game-library/data/sources/Creating and Running Scavenger and Treasure Hunts.txt

SOURCE: /mnt/d/GoogleDrive/Cercetasi/carti-camp-jocuri/Creating and Running Scavenger and Treasure Hunts.pdf
CONVERTED: 2025-01-11
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 4
SCAVENGER HUNTS ................................................................................................................ 6
BASIC HIDE AND SEEK HUNTS ........................................................................................................... 7
COUNSELOR HUNTS ......................................................................................................................... 7
HOLIDAY HUNTS ............................................................................................................................... 8
NATURE HUNTS ................................................................................................................................ 9
THEMED HUNTS ............................................................................................................................... 9
ALPHABET HUNTS .......................................................................................................................... 10
ROAD TRIP HUNTS .......................................................................................................................... 10
PHOTO HUNTS ............................................................................................................................... 11
AROUND TOWN HUNTS ................................................................................................................. 11
MALL HUNTS .................................................................................................................................. 12
AMUSEMENT PARK HUNTS ............................................................................................................ 12
FIELD TRIP HUNTS .......................................................................................................................... 12
CAMP ACTIVITY HUNTS .................................................................................................................. 13
BIRTHDAY GIFT HUNTS ................................................................................................................... 14
TALENT HUNTS ............................................................................................................................... 14
DUTCH AUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 15
READY-TO-PRINT SCAVENGER HUNTS ................................................................................... 18
BASIC SCAVENGER HUNT 1 ............................................................................................................. 19
BASIC SCAVENGER HUNT 2 ............................................................................................................. 20
BASIC SCAVENGER HUNT 3 ............................................................................................................. 21
BASIC SCAVENGER HUNT 4 ............................................................................................................. 22
BASIC SCAVENGER HUNT 5 ............................................................................................................. 23
ALPHABET SCAVENGER HUNT ........................................................................................................ 24
AROUND TOWN SCAVENGER HUNT ............................................................................................... 25
HOLIDAY SCAVENGER HUNT ........................................................................................................... 26
BEACH SCAVENGER HUNT .............................................................................................................. 27
ROAD TRIP SCAVENGER HUNT 1 ..................................................................................................... 28
ROAD TRIP SCAVENGER HUNT 2 ..................................................................................................... 29
MALL SCAVENGER HUNT ................................................................................................................ 30
MALL VIDEO SCAVENGER HUNT ..................................................................................................... 31
ROAD RALLY SCAVENGER HUNT 1 .................................................................................................. 32
ROAD RALLY SCAVENGER HUNT 2 .................................................................................................. 33
CAMP PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT ................................................................................................... 34
TALENT SCAVENGER HUNT ............................................................................................................. 35
CREATING TREASURE HUNTS ................................................................................................. 36
PLAYING AREA ............................................................................................................................... 38
HIDING AREAS ................................................................................................................................ 38
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS ............................................................................................................ 38
STARTING ....................................................................................................................................... 39
ENDING .......................................................................................................................................... 39
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CLUES ............................................................................................................................................. 40
TREASURE ...................................................................................................................................... 45
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER ............................................................................................................. 45
45 HUNT SUBMISSIONS ......................................................................................................... 47
MARKER HUNT ............................................................................................................................... 48
NIGHTTIME EASTER EGG HUNT ...................................................................................................... 48
GOLD HUNT .................................................................................................................................... 49
COUNSELOR HUNT ......................................................................................................................... 49
COUNSELOR FACTS SCAVENGER HUNT ........................................................................................... 50
WHERE'S WALDO ........................................................................................................................... 51
COYOTE HUNT ................................................................................................................................ 52
COUNSELOR HUNT ......................................................................................................................... 53
LEPRECHAUN QUEST ...................................................................................................................... 54
HUNGER GAMES TRIBUTE HUNT .................................................................................................... 55
SAFARI QUEST ................................................................................................................................ 56
4TH OF JULY HUNT ......................................................................................................................... 58
4TH OF JULY SCAVENGER HUNT ..................................................................................................... 61
PIRATE THEME HUNT ..................................................................................................................... 62
SPY CAMP ...................................................................................................................................... 62
LEPRECHAUN HUNT FOR TOTS ........................................................................................................ 63
THE PUZZLING SCAVENGER HUNT .................................................................................................. 63
TACKY TOURIST SCAVENGER HUNT ................................................................................................ 64
"HEART" HUNT ............................................................................................................................... 65
NATURE SCAVENGER HUNT ............................................................................................................ 65
PAINT CHIP MATCH HUNT .............................................................................................................. 66
THE COLOR TREASURE HUNT .......................................................................................................... 66
NATURE SCAVENGER HUNT ............................................................................................................ 67
THE GREAT NATURE HIKE PAPER BAG SCAVENGER HUNT ............................................................... 68
PHOTO-OP SCAVENGER HUNT ........................................................................................................ 71
INDIVIDUAL DIGITAL CAMPGROUND SCAVENGER HUNT ................................................................ 72
PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT ............................................................................................................. 73
PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT ............................................................................................................. 74
THE PICTURE TREASURE HUNT ....................................................................................................... 75
THEMED PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT ............................................................................................... 75
PHOTO HUNT BY AGE ..................................................................................................................... 76
A LIST FOR PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNTS .......................................................................................... 77
RAINY DAY PHOTO HUNT ............................................................................................................... 79
TOWN SCAVENGER HUNT ............................................................................................................... 80
CITY WIDE SCAVENGER HUNT ......................................................................................................... 81
BEACH FRONT SCAVENGER HUNT ................................................................................................... 82
ZOO FIELD TRIP SCAVENGER HUNTS ............................................................................................... 84
BROWNIE HUNT AND BAKE ............................................................................................................ 90
GETTING TO KNOW CAMP HUNT .................................................................................................... 90
CAMPER CREATED HUNT ................................................................................................................ 91
REVERSE SCAVENGER HUNT ........................................................................................................... 92
THE KING DESIRES .......................................................................................................................... 94
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THE “ORIENTEERING SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE-GATHERING TREASURE HUNT THINGY WITH AN
AWESOME FINAL TREASURE” ACTIVITY .......................................................................................... 95
HUNTERS OF TREASURES ................................................................................................................ 96
SENSORY SCAVENGER HUNT .......................................................................................................... 98
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INTRODUCTION
Treasure Hunts vs. Scavenger Hunts
Hunts have been around since the dawn of time. Though we no longer have to hunt for
food, we are still constantly on the hunt for other things (the perfect home, the right job,
the best hotel rates, our soul mate). Some careers are even based around deciphering clues
and hunting for something or someone (archeologists, police detectives, etc.) Of course,
this is not a book about real life hunts, it’s about hunts as games. For example, as kids
many of us grew up participating in Easter egg hunts every year. Most people, especially
kids but also adults, love scavenger and treasure hunts. Why? Hunts provide a sense of
suspense as we search for a list of items or solve clues and riddles as we go. They also
provide a sense of exhilaration once we have gathered all the items on our list or we have
solved all the clues to find the hidden treasure.
