Scavenger Hunt Fun For All Ages

Running out of ideas when it comes to keeping your family entertained while in quarantine? With National Scavenger Hunt Day quickly approaching on May 24, now is a great time to start brainstorming ideas for a family-friendly scavenger hunt. From toddlers and kids to teens and adults, these unique scavenger hunt ideas are as exciting as they are budget-friendly!

Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt

With spring in full swing, many of us are finally able to enjoy some fresh air outside—as long as we’re keeping the appropriate social distance from our neighbors, that is.

One of the best things about a neighborhood scavenger hunt is that you don’t have to put any time (or money) into hiding items; instead, you simply use common objects and sights that are already in out in your community to play! The options for your neighborhood scavenger list are truly endless, but here are some examples of things to look for that can help get you started:

• a license plate with a specific number or letter on it
• somebody walking a dog
• an American flag
• a house with an open window

As part of the stay-at-home movement, many neighborhoods are also participating in scavenger hunts by placing a stuffed animal in a window/door (or something similar), so this may be something to add to your list as well!

Indoor Scavenger Hunt

What if the weather isn’t cooperating enough for a neighborhood scavenger hunt? You can always set up your own indoor adventure. This is where knowing your family and their interests will make all the difference. For younger children, for example, you might consider setting up an educational scavenger hunt that requires your child to find one object in the house that corresponds to each letter of the alphabet. The nice thing about this type of hunt is that once again, you don’t need to buy anything or hide anything.

If you feel like getting a little more creative, consider a themed scavenger hunt. If your teen loves taking selfies (and what teen doesn’t?), set up a list that requires your teenager to take a creative selfie with different objects hidden throughout your home. You can make things even more fun by having your teen post these selfies on social media to get their friends involved and engaged.

Scavenger Hunt With (Socially Distanced) Friends!

Everybody is using video-chatting platforms like Zoom to stay in touch with friends, family, teachers, and classmates during today’s stay-at-home orders. Why not organize a Zoom scavenger hunt with a few friends to make things even more interesting?

Before your Zoom chat, compile a list of items that you’ll have the participants looking for during the scavenger hunt. When the chat begins, you can call out individual items from the list and have the participants bring them to you, keeping score as you go. The fun thing about this type of scavenger hunt is that it allows you to play a game in real-time while practicing social distancing—and it’s especially fun if you have children participating, but you can easily create an adult scavenger hunt as well!

Some clues to consider for your Zoom scavenger hunt include:

• something with four sides
• something that starts with the first letter of your name
• something that smells good

You can get as creative as you want with these socially distanced scavenger hunt ideas, and they’re versatile enough to be tweaked for any age group! Now, which of these will you try for National Scavenger Hunt Day?