If you are having a party or gathering, particularly one that involves kids, you might like to know how to plan a scavenger hunt. It’s a very popular party game. http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/scavenger_hunt.html If you feel good about kids going door to door in your neighborhood, this is a great party activity because the kids get a lot of exercise!

It’s important that the kids in question are old enough to read a list and communicate with people well. It’s not ideal for young children less than seven years old, unless they’re tagging along with the older ones. On the other side of the spectrum, older kids, older than young teens, might not have great success going door-to-door because the neighbors are likely to think they are selling something and not answer the door. Of course, if your scavenger hunt is going to be inside your house or on your property, there is no limit to the age at all.

So now that the age range is narrowed down, you will need to make sure that you have enough guests at your event to divide the group into two teams. A scavenger hunt is a race, and a fun one at that. http://www.birthdaypartyideas4kids.com/scavenger-hunt.htm

Before the kids head out on the scavenger hunt, make sure they have had food and beverage, especially if it’s a hot day. They really will expend a lot of energy, which is great if you’re nearing the end of the party or event. Have an adult accompany the teams, if they can keep up the pace. There should at least be an adult within easy range of the hunt as a supervisor, even if it’s from a distance.

The scavenger hunt described in Step 1 is a classic version of the game.

One of the things that makes a scavenger hunt so fun is the wildly eclectic collection of items the team members are required to gather. Make sure each team has a bag (a pillow case works) to put the items in. Designate one team member to carry the bag. Choose items that are likely to be found in a household, but not completely common. Designate another member to carry the list of items and check them off.

Make a note of how many houses the kids will be visiting, and use that count for your list. There should be more items than houses. You can decide for yourself if the kids will be allowed to get more than one item from each household.

Be sure to tell the team that if they collect something that the owner wants back, to make a note. Therefore, one designated team member needs to carry something to write on and write with. If it’s all on one street, the note can say: “205 – nail clippers” knowing that the nail clippers are to be returned (within a few days) to the neighbor on your street at address 205. Based on 15 houses on each side of a street, and only one item from each house, here is a sample list:

green pencil • Ziplock bag • Post-It note • dryer sheet • paper clip • drinking straw • Lego • wet nap (moist towlette) • staple (any size) • Bandaid • nail • sock • nail clippers • postage stamp • magnetic calendar (any size or type, any year) • can of soda • old shoe • roll of toilet paper • sea shell • golf ball • ruler

Give the teams a time limit. Teams must be back, say, within a half an hour. Designate one team member to be the timekeeper. Then, when time is up, the teams head back to where the party is being held. The team that has collected the most items within the allotted time wins. Note that there are 21 items on the list, and that the teams are not likely to get them all. You can increase the list if you like. There are websites on the Internet that provide free lists for more ideas. http://www.birthdaypartyideas4kids.com/free-scavenger-hunt-list.htm

Now that you know the basics, you can consider variations of the game. Especially if you have preteens and/or teens at the party, the mall scavenger hunt is popular. http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/mall_party.html You may have to do a bit of investigation, and it’s important that none of the participants be allowed to accompany you on the fact-finding mission. Consult the directory of all the merchants in the mall so you can make your scavenger hunt list accordingly. There are several ways to play.

The lists can be made up of purchased items, free items, or tasks (like taking digital photos). http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/scavenger_parties_6.html The time frame is likely to be longer than the basic scavenger hunt and a budget needs to be determined if the items on the list are to be purchased. Before the kids get started, set a very firm rule about etiquette – any team caught running and screaming and/or being rude to merchants or customers is disqualified and the other team wins by default.

Here are some ideas for the free version of the game. If there are restaurants, a “To Go” menu is likely and will cost nothing. Likewise, an unused paper napkin. If there are movie theaters, they may have printed schedules of the films. That would be a good item to get for free.

Some variations of the mall scavenger hunt have rules with points for items. This can get complicated, but is also a good challenge for the older kids. Internet sites can provide a wealth of ideas and you can pick and choose the ones you like best. http://www.birthdaypartyideas4kids.com/mall-scavenger-hunts.htm

Nature Scavenger Hunt - If you have appropriate transportation and a nature site nearby, the nature hike scavenger hunt can provide exercise, new knowledge of items in nature, and some fresh air. The average neighborhood park will do, but you may have to limit the items on your list. Items that could be found in a park or on a nature hike would be a dry leaf, a twig, a stone…that sort of thing. If you want to expand your list and the ideas for the hunt, try to find a place for a hike. http://www.lovetheoutdoors.com/camping/kids/scavengerhunt.htm If the nature scavenger hunt sounds like the right idea, type “nature scavenger hunt” into your search and you will be given a list of possibilities.

Treasure Hunt Scavenger Hunt – This one is based around clues given to the kids. It’s a good one for in your home and/or yard. The kids need to be old enough to read the clues and understand how to interpret them into directions for finding the “treasure.” There are some great variations of the treasure hunt. If you want to include younger non-readers, parents will need to be recruited to assist. http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/scavenger_parties_36.html Instead of written clues, one version is based around pictures of items and the specific rules required for completing the mission. http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/scavenger_parties_31.html If the treasure hunt sounds appealing, type “treasure scavenger hunt” into your search and you will be provided with many, many ideas.