Early years activity: Harvest treasure hunt

A harvest treasure hunt activity can help children develop physical skills through movement and improves problem-solving as they search and sort items. It supports early maths through counting and categorising, while enhancing language skills as they learn new words. It’s a fun, engaging way to support multiple areas of early learning.

Harvest treasure hunt learning aims

Enhance gross motor skills through movement, bending and reaching
Encourage problem-solving and critical thinking as children search and sort objects
Build vocabulary by introducing new words related to harvest items
Encourage cooperation, sharing and turn-taking.

Resources you will need for this activity

Various harvest items such as small pumpkins, apples, carrots, potatoes, corn, butternut squash, etc.
Baskets or small bags for collecting
Hay, shredded paper or leaves for hiding items
A large space (indoors or outdoors) for hiding items
Numeral cards (with or without spots).

Harvest treasure hunt activity outline

Prior to the activity, talk to the children about harvest and how the success of having enough food to last through the winter is celebrated. Share the harvest items with the children, encouraging them to name and describe them
Hide the harvest items around the space
Encourage children work together to search for the items, collecting them in their baskets
Once all items are found, encourage the children to choose how they are going to sort the items, such as by colour, size or item
Count how many of each item and match to the corresponding numeral
Encourage the children to work together to make sure they have found everything - perhaps each child could find one of each item on a photo list?

How to extend this activity

Create a photographic checklist of the harvest items. Encourage the children to find all the items on the list and check them off with a mark. You may wish to link the items to numerals, such as collecting one yam, two apples, 3 carrots, etc.
Use the collected items to explore colours, smells, tastes and textures. Use any leftovers for printing or cutting practice and add to a compost when finished.

NDNA products to support you with this activity

Characteristics of effective teaching and learning - online course
Sensory skills - online course

Disclaimer: Activities with children must always be risk assessed, including for allergies or choking. Children must always have adequate supervision. Resources and materials must always be appropriate for children’s age and stage of development.