scavenger hunt for kids
Scavenger Hunt for Kids
Scavenger hunting is a popular game in all age groups. Here is how you can organize this game for young kids.
A scavenger hunt is a game, where competing teams are provided with a list of items to be collected. The team that finishes first is declared to be victorious. Organizers of a scavenger hunt need to do extra level of planning if the game is meant to be played by small children. One crucial factor while doing this planning is size of teams and age group of children playing this game. Here are some important points that need to be considered when planning such a game at a children's party.
Junior Scavenger Hunting Parties
If you are planning an outdoor hunt, you need to assess how far you can let the kids wander off safely and define the perimeter of the hunt. Door-to-door or neighborhood hunts are very popular forms of this game. However, when you have younger children participating, it is wise to restrict the game to the yard, the park or the playground only.
Ideas for Preschoolers
These hunts need to be kept short and simple. Usually organized during a birthday party, they are one of the best ways to break the ice.
- Hunting by Category Here, you can have the kids follow clues and collect items that fall into any one category, such as toys, fruits, etc.
- Hunting for Jigsaw Pieces An interesting children scavenger hunt idea is to hide pieces of a jigsaw puzzle around the house and allow the kids to put it together, once all the pieces have been found.
- Searching in Food A messy, albeit yummy hunt is by hiding small treasures in a big bowl of cooked pasta. Every kid gets a turn to stick his/her hands inside the bowl and feel for an item.
- Searching in Neighborhood A door-to-door hunt will have the kids collect items such as a bar of hotel soap, a sock with a hole in it, a used stamp or a birthday candle from the neighbors. The clues for the object may include the name of the neighbor who has the object. Make sure to intimate all your neighbors in advance about your scavenger hunt and get their consent.
- Seasonal Scavenger Hunt Another option is the fall neighborhood scavenger hunt during which participants need to collect items such as a yellow flower, an orange leaf, a chestnut or an acorn.
- Searching by Alphabets/Colors One popular idea is to ask the kids to search things that begin with a particular alphabet. Similarly, things might be searched based on their color.
- Internet Searches A popular version of this game is Internet scavenger hunt for kids. It can help to keep your kids busy at home and can even be educational depending on the theme that you pick. However, unrestricted Internet access does have its dangers. Therefore, organizers need to provide a list of safe Internet sites for kids to explore.
- Photographing Tasks One popular scavenger hunting idea includes taking pictures of tasks. This may include tasks such as shaking hands with a mannequin and making a subsequent photographic proof.
- Town-wide Hunt Another popular option is an around-the-town hunt, where teams collect items such as a receipt for 50 cents worth of gas, a photo of an out-of-state license plate, the best price for steak dinner in town and the business card of a gynecologist.