Scavenger hunt ideas

By Catalogs Editorial Staff

Need some lively entertainment at your next party? Whether you are hosting children or adults, a scavenger hunt is a great way to add fun to a party. These scavenger hunt ideas will help you get started as you plan your next event. If you’ve already had success setting up a scavenger hunt, there are countless other great party ideas for children and teens alike.

A Picture Hunt Instead of looking for objects, you can have teams take pictures. Give one member of each group a camera (if you are hosting a party for kids, have one adult in each group carry a camera). Then send them out to find certain landmarks in the neighborhood. Have them take pictures of each item on the list.

Another version of this involves group photography. Ask everyone to hold hands around a tree and snap a picture. Or have them form a pyramid and take a picture of the mound. When the teams return, look through the pictures together and share some laughs.

Hunt at the Mall For kids who are old enough to walk in the mall by themselves, this scavenger hunt idea adds a fun location twist. Create clues that lead to stores for each group to go to. Then add information that they need to obtain at the store, such as the price of an item, a word on a particular ad, or a credit card application. You may want to contact store managers ahead of time and ask them to hand the teams the next clues. Vary the order of the stores so that the groups do not follow each other around.

Another version of this, depending on your budget, is to have groups make small purchases at different stores. When they are finished, designate a certain area of the mall to meet in. Hand out cell phones so that teams can call you if someone gets lost or they have a question.

~ A Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt For this party idea, divide into teams. Give each team a list of items to find. Place a point value on each article. Have teams ask neighbors for the various items. Set a time limit and see how many points each team can get. Warn the neighbors ahead of time by talking to them or placing flyers in the neighborhood. Also set a limit on the number of items that can be found at each place, such as a maximum of two objects per household. When everyone returns, compare their findings and points. The team with the most points wins.

Camping Scavenger Hunt One of the most classic scavenger hunt ideas, this idea works well if you are camping with others or hosting a scout event. Create a list of items that are likely to be found in the area you are camping in. Or take a hike and jot down the various sights that you see along the way. Hand these lists to different teams. Each team crosses off the items as they find them. Have an adult accompany each group of kids. The team to find all of the listed sights first is the winner.

Hunting for Information Rather than having teams look for objects, you can ask them to collect information. Teams can find dates on certain buildings, count the number of houses on a certain block, gather facts from historic landmarks, etc. To do this, map out a route that the teams will take. This is an inexpensive way for teams to collect information, learn and have fun at the same time.

Treasure Hunt Give scavengers certain clues that lead to a final treasure. When the participants find the answer to the clue, have another clue in that spot waiting for them. At the end, have a special treasure ready for the clue finders.

Hunting for Sound Rather than looking for objects, have teams carry a tape recorder. Give them a list of different sounds to listen to. When they find the sound, they record it. Certain sounds might include the ringing of a bell, the ticking of a clock, a radio station jingle, etc. Set a certain time frame and see how many sounds teams can find in the allotted time.

There are many scavenger hunt ideas. They are limited only by your imagination. With a little planning, you can create a fun scavenger hunt for your next party. Also, be sure to check out some of our other fantastic party ideas that will keep your guests entertained for hours. A Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt For this party idea, divide into teams. Give each team a list of items to find. Place a point value on each article. Have teams ask neighbors for the various items. Set a time limit and see how many points each team can get. Warn the neighbors ahead of time by talking to them or placing flyers in the neighborhood. Also set a limit on the number of items that can be found at each place, such as a maximum of two objects per household. When everyone returns, compare their findings and points. The team with the most points wins.