Image: Shutterstock
Scavenger hunt for kids is an activity where the hunt organizer prepares a list with hints about specific items, and the participants work on gathering them. You can play indoors or outdoors. These scavenger hunts allow your children to stay on their toes and not stare at the screen all day. We can help you with interesting scavenger hunt ideas to keep your children occupied. These activities can be fun for a group of children and also increase social interaction and physical movement.
Difference Between A Scavenger Hunt And A Treasure Hunt
A treasure hunt is an activity where the child hints about finding a single treasure or item. It is suitable for a single child as it does not require a group of children to play. However, scavenger hunts provide a group of children or a single child with fun opportunities to find multiple objects using a quest-based format. A treasure hunt is less time-consuming as the only objective is to look for the treasure. However, a scavenger hunt can go on for hours, allowing the children to explore different items.
20 Scavenger Hunt Ideas For Kids
Here are some fun ways to arrange a scavenger hunt.
1. Alphabet scavenger hunt
For this activity, you will need letters in upper and lower case. Arrange some boxes and write the name of a child on each. Now instruct the children to find the hidden letters and put them into their boxes. In the end, count the letters in each box, and the child with the maximum number of letters wins the game.
2. Neighborhood hunt
Image: IStock
Prepare a list of small items such as a pen, paper, fork, and flower that the children have to go around the neighborhood to collect. Fix a time frame and allow them to begin at the same time. Whoever gets the most items within the stipulated time wins the game.
3. The nature explorer
Make a list of all the items that you can find outdoors easily. Such things may include a flower, stone, leaf, or feather. Once the list is ready, hand it out to the children. Let them run around and collect these items quickly. Whoever returns first with the maximum number of items will be the winner.
4. The sound hunt
For this activity, you need to prepare a list of sounds available around the locality, such as birds chirping, leaves swaying, and more, and mention such names in the list. Ask the children to go out and listen to their surroundings and mark the items on the list whenever they hear a particular sound.
5. Photo hunt
Image: IStock
This activity requires you to step up the game a little as you need to arrange a camera for each child. Give the children a list of things that you want them to capture. They can go around clicking pictures of the items mentioned in the list.
6. Grocery scavenger hunt
You need to compile a list of items you need for the household. Give this list to the children and ask them to find the item in the grocery store. Instruct them to collect all the items and arrange them in a bag, and tick away the items they find in the list.
7. Costume-themed hunt
This dress-up game will have to hide the parts of the outfit in different areas. Ask the children to find the items with the help of clues and wear each item as they find it. They will have a completely different look by the end of the hunt.
8. Make-a-treat
Tell the child that you are about to make their favorite dish, and you need them to find the ingredients. Hide the ingredients carefully in different corners and give them some clues about where they can be found. Once all the ingredients are collected, you can begin making their favorite dish as a reward.
9. Puzzle hunt
You will need colored blocks and colored paper for this activity. Arrange the colored papers in a row adjacent to each other. Hide the colored blocks and ask the children to find and place them over the matching colored paper.
10. Book hunt
Image: IStock
For this activity, prepare a list of books, including magazines, biographies, or storybooks. Then, ask the children to find the books you mention in the list from each category. Once all the books are found, the children have to read the first line of each book. This is a fun activity to improve their reading skills.
11. Memory game
Arrange some toys in a tray and show them to the children. Ask them to remember each toy and show them the place where you plan to hide it. The children have to see the list with the toys and remember where they have been hidden.
12. Field trip
This could be a picnic or a visit to the zoo and can be a fun way to engage children in a public space. Make a list of things you know the children can find in that area, such as a pebble, pine cone, or a particular flower of that region. Ask them to find them and whoever finds the highest number of the things marked on the list wins the game.
13. Zoo-themed hunt
Hide stuffed animals and prepare a list. Ask the children to go around looking for the animals mentioned in the list. Whoever comes back with the maximum stuffed animals will be crowned as the king of the jungle.
14. Gratitude game
This is a simple game that does not require you to arrange anything. Ask the children to go around the area and pick up things around them that they like and are thankful for. For instance, it could be a book that always makes them laugh, a color that brightens them up, or their favorite chair.
15. Hunting the five senses
For this activity, you need to explain to the children about their five senses. After doing so, ask them to find items they can see, smell, feel, taste, and hear. Whoever completes this task first will be the winner of this hunt.
16. Hunt through the book
Image: IStock
Give the child a book and ask them to spot different words such as a noun, pronoun, or adjective and write them down on a piece of paper. This will improve their reading and writing skills.
17. Chase the color
Prepare a list of colors and ask the children to gather things from their surroundings that match the color. For example, if the color is green, they can bring a leaf; if it’s pink, they can look for a pink flower, and so on.
18. Counting game
Note some items such as twigs, flowers, pens, pencils along with the numbers, for example, three pens, two twigs, and so on. Ask the children to look for that many numbers of that item and collect them. It can be a great way to practice numbers.
19. Newspaper hunt
Image: IStock
Grab a couple of newspapers and distribute them among the children. Take the name of any item, such as a car, a bird, or a letter, and ask the children to circle it as soon as they find it.
20. Shapes
Mention different shapes on a piece of paper and give them to the children. Ask them to look for things of similar shapes in their surroundings and collect them.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I plan a scavenger hunt with clues?
When planning a scavenger hunt,
- Choose the location and time for the game depending on the players’ age
- Decide the theme of the game.
- Create the lists of items you need.
- Prepare the clues and look for interesting places to hide them.
- Give the list of clues to each team.
- Get ready to play.
2. What is a virtual scavenger hunt?
When the traditional scavenger hunt is played online, it becomes a virtual scavenger hunt. In the virtual game, every participant finds the objects or solves the puzzle at home and interacts with others through the screen. The host keeps track of the time and the winners.
Therefore, a scavenger hunt can be a great way to switch a boring day to a fun and entertaining one. But remember, when you arrange a scavenger hunt for a group of children, ensure you prioritize their safety. Avoid anything that might be dangerous and unsafe so they can play safe and enjoy to the fullest. Also, try to make it age-appropriate to avoid boredom.
Infographic: How Is Scavenger Hunt Different From Treasure Hunt
Scavenger hunt not only engages children away from screen time but also promotes skill development. However, sometimes, people get confused between treasure hunt and scavenger hunt games. So scroll through the infographic below to learn about the differences between these two games.
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below.
Download Infographic
Key Pointers
- Get your child off their screens and engage their mind by organizing a scavenger hunt.
- A scavenger hunt involves finding multiple objects using a quest-based format and is great for group activities.
- Let your child use all their senses to solve clues with different types of scavenger hunts like alphabet, neighborhood, sound or photo hunts.
- Even if your child’s friends live far away, you can organize a virtual scavenger hunt where participants find objects or solve puzzles at home.
