Nature Observation Bingo

Let’s Be Curious! Talk with your child about what it means to observe something. Explain that when we look closely at things — safely using our five senses — we notice new and important information. We can see a new pattern, hear a unique sound, and smell or carefully touch something that we might have missed if we just glanced quickly. Ask your child if they have ever observed something closely. What did you learn? Would you like to observe more with me today?

Let’s Make a Plan! Print out the Nature Observation Bingo Card template or draw your own bingo cards. Make sure you have enough copies for each observer to have a card.

Tell your child that you are going to observe nature by creating a bingo card to help you look for interesting things. Brainstorm together with your child a list of things that you might see, hear, smell, feel or taste while on a walk through your neighborhood or playground. Here are some ideas:

• a bug the size of your thumb
• a singing bird
• a crawling creature
• a leaf with five points
• a flying bird
• something that feels rough
• a creature that is eating
• a sweet-smelling plant
• an animal’s home

Help your child draw or write your observation ideas in the spaces provided on the bingo cards. Make sure to mix up the orders on each card, so the winner is a surprise!

Let’s Explore! Now it’s time to use your senses and make observations! Take your Nature Observation Bingo cards, a crayon, and your curiosity outside. Walk around your neighborhood or local playground and look together for your nature ideas to observe.

Invite your child to mark an X on the bingo square if they find one of the observation ideas. What do you notice? Did you discover something surprising?

If a player completes a row, it’s a bingo! Once someone gets bingo, challenge each other to mark off every box.

Let’s Share! Optional: As you play the nature bingo game, take pictures of your observations and share with friends and family later. Invite your child to talk about what they learned with each observation.