It’s true that hunts can be challenging (and even frustrating) at times but that’s also what
makes them incredibly enjoyable and satisfying. The key to creating a hunt for others is
to make it appropriately challenging for the age group. If you have ever tried to create a
hunt, especially a treasure hunt, you know it can be tedious and time consuming. The
purpose of this book is to make the process of planning a hunt easy for you.
Before we get into creating hunts, let’s first make sure we understand the difference
between a treasure hunt and a scavenger hunt? Think of the participants as hunters and
gatherers. A hunter follows clues, like tracks and broken branches, to find what he or she
is looking for. In the same way, participants of a treasure hunt must follow and decipher
clues that will lead them to the treasure. Gatherers, on the other hand, simply gather
things like berries, nuts and other items. Participants in a scavenger hunt typically have
a list of items they need to collect.
For the most part scavenger hunts are easy to create and run. They can be adapted for
any age, location, and size of group. The popularity of scavenger hunts is in their
simplicity.
Treasure hunts are much more involved, which means they take more time to plan and
implement. They are also better suited for older kids and usually last longer than a typical
scavenger hunt.
There are certain elements you’ll want to keep in mind when creating your hunt.
Playing Area
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The playing area will most likely be somewhere on your camp property, however, there
may be times when you’ll want to take the hunt off site. If you are having teams compete
with one another, make sure the playing area is large enough for teams to move freely
and cannot necessarily observe each other. Unless, of course, you are running a hunt for
younger kids and need to keep an eye on all the groups. In that case, choose an area that
is easily supervised.
It goes without saying that if you are running a hunt in a public area, you should have
supervision for each group. What does need to be said is that if you have your kids
running in and out of stores it would be wise to inform the store (or mall) managers of
your event.
Ages
Hunts are great for any age. It’s important, however, that the hunt you run is age
appropriate. Make it too hard and younger campers will become frustrated. Make it too
easy and older campers will be bored. Take a look at the Zoo Hunts in the third section
of this book for a good example of age appropriate scavenger hunts.
Deciding on a Winner
With a scavenger hunt the winning team can be…
• The team that gets everything on the list first
• The team that gets the most items in the allotted time.
• The team who finds or creates the best items
• The team that earns the most points (each item being worth a different value)
With a treasure hunt it usually goes to the team that finds the treasure first.
Of course, your hunt doesn’t need to be a competition. It can be just for fun. It can even
be a hunt that groups, families or individuals can do on their own during down time. Just
have one or two hunt lists available in the office. When a camper, family or group has
finished collecting everything on the list, have them come in the office with proof and
give them a prize (camp keychain or other small item).
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SCAVENGER HUNTS
A simple scavenger hunt consists of a list of items that players are asked to collect. The
first player or team to collect them all, or have the most items collected when the time
runs out, is declared the winner. While most of the types of hunts I describe in the
following pages are based on a list of items (or information, tasks, etc.), there are other
types of hunts where a list is not part of the game.
If you have ever been asked to create a scavenger hunt, you know the feeling of, “Where
do I start?” Then you begin writing things for groups to find around camp. These items
may already be around or you may have to hide the items. Then you print out lists for
the campers and off they go. However, there are so many other scavenger hunts you can
do. If you want to make your hunt special and unique I have laid out the various ways to
do a scavenger hunt. If you’re short on time or energy (and who isn’t during summer
camp) I have provided ready-to-print hunt lists at the end of the ebook.
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BASIC HIDE AND SEEK HUNTS
These are the easiest hunts to run, provided you
have places to hide your objects. Think of Easter
egg hunts. You can hide multiple items (like an egg
hunt) or you can hide just one.
One of the most popular activities at a camp I used
to direct was the Golden Smurf Hunt. We had a
Smurf figurine that was painted gold. Every other
day it was hidden somewhere in camp. At a
random time of the day the campers were brought
together and given boundaries. The camper that found the Golden Smurf earned a special
reward. Sometimes we would hide the Golden Smurf, the translucent blue Smurf and the
regular Smurf figurines. Yep, we had a collection of them. The only thing we did with
our Smurfs was hide them for these quick hunts.
Find a few special objects to hide or have a collection of the same objects (i.e. plastic eggs)
that you can spread around, and let the campers search for them.
COUNSELOR HUNTS
Teams or individuals hunt for counselors who are hiding around camp. It’s important to
be clear about the boundaries, to both the staff and the campers.
This type of hunt can be as easy as sending off the counselors to hide, waiting for 5
minutes, and then sending the campers to find them.
Make sure the rules are clear.
• Can counselors hide indoors? Can they hide in places campers aren’t supposed to
get into, like under a tarp that covers some fire wood?
• Can the counselors run away? Is a counselor caught when he or she is seen or
tagged?
• How will camper know when to return to the meeting area?
• How will counselors know when the game is over if they are still hiding?
• Are counselors all worth the same value or are some worth more points?
Here’s an example of how to run a counselor hunt…
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1. Gather the counselors together and have each of them choose a card out of a deck
of playing cards. This will determine their value when they are caught. For
example, a 2 (suit doesn’t matter) is worth 200 points, a 9 is worth 900 points, a
face card (Jack-King) is worth 1500 points and an Ace is worth 2000 points.
2. Inform the counselors of the rules:
a. They may not hide indoors or anywhere normally off limits for campers.
b. They may run from the campers. Once tagged, they must give up their
playing card to the camper that tagged them and return to the main area,
c. When they hear three whistle blasts they are to return to the main area.
3. Have the counselors hide.
4. While the counselors are hiding, entertain the campers with a camp song or two.
5. Divide the campers into teams if they aren’t already on teams.
6. Give the campers the rules:
a. They are to stay within the set boundaries.
b. Counselors must be tagged. Once tagged, the counselor will give up their
trading card and those points will go to that camper’s team once it is turned
into the program director.
c. When you hear one whistle blast that means the points for the remaining
counselors are now doubled.
d. At the sound of two whistle blasts the game is over, and all campers are to
return to the main area.
e. Happy Hunting!
HOLIDAY HUNTS
The items on the list are all holiday related. You can have a
Halloween hunt, Christmas hunt, Valentine’s hunt or a
combination of them all for a general Holiday Hunt.
The difficult thing with these hunts is that you may not have
much when it comes to holiday items, and during the summer,
stores don’t sell much in the way of St. Patrick’s Day (or most
other holidays). To get around this, you can simply print out
holiday images. For example, if one of the items on the list is
“Santa” groups will have to keep their eyes out for a Santa. It could be a small figurine, a
person dressed as the big guy, or it could be a photo taped to the side of a building or
nailed to a tree.
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If you plan ahead, you can buy small holiday items the day after each holiday at a deep
discount. You can also visit a dollar store during each holiday to pick up a variety of
inexpensive items that are perfect to hide.
