these simple activities.Nature Journaling
Draw and write observations about the outdoors using the prompts in this nature journal.Sound Map
Use just your ears to explore the outdoors.Winter Wonderland
Discover the beauty and wonder of the winter season with these mindfulness prompts.
Activities designed for children 5 and under:
- Animals
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Explore, sing, and learn about animals.
Illustration by M. Harris, BLM
- Plants
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Get to know the plants and trees around you.
Illustration by M. Harris, BLM.
- Water, Snow, and Ice
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Explore water in all forms.
Graphic by BLM.
- Art
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Illustration by L. Pyle, BLM.
- Move
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Bend, stretch, and slow down with nature yoga poses.
Graphic by K. Mincer, BLM.