Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Organizing a scavenger hunt
• Part 2 of 3: Be in charge of the scavenger hunt
• Part 3 of 3: Come up with themes and ideas
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Scavenger Hunts are a very popular game for children. They are great for parties and summer vacations. Not only children can enjoy treasure hunts; adults and teenagers will still enjoy it too. They are quite easy to organize and even easier to play. Perhaps the hardest part is coming up with creative ideas. This article will show you not only how to make a scavenger hunt run smoothly, but also how to organize one. It will also give you ideas for themes.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Organizing a scavenger hunt

1. Decide where and when you want to keep the scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt can take place during the day or in the evening. In addition, this can be held virtually anywhere, including parks, your home or neighborhood, or even at school. When and where you organize the scavenger hunt depends on how old the players are, how big the group is, the weather and what kind of scavenger hunt you are doing. Here are some ideas to get you started:
   • Warm and sunny days are suitable for outdoor quests.
   • If it's raining or cold, it might be better to keep the scavenger hunt indoors.
   • A park is great for older players or large groups. A backyard may be better for really young players.
   • A house is great for all ages, but it can be difficult to accommodate a large group. You may want to lock private spaces, such as bedrooms and offices.
   • Your neighborhood is a great place for a big scavenger hunt. If you plan on involving your neighbors, talk to them first so they know when to expect the players to come by to ask about the item.
2. Decide what type of scavenger hunt you want to do. There are many different types of quests, but they all have a list of items. Here are some ideas to get you started:
   • Give the players a list of items. Hide the items around your location and let the players search for the items. The first player / group to find all items wins.
   • Have the players ask from house to house for the items on the list. Make sure to arrange this with your neighbors in advance if you choose to do this.
   • Instead of hiding items, consider having each team take a photo of an item from the list. This is great for parks, especially national parks where you are not allowed to get things from nature.
3. Buy or create a prize to hand out at the end of the hunt. This will serve as motivation for any team, especially if the scavenger hunt is limited in time. You can choose anything you want as a prize, but keep in mind the age of your players. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
   • If the hunt is for children, a good price can be small toys or candy.
   • Movie tickets or cash are great prizes for older children.
   • Adults will appreciate a gift certificate to a nice restaurant or shop, or a basket of goodies.
   • Consider basing the price on a theme. For example, if the scavenger hunt has a superhero theme, you can give superhero masks and cloaks as a prize.
4. List items for guests to find. The list can contain easy-to-find items, such as a pencil or a piece of paper. It can also contain objects that are more difficult to find, such as a picture frame or a needle and thread.
   • As the teams go door-to-door, choose inexpensive items that people are willing to give, such as a sheet of paper, a pencil, or a paper clip. You can also give the items to your neighbors in advance so they don't have to use their own.
   • As your teams go through the neighborhood to take photos of prominent places, tell them the general environment that place is in, such as "the statue in this park" or "a red flower."
5. Consider the age group of your players. There are different types of quests, and some are more suitable for older than younger players. For example, clue-based quests can be difficult for very young children, but they will be more interesting for teens and adults. Door-to-door scavenger hunts are also not recommended for small children for safety reasons. On the other hand, a photo scavenger hunt may be more fun for small children than for older children. Here are other things to keep in mind:
   • Schedule a group of adults or chaperons who can assist with small child scavenger hunts, especially if it involves a large group. This makes it easier to keep an eye on the kids.
   • Just make sure you have second and third prizes for very young children (and teens and adults). In this way, those who do not "win" will not feel left out.
   • Consider age group when coming up with a theme. Small children may be interested in themes related to nature and animals, while older children may be more interested in themes related to books, video games and movies.

