Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids in 2024!

Keeping your kids entertained is a challenging task. They always want to move, learn, and have fun. Why stop them? Keep them busy with one of these outdoor scavenger hunt ideas!

Outdoor scavenger hunts are a great opportunity to get kids outside and active while having fun.

Outdoor scavenger hunts are perfect for children of all ages, but the best ones are those that involve physical activity and use their surroundings as clues or obstacles.

Here we have compiled some outdoor nature scavenger hunt ideas for kids! Both young kids and older kids will get a kick out of going on an old fashioned scavenger hunt.

Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids

We will reveal some outdoor scavenger hunt ideas for kids that keep them busy and help them have fun while relishing some time outdoors.

An outdoor scavenger hunt for kids is a fun, nature-inspired activity. And it is just plain fun.

It’ll be a hit for your kids (and their friends) and compels your kids to want to go on the ultimate, mysterious, outdoor treasure hunt.

We’ve compiled some questions. Print them out and give them to your kids. Of course, they have to answer all the questions or complete the goals correctly to receive the “treasure” or a gift in the end. 

You can also adjust these questions according to your kids’ age or make the hunt more challenging by introducing tougher challenges.

Remember, this list is just a starting point. So get creative and use this list to come up with your own scavenger hunt!

Scavenger Hunt Game for Kids

Scavenger hunts for kids are a great way to keep them busy and build some skills. Use this free printable backyard scavenger hunt! It’s a perfect outdoor scavenger hunt list for younger children.

In general, the more creative the goals, the better.

All these questions/goals are independent scavenger hunt ideas for kids. You can customize them and use them in innovative ways to make the entire game more interesting.

There are several different themes you can create for your own backyard scavenger hunt. Some ideas include:

• Nature Scavenger Hunt: Similar to our template, come up with some nature-based scavenger hunts where your kids have to looks for different kinds of birds, squirrels, or insects.
• Indoor Scavenger Hunt: Rainy day? No problem. Take the scavenger hunt indoors. They’ll have tons of fun looking around the house for hidden items.
• Photo Scavenger Hunt: Have your kids take pictures of all the items they are supposed to find.

Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) and more points that will help you comprehend how to design the whole thing and entertain your little ones for hours.

How to Make Scavenger Hunt Clues for Kids?

Scavenger hunt clues can be made and designed both strategically and randomly. In reality, the topic of the clues is not so important. Instead, kids are more interested in the discovery process.

So, the questions and goals should give them a feeling of exploration.

• Plan the route from start to finish.
• Help them be a little more mindful about their surroundings.
• Give them different levels of difficulty to maintain the interest level.
• Use a single theme that interests them.

If you have a group of kids, make teams and make them compete with each other. However, the goals shouldn’t compel them to fight.

They should be engaging with each other and socializing with one another.

What Is an Open-Ended Scavenger Hunt?

Kids love open-ended scavenger hunts; they are probably the easiest to design too.

You give your kids multiple hints for the same goal or make them find something that meets all the requirements. For example, ‘Find something that is light, white or brown, and beautiful (feather).’

When you give them these clues, you indirectly teach them about different things, like colors and textures, and clear their concepts regarding discovering things. But, most of all, you get them to ask thoughtful questions.

How to Set the Ground Rules in Advance?

Setting ground rules can be challenging as kids often like to do their own thing. But when you clearly establish ground rules in the beginning, it becomes part of the competition. They also learn skills on how to work step-by-step and follow the guidelines strictly.

Here are some ground rules that you can set in advance for the outdoor scavenger hunt.

• All kids will stay in their teams at all times.
• They have to find all the items or complete all the listed goals within the assigned time.
• You will deduct points if they don’t follow the rules.
• They have to be respectful to their teammates won’t harass or fight anyone.
• The goals should be completed in a specific order.
• No one is allowed to ruin other kids’ chances to win.
• They have to clean up the litter after the hunt is over.
• The decisions of the judge are final.

What Are Some Good Scavenger Hunt Clues for Kids?

We don’t recommend using clues like tricky riddles for kids because it can be difficult for them to solve.

Outdoor scavenger hunt riddles can stimulate adult brains, but riddles that are too tricky may frustrate and discourage children. Kids do better with straight, simple instructions.

Simple riddles still work well. See below for some good examples.

• I have wheels, but you have to use legs (bicycle).
• Turn me on when it is dark at night (backyard lamp).
• Stepping out? Wear me first (shoes).
• I have four legs, and I stand all the time (chair).
• I love the sun and rain; birds love me (plants or trees).

Check out some other good riddles for kids online.

What Are Some Good Rewards to Motivate Your Kids?

To motivate and inspire your kids for the backyard scavenger hunt, you must present some good rewards to capture their attention.

Some good ideas for rewards are listed below:

In summary, you have to think about what is important to your kid and make sure you give some positive reinforcement for completing the scavenger hunt.

Kids are very short-sighted, and immediate rewards for their efforts will teach them how to set longer-term goals in the future.

Plus, an outdoor scavenger hunt is a fun way to get your kids outdoors and occupied for a while!

Additional Tips for Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Ideas

These outdoor scavenger hunt ideas for kids are all about getting some outdoor time while still having fun. Here are a few tips before you get started.

• Remove other distractions. Turn off the TV, laptops, tablets, and any other potential distractions. This will help keep them focused on the task at hand.

• Make sure they know that it’s OK if they can’t find an item on the list as long as they try hard! They should feel encouraged, not discouraged.

• Tell them not to rush! It’s all about the process and taking their time. Make sure your scavenger hunt clues are challenging enough to keep them engaged.

• Try these ideas this summer when hosting birthday parties or family events – we guarantee you won’t regret it! These are all outdoor activities that are good for families of any age group and will get shy kids introduced to others.

• Take a picture of their completion! They grow up so fast, so cherish moments like these. It’ll be a memory they want to look back on too.
• Do something at night time! Add to the excitement and do a flashlight scavenger hunt for added thrill.

We hope you love these ideas as much as we do. If you have any ideas that you love, share them with us! Good luck and happy hunting!

Other Types of Scavenger Hunt Ideas

• Outdoor sensory scavenger hunt: We LOVE this type of scavenger hunt. It is similar to the ones we’ve discussed but focuses on utilizing sensory motor activities. Check out this one!
• Online scavenger hunt: Can’t quite get outdoors due to weather? Try an online scavenger hunt.
• Nature scavenger hunts: Similar to backyard scavenger hunts, but out in the nature.
• Neighborhood scavenger hunt: Get the neighborhood kids involved – your kids can have fun and make friends.
• Photo scavenger hunts: Have the kids take photos of everything they’re looking for. They can use a digital or printable camera for this.
• Virtual scavenger hunts: Can’t get outside? Try one of these virtual scavenger hunts.
• Check online for other scavenger hunt printables!