NATURE HUNTS
In these hunts participants collect things from
nature, be it in a forest, in a park or on the beach.
There are so many items that can be on a nature
scavenger hunt list (rock, pinecone, shell, etc.), but
these hunts are also perfect for more abstract list
items like something smooth, something round,
something blue or something in the shape of a
triangle.
Nature scavenger hunts are popular at camps and outdoor education programs so you
may already have a nature hunt list, but if you don’t, you can find some in this ebook.
THEMED HUNTS
Depending on the theme of the day, week or
summer, you can create a scavenger hunt based on
that theme. Simply make a list of 20 or more
themed items and have the campers search for
them.
An example list of items for a scavenger hunt
during a pirate theme week might include a gold
coin, pirate hat, parrot, skull and cross bones, eye
patch, toy sword, etc. For a Western theme you
might have a boot, cowboy hat, spur, toy pistol, scarf and plastic horse on the list.
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You might want to do something even easier. During pirate week at one camp they toss
out plastic gold coins and plastic gems all over a large wooded area. Teams are given 60
seconds to gather as many coins and gems as they can. They must also get their booty
back to a specific team area in those 60 seconds for the coins and gems to count. Coins
are worth 10 points and gems are worth 25 points. The team with the most points is
declared the winner.
Whether you go with a basic hide and seek hunt or a list hunt, themed scavenger hunts
are a lot of fun.
ALPHABET HUNTS
Teams are tasked with finding items that
start with each letter of the alphabet. Simply
give each team a bag along with a sheet that
has the letters A-Z on it. Teams will collect
items as well as writing them on the sheet of
paper. For example, a team on a nature
alphabet hunt might find an acorn. They
place the acorn in their bag and then write it next to the “A” on their sheet.
ROAD TRIP HUNTS
The next time you take a bus on a field trip consider running
a road trip hunt. These hunts can be done in teams but will
most likely be done with a group of campers that want to
play individually against one another. Have a staff person
keep track of who found what during the hunt. During these
hunts players look for specific things (letters, numbers,
words, cars, etc.) along the highway and streets. For
example, finding a license plate that starts with the letter
“M” or a company sign that has a “U” in it’s name. They
could also look for things like a small dog, a flat tire, a donut
shop or a picture of a dolphin.
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PHOTO HUNTS
Each team is given a camera and a list of things
they need to take a picture of. The list can be of
specific objects, specific places, of tasks the
team must complete, or a combination of the
them all.
The objective may be to get as many photos of list items as possible or it could be to get
the best photo of each list item. For example, if the task is to take a picture of someone
making a crazy face, points can either be awarded to all the teams that took a photo of
someone making a crazy face, or points may only go to the team that brings back a photo
of the craziest face (as judged by the staff).
Photo hunts can take place anywhere (at camp, in town, on a field trip, etc.). As long as
you can supply each team with a digital camera you can hold a photo hunt. There’s no
hiding objects, providing bags and figuring out what to do with all the stuff that is
brought back, or worrying about what might be brought back. (Is that an opossum?)
AROUND TOWN HUNTS
It’s fun to get off camp property every once in a while.
Holding a scavenger hunt in the local town can be an
enjoyable and memorable experience. Of course, teams
must be supervised and rules need to be established.
Campers need to be respectful of the local laws (no
jaywalking), other people (be polite and considerate),
property (stay out of the flower garden), and each other (no
name calling).
If you feel your campers can behave and your staff can
effectively supervise a group in a race, then a photo or other hunt is great for the older
campers.
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MALL HUNTS
These are fun for tweens and teens. If you’re able to take
them out of camp for a field trip, head to the biggest mall in
your area and give them a list of items. If you want to make
it an extra special scavenger hunt give each team a video
camera and a list of things you want the teams to get other
people to do. For example, I took 20 middle school aged
campers to a mall and had them video people talking like a
baby, singing specific songs, giving high fives, dancing,
spouting off famous movie quotes and much more. The videos are very fun to watch. The
more difficult the challenge, the more points the team received.
AMUSEMENT PARK HUNTS
Scavenger hunts at amusement parks can be fun or they can be torturous. When kids just
want to get on rides, it can be cruel to have them run around the park collecting
information, photos or items in a timed event. Instead, have them complete their
scavenger hunt while they enjoy the rides. They can get the answers, photos and items as
they walk from ride to ride.
FIELD TRIP HUNTS
Scavenger hunts can take place nearly anywhere.
Going on a field trip? Why not hold a scavenger
hunt as well? For example, if you’re going to a
museum you could give each camper a sheet with
a variety of questions like “How tall is a T-Rex?”,
“What year did the Civil War begin?”, “Who
painted the Fall of Ophilia”?, etc.
Here are some other examples…
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• Waterpark
o
What is the fastest waterslide here?
o
How much is a hot dog and soda at the concession stand?
o
How long does it take to get around the whole lazy river?
o
What is the price of an annual pass?
• Zoo
o
How many elephants are at this zoo?
o
Why do giraffes have long necks?
o
How often does a snake shed its skin?
o
What are the Tigers’ names?
• Park
o
How many water fountains are at this park?
o
What year was the park created?
o
How many basketball hoops are there?
o
What is the cost to get into the pool?
• Aquarium
o
How many otters are here?
o
How does a jelly fish see?
o
What do barracuda eat?
o
How did the leopard shark get its name?
CAMP ACTIVITY HUNTS
Activity scavenger hunts are great for specialty camps.
For example, if you’re running a week-long cooking
camp and there is a block of time that you need to fill,
put together a list of cooking items or ingredients that
need to be found in or around the building you’re
using. Items on the list might include minced garlic,
rolling pin, cook book, fork, apple, cinnamon stick and
strainer. The list could be ingredients for a specific meal
or just random cooking and food items.
Hunts can be created for just about any activity. Here are a few more examples…
• Crafts
o
Purple bead
o
Silver glitter
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o
Yellow marker
o
Green Tempura paint
• Waterfront
o
Life Jacket
o
Flip flop or sandal
o
Towel with a cartoon character on it
o
Sunscreen
• Horses
o
Bridle
o
Horseshoe
o
Oats
o
Brush
BIRTHDAY GIFT HUNTS
Each team is given a box, wrapping paper and some tape. What
they put in the box is up to them. They need to use materials they
find, or that are supplied, to create a birthday present. This is a
great challenge for campers if a staff member’s birthday falls on a
camp day.
After teams have created their gifts, they place it in the box and
wrap it up. As teams arrive to the event spot, each box is given a
number so that the judges don’t know which box is from which
team.
The winning team will be the gift that the birthday staff person (and a couple of other
staff members) feels is the best or most creative.
TALENT HUNTS
This is a different kind of hunt. Teams are given a list of actions to perform in front of
judges. If nobody in their group can do a particular task, they must search for a staff
member who can do it and is willing to perform on their behalf. Once a staff person has
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agreed to perform a task for a team, they cannot perform that same
task for another team too.
