Child Scavenger Hunt Ideas

Indoor

• On a rainy or cold day, an indoor scavenger hunt is a good boredom buster. Make a list of relatively easy to find household objects such as a ball, a pencil, a comb, a penny and a paperclip. The difficulty of the search depends on the child's age. Older kids will enjoy more of a challenge, so choose well-hidden objects for them. If you have multiple children, try giving each one a slightly different list, or allow them to work together as a team to avoid fighting. Alternatively, hide a number of special objects around the house to find. Putting small objects in Easter eggs and hiding them is another approach to this game. For pre-readers, use clip art or pictures of each item on their list to help them search independently.

Outdoor

• Whether at the park or in your backyard, a nature-themed scavenger hunt is ideal for an outdoor scavenger hunt. Have children look for a flower, a leaf, an acorn, a twig, a rock and so on. For older kids, make the list more specific, such as a curved twig, a triangular rock and a blue flower. Another variation would be to look for objects with certain textures such as a smooth rock, a fuzzy caterpillar or a soft leaf. A digital camera might be a good way to collect the items, especially animals that should not be removed from their environments.

Educational

• Scavenger hunts can be educational, too. Ask children to list facts about a certain topic, such as birds or Africa. Provide books or internet access to help them search. For younger children, simply asking them to find objects of a certain shape or color can help them practice their identification skills. Beginning readers will enjoy finding objects with a certain letter or number on it. If you are teaching about trees, try a scavenger hunt specifically related to that--an object from a deciduous tree, something from a coniferous tree, a seed, etc.

Traveling

• To relieve boredom while traveling, create a travel-based scavenger hunt. Make a list of things that kids might spot while traveling, such as road signs, a baseball diamond, a barn or a boat. Another classic version of this game is to find the letters of the alphabet in order while traveling, especially while traveling by car. This game is good for kids and adults to play together, competing to see who can find a certain letter first.