Part 2 of 3: Be in charge of the scavenger hunt

1. Divide your guests into teams on the day of the scavenger hunt. They can choose their own teams, or you can assign teams. When children play, make sure that there is an adult at the head of each team. If a lot of people are playing, make a team of 3-4 people. Each team should consist of an equal number of people.
   • If your guests are all different ages, consider pairing some of the younger players with the older ones. This will avoid all the pros and cons between the groups.
   • A great way to organize teams is to have people count down in numbers, such as 1 and 2. All 1's will be in a group and all 2's in another group.
   • Another great way to organize teams is to let people pick colored paper strips from a hat. All blue strips go to one team, and all red strips to another team, and so on.
2. Give each team a list of items and a time limit. The players should have enough time to find the most items. How long the scavenger hunt takes depends on the number of items that guests have to find. An hour is a good place to start if there are many items. It is also recommended for door-to-door quests.
   • For very young children (up to six years old) it is best to limit the scavenger hunt to a maximum of fifteen minutes. This will be long enough to keep the kids entertained, but short enough so that they don't get bored.
   • If the list of articles is very simple or short, 30 minutes should be enough.
3. Consider giving the players something to collect the items. This makes it easier for them to take everything with them. It will also prevent small items from getting lost. If younger players are joining the scavenger hunt, have an adult carry the collectible bag. This allows the children to roam freely and collect the objects. It will also prevent the items from being lost if the child trips, falls and drops the bag or box. If the players are only taking pictures or writing down the object, you don't have to give it to them. Here are some items you can use to collect things:
   • A basket, especially with a handle, will be the easiest to carry.
   • A bag or purse will be cheaper than a basket. Think of a paper bag instead of a plastic bag. Paper bags hold their shape better so items are less likely to be crushed.
   • A box can be difficult to carry, but it is also the sturdiest. You can also find decorative boxes in arts and crafts stores to match the theme of your scavenger hunt.
4. Tell the players when the scavenger hunt is finished. Most quests end after a certain amount of time. The team that finds the most items wins a prize. Here are some things to keep in mind:
   • If the scavenger hunt has a time limit, consider giving the players a stopwatch. You can also tell the players what time the scavenger hunt ends. For example, if the scavenger hunt starts at 1:00 PM and lasts an hour, tell the players to be back by 2:00 PM.
   • If your players are very young, you may want to add a second or third prize to avoid hurt feelings, jealousy, or tantrums.
5. Let the players know where to meet when they are done. An agreed meeting place is very important. Some teams may finish earlier than other teams. You need a place where these players can go while they wait for everyone to finish. This could simply be the same place where the scavenger hunt started. It can also be a landmark, such as a statue in the park where the scavenger hunt takes place. Make sure someone is at the meeting place to greet the winners and give them the prize.

