Cemetery Scavenger Hunt

I am really trying to teach my kids that cemeteries are beautiful, special places, and not spooky places as portrayed in the movies. I believe you can learn a lot about a city and pay respects to those that helped our city become what it is today.

We spend time in cemeteries doing research and learning about the people buried there. When I have specific graves I am looking for, I don't want my kids to get bored, so I created this Cemetery Scavenger Hunt to keep the kids occupied. Doing the scavenger hunt also sharpens their reading and math skills by looking for specific names and numbers.

You can download the Cemetery Scavenger Hunt HERE. Feel free to adjust it and change it according to what you would like to add/delete. For the youngest kids, I have them find one of each picture. For the older kids, I have them count how many of each picture they find. (The picture of the bride in an oval is supposed to represent a grave with a picture of the person on it.)

Pack a backpack for each kid, and fill it with the following items:

• Crayons (with the paper peeled off; AKA "naked crayons")
• Pencils
• Paper  
• Scavenger hunt
• Snacks (apples, crackers, sandwiches, etc)
• Water or something to drink
• A camera for each kid
• This is optional, but something fun for them to do. Instead of just crossing off the picture on the scavenger hunt when they find it, it's fun if they can take a picture. 

Make sure before you set foot in the cemetery that each kid understands what a cemetery is, and how to show respect for those buried there. Make sure they know that climbing on headstones is being disrespectful, and that they understand proper behavior while in a cemetery.