Adventures in Scavenger Hunting – a blog post for the entire family

By: Kelly Damery

May is truly a magical month. It could be snowing, raining, windy or sunny, and it could happen all in the same day if you live in the Midwest. But what’s extraordinary about the month of May is that it really is the unofficial start to summer. School is almost over, you’ve probably had to do your first mow of the year, you can practically smell charcoal grills everywhere and best of all swimming pools are opening. Spring break vacations are behind us, and we haven’t quite reached the utopia that is summer break yet so what can you do to pass the time? Try a scavenger hunt!

You can do them in your backyard, on a nature trail or simply by walking around your neighborhood. They are easy to find online and easy to create your own. Included in this blog post is a DIY printable scavenger hunt template so you can get started today! 

Making your own scavenger hunt is easy and you can create a simple scavenger hunt in almost any location. You can also create much more complex scavenger hunts for teenagers and adults. Knowing where your scavenger hunt is going to take place is the first key to creating your list of items to be found. 

Step one is choosing your scavenger hunt location as this helps to create your list of items to find. Where kids look for items on your list can include the car, inside + outside your house, a walk through town, in the woods + on a trail, at a museum, or even on a website, video or in a book. Step two is where you can choose the theme of your hunt. A theme isn’t necessary, but it can help keep it fun and focused. The options are endless for themes but you can start with nature hunts, things you wear, animals, foods, tools, cars and so much more! The third step is where you can make your list of items using the attached scavenger hunt template. A few tips – keep your list to 10 or fewer items for younger kids, use pictures instead of words for your list this way all ages can participate and use words kids understand. For example, if you typically call pajamas, “pj’s”, then use the word “pj’s” on your list. Setting a time limit is up to you. Once you’ve set the time and rules, which are optional by the way, you are ready to start the hunt!

If your hunters are checking items off a list, put the list on a clipboard with a pencil attached to a string and the clipboard so nothing gets lost. If your hunters have to actually collect the list items, make sure they have a basket or bucket to hold their collected items. Lastly, if kids need to take photos of the items, make sure they have a camera they know how to use to capture the images.

A few scavenger hunt ideas include:

• Create an alphabet scavenger hunt by writing a letter in each checkbox and hunters need to find something that starts with that letter
• Make a number scavenger hunt by placing a number in each checkbox followed by the item they need to find that many of
• Make a color scavenger hunt by coloring each checkbox a different color and hunters need to find something that is that color in the box
• Give the columns a different theme, indoor + outdoor for a more dynamic hunt

Download your template today and share your family’s favorite scavenger hunt ideas this month! Let’s get out and explore together! 

Request a template by e-mailing social.greyhousegoods@gmail.com or checking our VIP page!