Beginners Guide to Scavenger Hunt Ideas
Scavenger hunts are becoming more and more popular for all types of occasions, but some people have trouble thinking up good scavenger hunt ideas. That should no longer be a problem because the best scavenger hunt ideas are here for you to try out and enjoy. You can also find tips here to make sure your scavenger hunt runs smoothly.
You should understand at the beginning exactly what having a scavenger hunt means. You get together enough people so that you can form several groups. Then you think up a list of various items that must be found by members of the group. You can ask the group to help you think of things to put on the list. Each participant gets a copy of the hunt list. In order to complete the scavenger hunt, each group must obtain the items on the list within a given amount of time.
Scavenger hunt ideas often include tasks to be completed and not just physical items to find. Sometimes scavenger hunt ideas have goals such as to take photos of objects or of people completing various activities. Often, if activities are involved, there must be video or audio tapes to prove that the task was accomplished. The groups are supposed to learn to work together to complete the scavenger hunt, and in the process learn to work together as a team. It is a great way for people to get to know one another.
Scavenger hunt ideas can be simple or complex. You can invite people you know or make your scavenger hunt a public affair. Sometimes scavenger hunts can be set up to raise money for a cause or non-profit group. If it is a large, public scavenger hunt, invitations can be sent out or an ad placed in the newspaper. Scavenger hunts are usually smaller affairs, among friends just for fun or to enliven a party.
Scavenger Hunt Themes
Many times scavenger hunt ideas involve a theme that develops around an event or holiday. For example, bachelorette parties, baby or bridal showers, Valentines Day, or Thanksgiving and Christmas are all themes which are very popular for scavenger hunts based on an event or holiday. Birthdays may be the most popular time of all for a scavenger hunt.
Kids, teens, and adults can all have very different kinds of scavenger hunt ideas. They can focus on such themes as romance, nature, humor, objects, vegetables or fruits. Sometimes a scavenger hunt can involve walking through a particular neighborhood, a shopping district or a mall. It could involve finding very cheap objects to buy--the under $1.00 type, or having to take photos of participants in front of landmarks or of doing something zany like singing a funny song in the middle of the mall or kissing a stranger.
The territory of a scavenger hunt can be as small as a room, a house, a street, or as large as a stadium, park, or city. Some scavenger hunt ideas involve driving around looking for specific landmarks, objects such as a blue car or someone in a red dress. These types of themes will involve having to prove success by taking a photo or making a video tape.
A nature scavenger hunt is a very popular theme for both kids and adults. It can involve anything from taking pictures of particular butterflies, flowers or trees to collecting bugs. Just make sure that the scavenger hunt ideas are age appropriate. A four-year-old might become frustrated identifying types of trees or mushrooms but think finding a frog to take home as a pet is a lot of fun. Other types of nature themes include taking a photo of someone amidst wildflowers or of different species of birds, collecting rocks or seas shells.
Books or movies can be the inspiration for scavenger hunt themes, such as items which could be used by Indiana Jones, Batman and Robin, or James Bond. Another type of scavenger hunt involves having many different teams who each contribute money to a pot to be won by whichever team completes all of the activities or collects all of the items on the scavenger hunt first. This money can also be collected to help someone out, such as a homeless or hungry family.
When selecting scavenger hunt themes, you have to make certain that the theme items are obtainable at the location of the scavenger hunt. You also have to make sure that all activities are legal. If the scavenger hunt is spread over a large territory or throughout a neighborhood, make sure someone has a cell phone, in case of emergencies. (continued...)