Once they have decided who will do each task they must then search
for and gather any items they need to perform their tasks.
At the end of the preparation time limit the performances take place.
Points are awarded for best performances and a winning team is
chosen.
DUTCH AUCTION
This is a different kind of scavenger hunt that is very popular with summer camps. It
works like this.
SET-UP
• Prepare a “secret list” of random items that campers and staff may or may not
have.
• Each cabin group is given time to fill one bed sheet with anything from their cabin,
including their personal items and that of their counselor’s. They can also stuff
their pockets with items.
• All the cabins gather together with their sheets.
• Every two or three groups will be assigned a judge (staff person).
GAME PLAY
• The announcer calls out one item at a time from the pre-created list.
• Each group searches through their sheet of stuff, their pockets and whatever they
are wearing to find the item.
• Any group that has the item must show it to their judge for verification.
• If the judge feels the item meets the criteria, they will award the group points.
Judges do not keep the items. Judges keep track of the points for their groups.
• The announcer may invent items if it is clear that one cabin is falling drastically
behind or another cabin has a huge lead.
• The group with the highest number of points at the end of the game wins.
• The final points are tallied and the camp is notified who won later that day.
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Below is a sample listing of items.
1. A soap dish
2. A wrapped roll of toilet paper
3. A plastic garbage bag
4. Piece of plastic silver ware
5. Any hat other than a baseball cap
6. A sharpened #2 pencil
7. A bible
8. Bottle of hand lotion
9. A pillow
10.Anything with a native american on it
11.A can of shaving cream
12.A live animal
13.Hair gel or mousse
14.A point for every comb, hairbrush, and pick
15.A completed yearbook form
16.Anything that has a printed foreign language on it
17.Shoelaces any color but white
18.A point for every key your judge has in their possession
19.A point for the cabin that picked up garbage this morning
20.Anything with a union jack on it
21.A point for every flash light
22.A point if your judge is wearing earrings, 2 points if it's a guy
23.A point for every hair blower or curling iron
24.A point for every styrofoam cup
25.A buddy check or deep end band
26.A point for every blue sock
27.A suitcase
28.An extension cord
29.Two points for everyone wearing pants, not shorts
30.A stuffed dog or cat
31.A point for every record
32.A point for every hoop earring
33.A can of ajax cleaner
34.Four points for every extra camper (over usual # specified for each cabin)
35.A point for every carnival ticket 36 point for every piece of fruit
36.Three points if your judge has some type of glasses
37.Cancelled stamps
38.Actual photographs
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39.Two points for each bandana
40.Scissors
41.Mirrors
42.Two points if your judge is wearing socks
43.Pajama bottoms
44.Point for every shirt that says something
45.Two points for every pair of nikes
46.A dustpan
47.A point for every item which has the ____’s signature on it
48.Postcards
49.A point for every copy of this week's/today’s program
50.Point for card from christmas week
51.Point for every watch
52.Point for every ipod two points for each staff member now sitting with your
53.Group, besides the judge and counselor
54.Four points if your counselor is going out with another staff member
55.Ten points if your counselor is not going out with a staff member
56.Two points for each camper wearing something which says camp name
57.Three points if your judge is wearing a whistle
58.A point for every camper lanyard
59.Three points for every musical instrument
60.Soda cans
61.Feathers
62.Three points for copy of camp newspaper
63.Tubes of toothpaste
64.A real newspaper (rare at camp)
65.A straw broom
66.A chair
67.A point for every rubber bracelet
68.A blanket
69.Point for every shoe without laces (shoes that don't use laces)
70.Two points for every ball that would be used in some sport
71.Four points for every photo taken at camp, this summer
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READY-TO-PRINT SCAVENGER
HUNTS
I have provided a number of scavenger hunts that you can print out and use. Most of the
hunts can be used by any camp in any location. Basic Scavenger Hunts 1-5 are geared
toward the different ages of counselors where 1 is for younger campers and 5 is for older
campers.
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BASIC SCAVENGER HUNT 1
Rules: All of the items collected must fit into the hunt bag. The winner is the first one back
with all the items in their bag. You must stay in the set boundaries.
• Book
• Stuffed Animal
• Cup
• Piece of Fruit
• Block
• Plastic Animal
• Costume Item
• Crayon
• Lego Piece
• Shoe
• Draw a Picture of the Sun
• Doll or Action Figure
• Toy Car
• Paint Brush
• Rock
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BASIC SCAVENGER HUNT 2
Rules: All of the items collected must fit into the hunt bag. The winner is the first one back
with all the items in their bag. You must stay in the set boundaries. Living items (animals,
insects, plants, etc.) are off limits.
• Something Round
• Something Orange
• Something Brown
• Something beginning with S
• Something beginning with L
• Something soft
• Something colorful
• A cone
• A seed
• A toy
• A spoon
• Something to write with
• Something in the shape of a Y
• Something you can eat
• Something weird
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BASIC SCAVENGER HUNT 3
Rules: All of the items collected must fit into the hunt bag. The winner is the first one back
with all the items in their bag. You must stay in the set boundaries. Living items (animals,
insects, plants, etc.) are off limits.
• Something in the shape of a pyramid
• Something prickly
• Something soft
• Something that starts with M
• Something you can write with
• Something edible
• Something purple
• Something squishy
• Something in the shape of an ear
• Something cool
• A feather
• Something musical
• Something that makes you smile
• Something exciting
• A self portrait
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BASIC SCAVENGER HUNT 4
Rules: All of the items collected must fit into the hunt bag. The winner is the first one back
with all the items in their bag. You must stay in the set boundaries. Living items (animals,
insects, plants, etc.) are off limits.
• Something wet
• Something that starts with E
• Something that starts with U
• Something pointy
• Something slimy
• Something cute
• Something scary
• Something to write with
• Something red
• A friend
• Paper
• A rock with a face on it
• A game
• Two identical sticks
• A seed
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BASIC SCAVENGER HUNT 5
Rules: All of the items collected must fit into the hunt bag. The winner is the first one back
with all the items in their bag. You must stay in the set boundaries. Living items (animals,
insects, plants, etc.) are off limits.
• Something colorful
• Something useful
• Something that can be used as a spoon
• Something sharp
• Something smooth
• Something clean
• Something that twists
• Something furry
• Something that is light and dark
• Something crazy
• A riddle
• A playing card
• A present
• Something fun
• A game
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ALPHABET SCAVENGER HUNT
Rules: You must collect an item beginning with each letter of the alphabet. All items must
be placed in your bag.
Write the name of your items on the table below. The individual or team with the most
qualified items in their bag, at the end of the time limit, will win.
A J S
B K T
C L U
D M V
E N W
F O X
G P Y
H Q Z
I R
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AROUND TOWN SCAVENGER HUNT
Rules: Teams must stay together at all times. If a question is asked, write your answer on
the paper itself after or below the question. You cannot spend any money. Your team is
to meet back at the ___________________________________________ at ___________.