Part 3 of 3: Come up with themes and ideas

1. Know that there are many ways to take the creativity of your scavenger hunt to the next level. This section will give you some ideas to make your scavenger hunt more unique and interesting. It will help you find a theme and design. It will also provide a few creative twists. You don't have to use all the ideas from this list. Choose the ideas that appeal to you the most.
2. Establish a theme. This makes it a lot easier to make up objects. If you have a scavenger hunt as part of a party, consider pairing the theme with the party's theme. For example, if your party has a superhero theme, give the scavenger hunt a superhero theme as well. Use items that the superheroes would use, such as masks and capes. Here are a few more ideas to get you started:
   • Base the scavenger hunt on the interests of the guests. For example, if the scavenger hunt is for a literature lesson, base all of the items on the different books the students read. If "Harry Potter" is on the list, consider including items like broomsticks, owls, hats and goose feathers. You can even have the scavenger hunt in a library.
   • Base the scavenger hunt on a vacation. If the scavenger hunt takes place in October, consider giving the scavenger hunt a Halloween theme. Have the players search for objects related to Halloween, such as pumpkins, black cats, bats, spiders, witches and skeletons.
   • Focus on your location. When going on a scavenger hunt in a park, explore the park first and write down some things you notice, such as a strange looking tree or a particular statue. You don't want the players to look for something that doesn't exist.
   • Make up your own theme. You can base the scavenger hunt on any theme you want. Here are a few to get you started: animals, books, food, history, ocean, movies, musical theater, rainforests, superheroes, video games, and so on.
3. Instead of writing the names of items on your list, write down what the item does. The players will have to find out what the item is before they can find it. This is nice for quests that require photos to be taken. You can also make the riddles rhyme. For instance:
   • Instead of writing "toaster", you could write, "I make toast crisp and warm."
   • Instead of writing "bookmark", you can write, "I'll save your place in a book."
   • Instead of writing "needle and thread," you can write, "We will go hand in hand as a pair, and your mother could use us to mend your sock."
   • Instead of writing "broomstick" you can also write, "A witch can use me to move around, but most will use me to sweep the floor."
4. Turn a scavenger hunt into a bingo game. Start with a bingo grid and write the name of an item in each box. Have the players check off the items they find. The first person to get five marks in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line wins.
   • This is the great thing about treasure hunts outside or in a nature park.
   • Consider basing the items on your grid on location. For example, if you're conducting a scavenger hunt on the beach, you can add: seashell, sunbather, sandcastle, seagull, crab, barking dog, and towel.
5. Give the players a list of items to find and have them write the item down in the empty space. For example, you can tell your players to look for something blue, something soft, and something green. Have the players write down what they found (a blue marble, a rabbit, a green leaf) in the empty spaces you indicated. The first person to fill the roster wins.
   • This is great for nature walks and parks.
   • Make sure your list is related to the location. You don't want the players to look for something green when they are in a desert or cave.
6. Consider the age of the players. You don't want to make your scavenger hunt too difficult for young players or too simple for older players. Shorter lists of easy-to-find items are often more suitable for young children, while longer lists (with clues) can be more interesting for teens and adults.Here are a few more ideas:
   • For young children, use larger fonts and lots of colors. Do not try to find more than 10 objects. It may also be a good idea to include a photo of the item, in case some of the players are not reading properly yet.
   • For older children, use large fonts and lots of colors, but omit the photos. Put between 10 and 15 items on your list.
   • For teens and adults, use a regular font. You can use colors to make the frame look nicer. Your players may also find clues more interesting than simple item names.
7. Match the theme of your list with the theme of your scavenger hunt. This will make your list more interesting to watch. You can print your list on matching stationery, or add a photo to the bottom of each frame. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
   • If your scavenger hunt has a beach theme, print the list on beach-themed paper. You can also put a photo of a beach, a palm tree and some ocean waves at the bottom of your list.
   • If your scavenger hunt takes place partly outside, try to find stationery with a leaf edge.
   • If your scavenger hunt is for an English lesson, consider including pictures at the top, bottom, or edges that are relevant to the books students have read. For example, if the students just Harry Potter you can add pictures of owls, wands and broomsticks.
   • If the scavenger hunt has a Renaissance or Medieval theme, consider using old-looking parchment paper. Choose a nice font that looks like it was written with a calligraphy pen.

Tips

• Consider a theme for your scavenger hunt.
• Give your players a bag or box to collect the items.
• When your players take pictures, make sure each team has a camera.
• Try to relate all objects to each other.
• If your scavenger hunt takes place in a large park or neighborhood, it might be a good idea to equip each team with a cell phone. This way you can find everyone again if someone gets lost.
• Consider a reserve prize for the players who did not win the scavenger hunt. This can be a particularly good idea for young children, who are very prone to losing and can easily get jealous. This will help prevent tears or tantrums.
• Make sure each team has a camera to provide evidence of the items they found.
• To be fair, you need to have a congratulatory prize for everyone and a grand prize for the winning team.

Warnings

• If your scavenger hunt is at night, get flashlights or headlights.
• Always plan ahead with your neighbors. Don't send your players to complete strangers' homes. Some people may not appreciate a random group of children going to their home and asking for an item.
• If you're planning a scavenger hunt for young children, make sure to have an adult on each team to supervise.

Necessities

• List of items to search
• Group of participants
• Objects to hide