A color scavenger hunt is one of the simplest ways to teach colors to toddlers and preschoolers, and it needs nothing but a pencil and a printed sheet. This set has six printable pages: a picture list of twelve colors, a big-picture page for the youngest children, clue cards with an answer page, two bingo cards and a write-it-down sheet that asks for how many things of each color. Children walk around the house, the yard or the classroom and find something in every color of the rainbow. Each color scavenger hunt sheet uses pictures, so it works for children who cannot read yet.
Quick answer: print the picture list and give each child a pencil and a small basket. They find something for every color, tick the box and put the item back. Choose the big-picture page for ages 2 to 4, the picture list for ages 4 to 7 and the write-it-down sheet for ages 6 and up.
Color scavenger hunt printable (PDF)
Six sheets, each a PDF. Click a picture to open it. The clue cards PDF has two pages: the clues and the answer key.
Which sheet suits which age?
| Sheet | Best for | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool big pictures | Ages 2 to 4 | Six big color pictures, so toddlers can match without reading. |
| Picture list | Ages 4 to 7 | Twelve colors with tick boxes, from red to gray. |
| Clue cards | Ages 5 to 8 | Eight riddles such as the color of a ripe strawberry. Answers are on page 2. |
| Bingo cards | Ages 4 to 9 | A 4 by 4 grid of colors. Find four in a row. |
| Write it down | Ages 6 and up | Ten prompts that ask for several things of one color, such as three green things. |
How to run a rainbow scavenger hunt
- Pick the area. A single room is enough for toddlers, and a yard or a classroom suits a bigger group.
- Give each child a basket or a tray. Children collect small things, such as a block or a crayon, and put them back afterward.
- Say the color out loud. Ask the child to name it before they tick the box, so they practice color words.
- Set a timer. Ten minutes is enough for ages 2 to 4, and 15 to 20 for older children.
- Sort the finds. At the end, line the objects up in rainbow order and count how many you found in each color.
Color scavenger hunt ideas for kids
- One-color hunt: choose a color of the day and find as many things in that color as possible.
- Photo hunt: children take a picture of each color they find with a phone, under adult supervision.
- Outdoor version: take the sheet to the park and look for red flowers, blue sky, green leaves and gray stones.
- Mixing hunt: after the hunt, mix paints to make orange, green and purple from the colors you found.
- Team race: two teams share the bingo card and race to find four colors in a row.
Why a color hunt works for early learning
- Color words: children say red, blue and green over and over while they search.
- Sorting: grouping objects by color is an early math skill.
- Counting: the write-it-down sheet asks for two or three things of one color.
- Observation: children notice the colors of everyday objects they usually walk past.
Tips for toddlers and mixed ages
For toddlers, start with only four colors, such as red, blue, yellow and green, and add the rest later. Let older children read the clue cards aloud while the little ones search. If a color is hard to find, such as purple or pink, hand the child a clue, such as the color of grapes, instead of the answer. Keep the mood light and praise every find, big or small.
How these sheets are made
Every sheet is generated by a program from lists we wrote for this page: the picture lists, the bingo cards and the clues are original. The pictures are Noto Emoji artwork from Google, used under the Apache License 2.0; the project is on GitHub. A credit line is printed on every page.
Do the color scavenger hunt indoors on a rainy day or outside in the garden.
Frequently asked questions
6 quick answers
Is this color scavenger hunt free to print?
Yes. Print as many copies as you like for your own children or class, with no account or sign-up.
What age is it for?
The big-picture sheet suits ages 2 to 4, the picture list and bingo cards suit ages 4 to 9, and the clue cards and write-it-down sheet suit ages 5 and up.
Do the clue cards come with answers?
Yes. Page 2 of the clue card PDF lists the answer to every clue.
Can we play it outside?
Yes. A park or a yard has plenty of green, blue, brown and yellow, and the outdoor scavenger hunt page has more ideas.
How do I make it harder?
Ask for three things of each color, as on the write-it-down sheet, or limit the time to five minutes.
Is there a shape version?
Yes. The shape scavenger hunt uses circles, squares, triangles and more, with the same six sheets.
More hunts, colors and games
- Shape scavenger hunt for circles, squares and triangles.
- Indoor scavenger hunt and outdoor scavenger hunt.
- Nature scavenger hunt and fall scavenger hunt.
- Classroom bingo and picture bingo for kids.
- Printable mazes.
- I spy printables.
- Every puzzle and brain teaser on PrintSheetLab.
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