Team Captain Fills in the Place and Time
• What is the special today at the Mexican restaurant?
• What is the cheapest gas in town?
• A movie ticket stub from today
• How many public tennis courts are in town?
• A brochure for the house of your dreams
• A postcard of the town
• A grocery bag for all your items
• A photo of the entire team
• A town recreation guide
• A sticker (or whatever they give kids who visit) from the fire department
• A pen with a hotel name on it
• A straw still in the wrapper
• Name a place in town that sells ice cream cones along with the price for a single
scoop.
• What is the price of a pound of red delicious apples at the local grocery store?
• A brochure for a local attraction
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HOLIDAY SCAVENGER HUNT
Rules: Items of different holidays have been scattered around. The team that finds the
most will win. If you find a duplicate item to one you already have, you must leave it
where it is.
• Santa
• A candy cane
• A tree ornament
• A gingerbread man
• Five bows – each a different color
• A stocking
• A snowflake cut from white paper (you must make this item)
• A blue candle
• A dreidel
• An Easter basket
• A plastic egg
• An Easter egg coloring tool
• A heart
• Cupid
• Valentine card with a cartoon character on it
• A Turkey
• A pilgrim
• A ghost
• Candy corn
• A pumpkin
• A bat
• A birthday hat
• A mini birthday candle
• A leprechaun
• A gold coin
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BEACH SCAVENGER HUNT
Rules: Return to this spot by ______ with as many items on this list as you can find. The
team with the most items wins. If a question is asked, write your answer on the paper
itself after or below the question.
• A shell with no cracks or missing pieces
• Sea glass
• A beach towel with 4 or more colors on it
• The nearest lifeguard’s name
• The hours the beach is open
• The cost of a soda at the concession stand or nearest vending machine
• A sandcastle mold
• A bucket with matching shovel
• A pair of sandals or flip flops
• A sun visor
• A Frisbee
• A beach ball
• A picture of a sand castle
• A picture of a team member buried in sand
• A picture of a green bathing suit
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ROAD TRIP SCAVENGER HUNT 1
Rules: Everyone gets a copy of this list for reference. One person needs to be the recorder.
The recorder will write the name of the person who spots each item first on the main
sheet.
• Word on the side of a semi-truck that contains an “A”
• Store that begins with “B”
• License plate that starts with “C”
• Word on a billboard that ends with “D”
• Fast food sign that contains an “E”
• License plate that ends with “F”
• Word on a bus bench that contains a “G”
• Word on the side of a public bus that starts with “H”
• Word on a billboard that starts with “I”
• License plate that contains a “J”
• Store sign that contains a “K”
• Restaurant name that contains an “L”
• Word on the side of a semi-truck that starts with an “M”
• Word on a public bus that ends with an “N”
• Automotive shop name that contains an “O”
• Street name that contains a “P”
• Anything with a “Q”
• Word on a police car that contains an “R”
• Grocery store name that contains an “S”
• Street name that starts with “T”
• Road sign that contains a “U”
• License plate that begins with “V”
• Store sign that contains a “W”
• Anything with an “X”
• License plate frame that contains a “Y”
• Anything with a “Z”
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ROAD TRIP SCAVENGER HUNT 2
Rules: Everyone gets a copy of this list for reference. One person needs to be the recorder.
The recorder will write the name of the person who spots each item first on the main
sheet.
• Helicopter
• RV (camper or motorhome)
• Motorcycle
• Police Car
• Orange Construction Cone
• Stick Family Stickers on Window
• Dog in Car
• Flag
• Uhaul Truck
• Neon Drive-Thru Sign
• Gym
• Donut Shop
• Person Jogging
• Person Riding a Bike
• Personalized License Plate
• Statue
• Car or Truck with Bicycle Attached
• Phone Booth/Public Phone
• Blue Mailbox
• Chinese Restaurant
• People Playing a Sport
• Yellow Car
• Volkswagen Bug
• A Person Spinning a Sign or Dancing with a Sign
• Someone Wearing a Tie
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MALL SCAVENGER HUNT
Rules: Write the answers to the questions below and gather the requested items. Bring
back the sheet and items when you are finished and before the time is up. All teams
must be back by ______.
• What is the mall information phone number?
• Is there a place that sells the card game Uno? What does it cost?
• How many glasses stores (including sunglass shops and kiosks) are there in the
entire mall?
• How many restaurants are in the entire mall?
• What movie(s) is/are showing at 11am?
• Cologne sample
• Perfume sample
• What is the most expensive watch at the jewelry store?
• Hand lotion sample
• Cell phone company brochure
• Gumball
• Sweepstakes entry form from any store or restaurant
• Straw
• Name of a store offering “Buy One, Get One Free”
• Map of the mall
• Clothes hanger
• Price tag that says $9.99
• Job application
• How many water fountains are in the mall?
• Purchase the largest number of items for $1. You must provide a receipt.
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MALL VIDEO SCAVENGER HUNT
Rules: Your team has 30 minutes to video mall shoppers and/or employees saying or
doing the things on this list. Each person you record (not on your team) may only do one
of the items on the list. You must be back at the bus before the time is up. Teams will lose
points for being late.
• Singing “I’m a Little Teapot” in a baby voice
• Giving a team member a high five
• Dancing with a team member
• Laughing three different ways
• Impersonating a famous person
• Breakdancing
• Acting like a monkey
• Doing three muscle poses
• Touching their nose with their tongue
• Wiggling their ears
• Casting a spell as Harry Potter
• Fake snoring
• Playing peek-a-boo with the camera
• Reciting the alphabet backwards
• Playing patty cake with a team member
• Impersonating Darth Vader
• Saying “Toy Boat” three times fast without messing up
• Doing a 1-arm pushup
• Getting a Sprint salesperson to tell you why they are better than Verizon
• A team member getting a food sample in the food court
• Playing a video game with a team member
• Playing rock-paper-scissors with a team member
• Doing a well known dance move
• Shouting “Goonies Never Die!”
• Impersonating a cartoon character
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ROAD RALLY SCAVENGER HUNT 1
Rules: You will be driven around town for the next few hours. Your goal is to check off
as many of the tasks on this list as possible in the time allotted.
TASK POINTS
• Take a picture of your team creating the word CAMP with their 75
bodies while lying down in the local high school field.
• Bring back the longest straw you can find. The team with the 75
longest straw gets the points.
• Bring back a make-up sample 50
• Take a group picture at a freeway bus stop 50
• Take a picture with at least one team member in front
of a house with the street number of 123. 100
• Take a group picture on a large piece of playground equipment 75
• Take a picture of one team member inside the ticket booth of a 100
movie theater.
• Take a picture of the group play basketball with an actual basketball 50
on a basketball court.
