Ready for an engaging opportunity to get out of the house while staying safe and close to home? With an eye on the wonder of nature and a healthy dose of curiosity, venture yonder with your sidekicks to look for these eleven critters, plants and objects in your neck of the woods. Scroll down for the ultimate neighborhood scavenger hunt for kids in San Diego.
1. A Monarch Butterfly
Your little social butterfly can spot an orange and black Monarch butterfly in the garden or nearby. Monarch butterflies like the Milkweed plant––another native to San Diego. Be on the lookout for fluttering wings!
Fun Fact: Monarch butterflies fly up from Mexico to San Diego in the late spring and summertime.
2. Little Free Library Box
Be book smart! These bright boxes filled with books are scattered throughout San Diego neighborhoods. Spot one, check it off your scavenger hunt list, then, grab a few stories to read to the crew.
Fun Fact: Find the Little Free Library closest to you on this map, here.
3. A Buzzing Bee
Can you spot a bee in the air? What is this busy bee doing? Bee sure to approach the these cute critters quietly and see if you can spot one on a flower getting nectar.
Fun Fact: One bee per trip can collect 1/12th teaspoon of honey to bring back to the hive.
4. A Mural Fire Hydrant
Hello Mr. Hydrant! See how quickly your budding firefighter can spot a yellow hydrant. Bonus points, if it’s painted with a mural.
Fun Fact: Public fire hydrants are yellow, private fire hydrants are red.
5. A Western Fence Lizard
If you see a lizard skitter in San Diego, there’s a good chance it’s a Western Fence lizard, which are common in the area.
Fun Fact: These lizards love the sun, so look for them on rocks, fence posts and paths.
6. Pretty Palm Trees
Nothing says living the good life in San Diego more than a beautiful, iconic palm tree. These towering treasures can be found around every corner. Keep an eye out for one to marvel at its beauty!
Fun Fact: There are 2,500 types of palm trees. The California fan palm cam live between 80-90 years.
7. A Humming Bird
Zip and zoom! Hummingbirds are all around backyards in San Diego. You may hear one before you see it. These little birds make a humming sound from how fast their wings go up and down. Swoosh.
Fun Fact: A hummingbird flaps its wings up to 70 times per second!
8. Colorful Sidewalk Art
Budding artists can easily spot creative sidewalk chalk art. From wonderful words to beautiful rainbows or even hopscotch, you’re sure to catch a glimpse of a few masterpieces along your route.
Fun Fact: Humans have been using chalk to draw pictures since the age of cavemen.
9. A Cottontail Rabbit
Hippity-hop! The underside of these bunnies is white, which is what gives them their cottontail name. Spy a white flash as they hop away.
Fun Fact: Cottontail mamas have litter sizes ranging from two to eight little bunnies.
10. A Skateboarder
San Diego is home to many skateboarders including Tony Hawk and Shaun White. See if you can spy a skateboarder rolling by or even better, doing a trick!
Fun Fact: The west coast's first skate park was built in San Diego, which is considered to be a major birthplace of skateboarding.
Spot a Succulent
There's an endless array of SoCal's favorite plants, succulents, to be spotted all over the city. These colorful plants adorn neighborhood streets and yards in gorgeous varieties.
Fun Fact: Succulents symbolize enduring love due to their hearty nature and knack for thriving in arid habitats.
Featured photo: via Unsplash
––Nikki Walsh
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