How to do a Scavenger Hunt (Outside Treasure Hunt)

Outside Scavenger Hunt for Kids

An outdoor treasure hunt for kids is an intriguing and active game for a party or just for fun. The kids are always up for the challenge and are off and running in the hunt for a prize. These easy to follow directions and a Free Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Printable make it a snap!

A treasure hunt involves a series of clues that the grands figure out and follow. These clues take them from place to place around the yard. The last clue leads them to their “treasure”.

Treasures for the Hunt

At a birthday party the treasure we hid was usually a little gift bag for each child to take home with them. But we have also had cold drinks, candy or a choice of small toys as a treasure. 

Choose a treasure that fits your event or celebration. This could adapt to any event or any time of the year.

Prize Ideas:

• Fireworks for the Fourth of July
• Tickets to a baseball game
• New bookbags for school
• Christmas presents or stockings
• Easter baskets
• Squirt guns or water balloons 

The list of treasure possibilities are endless. Remember, the prizes don’t have to be big or expensive, the hunt is the really fun part!

How to Set up a Scavenger Hunt for Kids

Every time we have created an outdoor treasure hunt for kids I get a bit mixed up figuring out how to plan it and get the clues in the right order and in the right place. Follow these instructions using the Free Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Printable and it will take the confusion out of your Outdoor Treasure Hunt for Kids!!

1. Scout the location -

First, go out and scout the area where you will have your treasure hunt. Find 8-10 items or locations that are distinct and stand out in some way. If there are 10 trees in the yard don’t just choose a tree, find the tree with the swing or the tree by the back door. You want the items or locations to cause the children to think, but be familiar and not be confusing or frustrating.

2. Draw a map -

Now, draw a map (doesn’t have to be fancy) and place all of these items on the map. Free Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Printable has a map area for you to use.

Think of yourself as a bird looking down on the area. Place your house or a significant item on first and then place the other items/locations on the map in relation to that one. 

3. Number the locations -

Number each location on the map in the order you want the children to run to in the hunt. I purposely have them criss-cross the yard a couple times to add to the adventure!

Remember that the last location will be where the treasure is hidden so it would be good for that location to have features that allow you to hide the treasure so it isn’t in plain sight.

4. Make the clues -

Sit down and ponder what each location or item is like and write a short clue for the children to read. Use the clue cards on the Free Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Printable for this.

The clue must give enough information for them to figure it out, but still cause them to pause and think a bit. Write the map number of the location on each clue.

Print off extra Free Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Printable clue cards so you have enough for your treasure hunt locations. We printed ours on cardstock paper but regular copy paper works as well.

Examples of Clues

For example, we have a pond with a small dock. Here is the clue my daughter wrote to lead them there. “To find this clue, go to the place where board lays by board, and if you had a pole you could catch a fish. Clue 1” The clue that led them to our birdhouse was, “Don’t be too loud when you look for this clue, the baby birds inside the box may be sleeping! Clue 6”

If you are feeling especially creative you could make the clues rhyme. For instance the dock clue could be, “Board nailed by board I do not float, but at times you tie me to a boat.” A clue for the birdhouse could be, “A mommy bird can live in me, her babies safe till they fly free.” Don’t feel the need to do this, just plain clues are fun too!

5. Number the clues -

When you are done you will have the same number of clues that you have locations for the kids to run and find. There's one clue on each piece of paper- be sure that you wrote the map location number on each one.

Cut up the clue card papers into pieces on the printed lines. You'll cut the clue cards into fourths. These are big enough to write on, fold in half and tape in each location. 

6. Choose a starting spot -

After you are done, go back to your map and choose a starting spot for your Outdoor Treasure Hunt for Kids. Add this to your map and label it, “Starting spot”! For us this is often our front porch.

7. Organize the clues -

Here is what makes this so much easier- write the following info on your map. On the starting spot write “Clue 1”, on location one write “Clue 2”. For location two write “Clue 3” and so forth. On the very last location write- “Treasure”. 

8. Hide the clues -

Before the kids are on location (you don’t want them watching), follow your map and place the clues in order. You will keep clue one to give them at the starting place. Go to location one and tape “Clue 2” at that location. Keep following your map to each location and place the clue.

At the last location you will place the treasure! 

Now you are ready to start your Outside Scavenger Hunt!

When you say, “Anybody want to have a treasure hunt?”, I promise that the grands will come running!

At the starting place explain the rules of the Outdoor Treasure Hunt for Kids. Then give them Clue number one and watch them go! What a hoot!

Tips for success

• If the kids are a variety of ages the littles can’t read and keep up with the bigs. You can have a buddy system so the littles don’t get left behind. You can also tell the kids they have to take turns reading the clues as a group, no one goes on without the whole group. Choose the rules that fit your kids.
• We separated our littles into their own treasure hunt. We used the same clues but created a second map, route and set of clues. The big grands were to take the clues with the blue stars on the front and the younger grands were to take the clues with the red stars on the front. An adult went with the littles to read the clues. This worked really, really well. They all ended up at the same place but the each age group could go at their own speed.
• You can make the picture clues for little ones that can’t read. Actually print off pictures of each location or draw a picture if you are so inclined. Use all of the same directions as above otherwise.

You will love this Outdoor Scavenger Hunt!

This activity is probably a “Nana’s Favorite”. We have done this several times (outdoors and indoors). One of the grands even created one herself for us to do. That was really cool.

And adults enjoy treasure hunts too

OK, so I must admit that adults like this activity too. Have some fun with some friends and have a treasure hunt for adults if you are looking for a group activity some time!

Supplies to Create An Outdoor Treasure Hunt for Kids

• Free Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Printable
• Card stock paper
• Colored markers or black marker
• Masking tape or Packaging tape
• Treasure to be found by the kids (idea 1, idea 2, more ideas listed above)

Enjoy!

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