• Take a picture of one team member proposing marriage on one knee 75
to a stranger.
• Bring back a Holiday Inn hotel brochure 25
• Bring back a receipt, dated today, from any store. Double points for 75
the receipt with the highest paid amount.
• Bring back a movie ticket stub from today. 75
• Bring back a sweepstakes entry form. 125
• Take a group picture with a police office in uniform. 200
• Take a group photo with everyone wearing silly hats. 150
• Completely wrap a team member in toilet paper like a mummy. 75
• Find out how much a cut and blow dry is at the nearest salon. 25
• Bring back an application from any fast food restaurant. 25
• Take a group picture with everyone making silly faces 75
(only the team with the best picture will get the points).
• Take a picture of one team member and someone coming out of 100
the local gym both doing a muscle pose.
• Take a group picture of the team acting like dogs at a pet store. 75
• Bring back a wire hanger. 50
• Bring back a take out menu from a Chinese restaurant . 25
• Take a group picture in front of the fire department with a fire fighter. 50
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ROAD RALLY SCAVENGER HUNT 2
Rules: You will be driven around town for the next few hours. Your goal is to check off
as many of the tasks on this list as possible in the time allotted.
TASK POINTS
• Take a picture of your team behind the counter in a shop or café. 100
• Take a picture with the group in a boat. 75
• Take a picture on the steps of the library with a librarian. 150
• Take a photo of one team member in a shower with the shower on. 100
• Bring back a gas receipt from today. 50
• Take a picture in front of a mailbox with a postal worker. 150
• Bring back one each of as many condiments in a small packet as you can. 25ea
• Take a picture of a team member shaking hands with a dog. 75
• Bring back a parks and recreation activity guide. 50
• Take a picture of the team in front of a brown house with white trim. 125
• Take a picture of the whole team on bicycles. One bike per member. 100
• Take a picture with the team all hanging upside down. 150
• Take a picture of one team member in a costume. Double points for 100
the team that has the best costume.
• Take a picture of two team members feeding fish. 75
• Take a picture with one team member and at least 5 birds. Cannot be 150
in a pet store.
• Bring back a colored golf ball. 200
• Take a phot with two team members behind a fast food counter. 125
• Bring back a Susan B Anthony coin. 150
• Take a picture with all team members wearing holiday hats. 150
• Take a picture of a team member posing with any animal that you 200
cannot buy food for in a pet store.
• Bring back a dry cleaning ticket. 50
• Bring back anything with the town/city’s name on it. 75
• Take a picture of the whole team posing with Nerf guns. 125
• Take a picture of a team member and a man in suit both making 150
crying baby faces.
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CAMP PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT
Rules: Using the provided camera, take pictures of as many items on this list as you can
in the time given. Points will be awarded for each photo taken as well as how artistic or
comedic the photos are.
• A ball
• A carabiner
• A broom
• A whistle
• A sweatshirt with the camp name on it
• A fire pit
• A marshmallow
• Sticks spelling out the camp’s name
• Any insect
• A friendship bracelet
• A lanyard
• A camera
• A human pyramid
• The team making muscle poses on a stage
• The team making silly faces in a mirror
• A bar of soap
• A Ford vehicle
• A bicycle
• A heart
• Sand
• A life jacket
• A lantern
• A candy bar
• A leaf that is not green
• A superhero
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TALENT SCAVENGER HUNT
Rules: You have a few hours to prepare for the talent show today. The talents that are to
be performed are on this sheet.
During the talent show your team will be awarded points for every item someone from
your group (camper or counselor) can successfully perform. If there is a task that
nobody on your team can perform, you may ask a staff person who is not on a team to
do it. Each staff person may not perform the same task for more than one team.
Your group’s counselor may only perform one task from the list. Also, every camper in
the group must attempt at least one of the tasks.
• Do the splits
• Ballroom dance
• Perform a magic trick
• Do some ventriloquism
• Impersonate someone famous
• Impersonate a staff person
• Impersonate a cartoon character
• Whistle a TV theme song
• Recreate a scene from a popular movie
• Juggle
• Four people perform a choreographed dance routine for 15 seconds
• Sing a popular pop song for 15 seconds
• Tell a joke
• Turn a Dr. Suess book into a rap
• Jump Rope
• Play an instrument
• Two or more people perform a hand clapping routine
• Hula hoop
• Act out a parody of a fairy tale in 30 seconds
• Teach the audience how to do something
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CREATING TREASURE HUNTS
Treasure hunts can be frustrating to create. There ae so many details to cover. Where do
I start? What clues should I include? What about puzzles? Where should I place the clues
and puzzles? How will I keep teams separated so they don’t just follow each other? How
do I make it tough enough that it isn’t boring but easy enough that the campers don’t get
frustrated?
There are a lot of concerns one has when creating a treasure hunt. In the third section of
this book you’ll find some examples of treasure hunts that may be helpful.
Here are some tips from two camp professionals that participated in the hunts round
table I ran a while back.
HOW TO SET UP A TREASURE HUNT GAME
1. Pick a prize and find a hiding place for it.
2. Create your clues. Adapt them to your favorite game that you play. Make picture
clues for pre-readers. Clip images from magazines and catalogs or find them
online if you need to. Challenge older kids with riddles, puns, or even math
problems: Tell them they need to take 3x6 steps or turn 45 degrees, for example
3. Try increasing the activity level in your treasure hunt. With each clue, include
direction on how to travel to the next hiding place: hopping, crawling, and waving
both hands in the air, and so on.
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4. Hide your clues. Again, adjust difficulty to match kids' abilities. Aim for challenge,
without too much frustration. Consider hiding clues under rocks, inside plastic
Easter eggs, etc. Or see if you can find ways to leave messages without paper. Use
magnetic letters on the fridge, or write on a chalkboard, say.
5. Set ground rules: No running in the house, no pushing other players aside, and so
on, as needed.
6. Hand over the first clue and set the wheels in motion!
Tips:
1. Prizes can be anything from a small trinket to healthy snacks.
2. Aim for a trail of three to four clues for little kids (five and under) and up to 10 for
older children. You want your treasure hunt to keep them busy, but not frustrated.
Contributed by Sherry F.
TREASURE HUNT CLUE IDEAS
• Use a waterproof bible in the bottom of your pool. Campers must dive to retrieve,
find passage and go from there.
• Freeze clue in block of ice.
• Put waterproof paper with clue in a watermelon. Campers must smash to find.
• Have clue in floating ring in lake, must use fishing gear to retrieve.
• Final treasure buried in sand volleyball court. (Be sure to map!)
• At each site where you pick up clue, also have a piece of a larger puzzle or map.
Could be final clue, or map to treasure etc. They must turn in all their clues, plus
all pieces of map/puzzle to win.
Contributed by Nanci T.
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On the previous page Sherry breaks down how to put together a treasure hunt very well.
However, I’d like to dive a bit deeper. Let’s first break down the different parts of a
possible treasure hunt and then we can start creating one.
