Go on a scavenger hunt to inspire children’s thinking about ideas like big versus small. Ask: Where is it? What does it look like? How long does it take? How many are there? How does it feel? The answers to these questions are known as “basic concepts.” Asking questions about basic concepts helps children learn new words, follow instructions, do math, and communicate with others.
Prep It

Nothing is required for this activity, but we’ve created a handy guide you can print or save to your phone to help lead the game!
Play It
Go on a scavenger hunt for words that a describe what, when, where, and how – ideas called “basic concepts.” Anywhere you go- home, outside, on a bus ride, the store- search for these ideas, or “concepts.”
Look for things that are:
- Big, small
- Open, closed
- Noisy, quiet
- Empty, full
- Heavy, light
- Hot, cold
- Behind something, in front of something
- Above something, under something
- Hard, soft
- Asleep, awake
- Curvy, straight
- Near, far away
- Happy, Sad
- Front, Back
- Above, Below