Rainbow Nature Match Hunt

What you need

• Crayons or markers, a handful (optional)
• Paper, 1 sheet, cut into squares (optional)
• Kid scissors, 1 pair
• Paint chip cards, a few (optional)

How to do it

Grown-up prep: Cut 6 to 10 small squares from paint chip cards, or have kids color paper squares with crayons. Choose a safe outdoor spot like a yard, park or garden path. Before you start, check the area for plants that might be harmful, and agree on a rule: match by looking, or only collect things already on the ground. Supervise any scissor use with little ones.

1. Cut your paper into small squares, about the size of a cracker. Ask for help if you need it
2. Color each paper square with a crayon, one color per square.
3. Pick your squares and take them outside.
   Ask: What colors do you expect to see the most of out here?
4. Choose one square and find something in nature that matches it.
5. Hold the square beside your find. Only pick up things already on the ground. Ask for help if you need it
6. Keep going until every square has a match.
   Ask: Which match surprised you the most?
7. Look at all your matches and talk about the easy and tricky colors.
8. Now try again somewhere new! How many colors can you match next time?
   Ask: Where do you think you will find the most colors?

Play it again

• Color race: a grown-up calls a color and everyone hunts for a match as fast as they can.
• Shade sorting: find three different greens and line them up from lightest to darkest.
• Team hunt: swap squares with a friend and find matches for each other's colors.