PLAYING AREA
Like a scavenger hunt, treasure hunts can take place pretty much anywhere. However,
while you can lay out items in a relatively small area for a scavenger hunt, you’ll usually
want a bigger area for a treasure hunt. Yes, a treasure hunt could be done in an area as
small as a room. Check out my ebook How to Create a Low Cost Escape Room if you want
to offer your older campers a unique, one-room treasure hunt. Generally, though, a
treasure hunt will take place in a large area, be it your camp property, the area around
your camp, the local town, etc.
HIDING AREAS
A typical treasure hunt will have clues that will lead groups to other clues until they find
the treasure. Clues (and the treasure) can be placed out in the open, locked in a box or
buried in sand. In other words, they can be anywhere. Where you place each of your clues
will depend on the playing area, level of difficulty, type of clue, and the theme if you
have one.
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
You can have as many participants as you want, but it’s best if you keep your teams small.
Teams of 2-6 is ideal. I wouldn’t go above 10. The more campers you have on a team the
less each of them can contribute to the hunt.
Here’s a typical scenario with a group of 12 campers. The treasure hunt begins and the
whole group is excited. As they go from clue to clue a couple of the campers take the lead
in solving the clues. A few of the others help out when they have something to contribute.
Five of the other campers walk along having side conversations as the group travels from
place to place. The last 2 campers remain silent and bored despite the attempts of their
counselor to get them involved. There just isn’t enough to do for so many campers on one
team. Sure, you could try to create a treasure hunt where there are “stations” that require
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all the campers to do something in order to get the next clue and move on, but the
planning, set-up and supervision for an event like this is unnecessary and can be
overwhelming. It’s easier and more effective to split a group of 12 into 2 teams of 6.
STARTING
You’ll need to make sure that teams actually solve each clue and don’t just follow one
another. Hear are a few things you can do to make sure that doesn’t happen…
• Start teams in intervals and keep track of their time. The downside here is that
teams could catch up with one another and then you’re back to the possibility of
teams following each other.
• Give different starting clues to each team so that they all start at a different spot.
• Have a staff person at each clue to ensure that teams solve the clues and don’t just
follow one another. Once a team solves a clue they go to the staff person, who
confirms that they have solved it, before continuing on.
ENDING
This is a treasure hunt so it makes sense to have treasure, or a prize, at the end. Here are
some ideas…
• A treasure chest with snacks for all participants of the hunt and maybe a few little
prizes for the winning team
• The hunt could end at the dining hall where a pizza party awaits.
• A bag of snacks for each team that completes the hunt
• A piñata that gets to be busted open by the winning team
• A campfire with s’more ingredients ready to be consumed
In each case, all participants (not just the winners) get to share in the “prize”. You may
decide to give the winning team a separate prize or you may feel bragging rights is
enough. The winners of my hunts get a special “Hunters” bead for their nametag necklace
as a bonus prize.
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CLUES
There are lots of types of clues you can do. Below, I go over a number of them that you
can use for your next treasure hunt.
Charades
Have a staff person act out a clue to lead teams to the next place in the hunt. For
example, if the next clue is under a helmet near the rock climbing wall, the staff
person could pretend to be rock climbing. When the team gets that she could
pretend to take off her helmet and point to it. Once the team understands that it is
under a helmet at the rock wall the staff person will let them go.
Jigsaw Puzzles
I am a fan of using puzzles, but not if they have more than 36 pieces. Sixteen is
preferable. One camp I worked at had 25 piece puzzles they made from wood. The
top of the puzzle was painted white with colored worms or snakes (about 8 of
them) painted on as well. Each puzzle had different colored worms, so the yellow
team got the puzzle with the yellow worms, the green team got the green worms,
and so on. While these puzzles had only 25 pieces, they were not easy to put
together.
Blank puzzles can also be purchased. From there you can draw or paste anything
you want on them.
You can also purchase small puzzles at dollar stores.
Riddles
A popular type of clue is the riddle. Riddles can be easy or extremely difficult. You
want to make sure they aren’t too difficult, though, no matter the age. It’s no fun
when a hunt stops because nobody can figure out a riddle.
The answer to a riddle for a treasure hunt will usually be a place (dining hall,
trading post, rock wall), but it can also be an object (green kayak, table, archery
target) or a person (crafts director, Joey, the mascot).
I stand in the open testing your skill,
The eye of the bull is in sight.
I’m riddled with holes but I remain still,
Being shot at to the crowd’s delight
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The clues in the riddle above (skill, bullseye, shot at) should lead groups to the
archery range checking the targets for their next clue. If you have a couple of
different target sports this riddle won’t work for your hunt, but you get the idea.
Photos
Take photos of certain areas or notable location markers (signs, buildings, etc.) that
will lead groups to that place. To make it a bit more difficult take close-up shots
(the corner of a sign, a number of a cabin, the leather of a saddle, etc.) The closer
the shot, the harder it is to decipher. Just don’t make it too difficult. Again, we
don’t want to frustrate everyone.
Tape or Video Recordings
Having a clue lead groups to a tape recorder or a
laptop with a video loaded on it can be an exciting
way to deliver a clue. Have the director record
some words of encouragement and a verbal clue,
like a riddle, and then the groups can listen to the
tape or watch the video. You could even record
audio sounds as the clue or video a reenactment of
an event that has a clue to the next location.
Sensory
Imagine having a locked box with either the next clue in it or the end prize. In front
of the box are a variety of sensory buckets. In one of them is the key to open the
lock. Each bucket might contain something different (sand, pudding, shaving
cream, gak, pennies, dirt, mud, spaghetti, etc.).
You could also have a sensory box. Participants must reach into the box and feel
the object. No looking. That object is a clue for the next location. For example, in
the box could be a plastic horse. A camper reaches in and feels the object, guesses
it’s a horse and they all head to the corral. Or maybe it’s spaghetti that leads them
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to the kitchen, sand that leads them to the beach, beads that leads them to the craft
shack, etc.
Associated Word Puzzles
In each of these puzzles, a list of words is given. To solve the puzzle, participants
must think of a single word that goes with each to form a compound word (or
word pair that functions as a compound word). For example, if the given words
are volley, field, and bearing, then the answer would be ball, because the word ball
can be added to each of the other words to form volleyball, ballfield, and ball bearing.
Try this one out.
Table
Public
Swimming
Answer: POOL (pool table, public pool, swimming pool)
It looks like the next clue is at the pool.
Word Searches
Design a word search that will leave a few letters after all the words are found. By
reorganizing the letters into a word, the group will have a clue as to where to look
for the next puzzle or have the word to open a word lock. Here is a small and quick
example.
