Scavenger Hunt Ideas: Item Lists, Fair Teams and Scoring
A scavenger hunt gives each team a list of things to find, collect or photograph before time runs out. It works at birthday parties, in a classroom, in a garden or on a family walk, and it needs little more than a list, a timer and a fair way to split the teams. Below you will find ready-made item lists, a simple way to pick teams at random, and a scoring system that keeps arguments to a minimum.
How a Scavenger Hunt Works
- Make the list. Write 10 to 20 items. Mix easy ones with a few hard ones.
- Split the teams. Draw teams at random so friends are not always together.
- Set the area and time. Say clearly where players may go and when they must be back.
- Hunt. Teams collect items, or take a photo of each one if they cannot bring it back.
- Score. Check every item together and add up the points. The highest score wins.
Indoor Scavenger Hunt List
- Something red
- A spoon
- A sock with a pattern
- A book with an animal on the cover
- Something that makes a sound
- A button
- Something smaller than a coin
- Something soft
- A photo of a clock showing any time
- Something shaped like a circle
Outdoor Scavenger Hunt List
- A leaf with jagged edges
- A smooth stone
- A feather (do not touch dead birds)
- Something yellow
- A stick longer than your hand
- A pine cone or seed
- A photo of a cloud that looks like an animal
- Something that smells nice
- A photo of an insect (do not pick it up)
- Three different kinds of leaves
Classroom Scavenger Hunt List
- A word that starts with Q in any book
- A number bigger than 100 on the wall
- Something made of metal
- A map or globe
- A pencil shorter than your finger
- A word that rhymes with “cat”
- Something with exactly four corners
- A book by an author whose name starts with S
For a classroom, it helps to turn some items into questions, so pupils read and search rather than run. More ideas for lessons are in our classroom games guide.
Photo Scavenger Hunt Ideas
A photo hunt is easy to tidy up afterwards, because nothing is collected. Each team needs one phone or camera.
- The whole team making a letter with their bodies
- Someone pretending to be a statue
- Something that looks like a face
- A team member next to something taller than an adult
- A reflection of the whole team
- Something older than everyone in the team
Pick Teams at Random
Hand-picked teams leave someone chosen last. Put every name into the Random Name Picker instead and draw them one at a time, using “Remove and spin” so nobody is drawn twice; the first name goes to team A, the second to team B, and so on. Our guide to random teams explains other fair ways to split a group. As a rough guide to team size:
| Players | Teams | Each |
|---|---|---|
| 6-8 | 2 | 3-4 |
| 9-12 | 3 | 3-4 |
| 13-20 | 4 | 3-5 |
| 21-30 | 6 | 3-5 |
Teams of three to five work well: big enough to share the searching, small enough that everyone has a job. If one team is short of a player, give it a few extra minutes rather than moving someone.
Fair Scoring
Decide the points before the hunt starts and write them on the list, so nobody can argue later. One simple system:
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Easy to find | 1 |
| Harder to find | 2 |
| Rare or tricky | 3 |
| Photo task done | 2 |
| First team back | +2 |
Keep the bonus for the first team back small, so speed does not matter more than searching well. If two teams finish level, settle it with a coin flip, or with one extra item that both teams hunt for at once.
Add a Little Chance
- Random order: number the list and use a random number generator to choose which item each team must find next.
- Roll for a clue: number six challenges and let teams roll the dice roller at a checkpoint to see which one they get.
- Random hiding spots: if an adult hides the items, roll for each one to decide the room or corner, so the hider does not always use favourite places.
Safety Tips
- Set clear boundaries and a time to come back, and keep younger children with an adult.
- Do not include items that mean climbing, going near water or roads, or touching animals.
- Ask before taking anything from a garden or classroom, and put things back afterwards.
- Agree on a whistle or call that means “everyone back now”.
For more games with lists, dice and wheels, see our kids’ party games guide.
FAQ
How do you play a scavenger hunt?
Give each team a list of items to find, collect or photograph within a set time and area. When time is up, check the items together and add up the points; the highest score wins.
How many items should a scavenger hunt have?
About 10 to 20 items is a good range. Use fewer for young children and more for older children or longer hunts.
How do you make scavenger hunt teams fair?
Draw the teams at random with a name picker, without repeats, so friends are mixed and nobody is picked last.
How do you score a scavenger hunt?
Give 1 point for easy items, 2 for harder ones and 3 for rare ones, plus a small bonus for the first team back. Decide the points before the hunt starts.
What is the difference between a scavenger hunt and a treasure hunt?
In a scavenger hunt teams find items from a list in any order. In a treasure hunt teams usually follow clues one after another to a single prize.