S P G A M E
A P N N D H
R M I H O O
C A H R G S
H C S K I T
E E I N E T
R T F A R C
CAMP HORSE ARCHER SKIT SONG
DOG FISHING CRAFT GAME SPIRIT
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Answer
S B G A M E
A P N N D H
R M I O O A
C A H R G S
H C S K I T
E E I T S T
R T F A R C
B-O-A-T-S
The next clue must be at the waterfront.
Symbol Substitutions
This is where you use symbols to decode a message. Each symbol represents a
letter. Once you have the key you can decipher a message full of symbols. You can
use hieroglyphics or even something like the Windings font, which I use below in
the example.
Key
A(A) B(B) C(C) D(D) E(E) F(F) G(G) H(H) I(I) J(J) K(K)
L(L) M(M) N(N) O(O) P(P) Q(Q) R(R) S(S) T(T) U(U) V(V)
W(W) X(X) Y(Y) Z(Z)
The puzzle below will be a clue as to wear to look next. The answer (in case you
don’t want to take the time to work it out) is UNDER THE SINK.
UNDER THE DESK
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Morse Code
On a sheet of paper, you can have participants decipher a Morse Code.
Simply use the codes for each letter above to spell out words and sentences like
GO TO THE CAMP STORE.
Pigpen Cipher
The pigpen cipher is used quite frequently and you may find that some of your
participants already know about it. Use the key to decipher the symbols into
letters.
Here’s an example of using the Pigpen Cipher.
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Challenges
This is not a clue, but having groups perform a task or complete a challenge is a
fun way to break up the mental aspects of a treasure hunt. Here are a few examples
of challenges you can add to your hunt.
• Build a group pyramid
• Row a canoe around a buoy and back
• Get across a Wild Woozy obstacle
• Sing a song
• Get everyone on the All Aboard platform
• Hit the bullseye
Once the task is complete or the challenge has been met, a staff person will give
the group their next location.
TREASURE
What’s a treasure hunt without a treasure? When it comes to deciding on what your
treasure should be I suggest that everyone, win or lose, get something. Snack items are
great. The winning team has bragging rights but adding a little something extra is always
nice. Inexpensive prizes from Oriental Trading or the local dollar store are fine. Here are
some other treasure ideas.
FOR THE WINNERS FOR EVERYONE
Special Beads Fruit Roll-Ups
Pass for an Evening Kitchen Raid ZBARs
First for Meals for a Day Fruit
Camp Store Credit Pizza Party
Buttons/Pins Ice Cream Party
Trophies made by Crafts Director S’mores Party
Special Trip into Town
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
One of the best treasure hunts I put together had each group start off at a different
station/area. There were 8 groups and 16 stations/areas.
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There were 12 clues and 4 tasks/challenges.
• Photo of part of a National Forest sign that led them to that sign
• Pigpen Cipher
• Riddle
• Bean Bag Toss (they had to get a certain number of points to move on)
• Word Puzzle
• Jigsaw Puzzle
• Riddle
• Water bucket relay
• Photo of a lock that led them to the locked shed
• A CIT pretending to be a woodland fairy without speaking to lead the groups to
the fairy hose village
• Riddle
• Symbol Substitution Cipher
• Photo of a tire which led groups to the cart in the garden
• Riddle
• There were 8 locked boxes with 8 buckets of 20 keys placed 10 yards away from
the buckets. Each bucket contained only one correct key for it’s sister locked box.
One person from each group had to run back and forth with one key at a time
trying to unlock their box.
At every other station there was a box with 8 laminated sheets. Each sheet had one letter
on it. All the sheets of each box had the same letter. Once a group collected all 8 letters,
they had to put them together to solve their final clue. The letters spelled S-U-N-S-H-I-N-
E. One of my staff went by the camp name Sunshine. The first group to go to her got the
key to the final treasure chest. Inside the chest (which was an old wooden luggage trunk
that looked like a pirate treasure chest) there were boxes of snacks and a baggie with
“Treasure Hunter” beads for the winning team.
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45 HUNT SUBMISSIONS
FROM THE TREASURE AND SCAVENGER HUNT ROUND TABLE
In this section I have included 45 submissions from a scavenger and treasure hunt round table I
ran a while back. You’ll find ideas for different kinds of hunts that other camps did. These all come
from other camp professionals.
Some of the submissions explain how they do a specific hunt. Other submissions are hunts you
can use for your camp as is. I know you’ll find some great info in the following pages. Enjoy.
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MARKER HUNT
Before the game starts, each group should receive
a piece of paper that has lines/dots marked on it
from all the different markers that are hidden, so
that they know what colors they are looking for.
The markers can be hidden just about anywhere,
and as each group goes around and finds markers,
they make a mark on their paper with each marker
they find, and then LEAVE IT where they found it so that other groups have a chance to
find it.
When time is up, the group who has found the most markers is the winning group.
Another way to play this game is with paint. Counselors can hide, each one with a
different color paint. When a group finds a counselor, that counselor puts a dot of paint
somewhere on the campers' faces. The group who has the most paint dots at the end is
the winning group.
Contributed by Leah W.
NIGHTTIME EASTER EGG HUNT
I have a Nighttime Easter Egg Hunt for the Teens and Adults at my park. It's the same
day as the children's one. I start right at sundown so the people can get a visual before it
becomes completely dark. This is surprisingly VERY popular.
My staff and I hide eggs all over the "secured" area and give them a signal to start.
Flashlights are permitted.
The instructions are:
• We explain the parameters of the hunt and point it out so everyone is clear before
the start of the hunt (safety first)
• None of the eggs are hidden in a different portion of the park that requires crossing
any streets or in any parking lots or around a pool
• Eggs may be in a tree - but only as high as an average person's reach (no climbing)
• Must not be underground - but ok to be very well hidden or partially under the
bark chips
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• On outskirts of planters - don't want them traipsing through the bushes or stuck
by any thorns.
• No hiding in the buildings / bathrooms
• We allow the younger children to be "helpers" to their parents or teens.
• We didn't offer any hints until after an hour. :-)
• This year, I added a "special" egg to find which resulted in an Easter basket.
This is my 3rd year and each year the number of participants keeps increasing.
The parents love to "feel" like a kid again.
Contributed by Leah F.
GOLD HUNT
The kids really enjoy the gold hunt that we run during
Color Wars and it’s very easy to run.
We spray paint LOTS of rocks gold and hide them all
around our camp site. You can run this activity
indoors or outdoors. Each team has a crate and 1 staff
person and 1 camper to guard the crate. Teams have
30 minutes to find as many gold rocks as they can.
When time ran out we gathered everyone in front of the 4 crates and counted the rocks.
We gave 1 point for each gold rock they find and an extra 50 points for the team that
found the most.
Contributed by Andrea W.
COUNSELOR HUNT
We have conducted the traditional counselor but have incorporated that into our
Superhero Theme Week.
• Each counselor dresses up as a Superhero (you’ll need to know this ahead of time).
• Create a chart with superhero names and boxes in which they can initial.
• Superheroes run out into camp and hide. They don’t have to stay in the same spot.
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