100 Scavenger Hunt Clues for Kids to Keep Busy With This Fall

August 2024 · 4 minute read

For those of us still working from home full-time in makeshift offices (we are legion), keeping young kids both educated and entertained seems impossible. Toddlers and preschool-age kids aren’t developmentally ready for extended solo playtime, and even if you’re not opposed to parking them in front of screens, they’ll eventually get bored. The solution is simple: a scavenger hunt for kids. Believe it or not, sweet release is around the corner, and we’ve got the itemized list of scavenger hunt ideas for kids to prove it.

The scavenger hunt, like hide-and-seek, is as old as time, and once you experience its good, clean fun, you’ll understand why. Not only does brainstorming scavenger hunt clues for kids allow parents to get creative, but a fun treasure hunt helps kids become more aware of their surroundings while also developing important problem-solving skills and greater independence.

Your kid can go off exploring on their own until they inevitably come back either excited about their discovery or supremely disappointed and in need of your help (hey, sometimes we all need a hand). For kids still learning to read, a simple list of pictures can serve as treasure hunt clues where kids just need to find one of each item. To up the ante, lend them your phone to take photos. You can take things a step further by turning off the lights in a room and having your kids search for items with a flashlight. You can also create personalized scavenger hunt questions if you want the game to serve as a learning or bonding experience.

Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Clues for Kids

For those with access to a backyard, an outdoor scavenger hunt is as simple as compiling a list of things for your child to find. Kids can either collect each item or take a photo of it.

  • A bug
  • An acorn
  • A broken branch
  • A flower that hasn’t bloomed yet
  • A flower petal
  • A flower stem
  • A three-leaf clover
  • A leaf with four points
  • A stick
  • A crack in the concrete
  • Fire hydrants
  • The mailman
  • A red car
  • A feather
  • A pebble
  • A bird
  • Alphabet bugs
  • A squirrel
  • A flower
  • A worm
  • A cloud
  • A seed
  • A piece of moss
  • A pine needle
  • A gardening tool
  • A puddle
  • A spiderweb
  • A lock
  • A pot
  • A smile
  • A mailbox
  • A wire
  • A window
  • A door
  • An airplane
  • A craft they mande

    • Indoor Scavenger Hunt Clues for Kids

    The indoor scavenger hunt requires little to no preparation because it implements simple items found around your home.

  • An eraser
  • A game
  • A key
  • Something shiny
  • A miniature toy version of something adults use (a toy truck, play food, doll clothes, etc.)
  • Something that moves on its own (e.g. a slinky, a pet, or a marble)
  • Something cold
  • Something round
  • Something that helps you sleep
  • A type of food you don’t like
  • Something spiky
  • A paperclip
  • A crayon with a funny color name
  • Something that’s used to carry other things
  • Something that smells good
  • A pair of shoes that doesn’t fit
  • A stuffed animal
  • Something soft
  • Something you can wear
  • Something heart-shaped
  • Something that turns on and off
  • Something hairy
  • Something you can spread
  • Something that makes a clicking sound
  • Some sort of box
  • Something you can see through
  • Something you can’t see through
  • Something that makes a sound
  • Something with legs
  • A book with the first letter of your name in the title
  • A pair of matching socks
  • Something small enough to fit inside a lunchbox
  • Something that’s your favorite color
  • Something that could help clean up a spill
  • One of your drawings
  • A ball
  • A toy with wheels
  • A wrapper
  • Some tape
  • A sticker
  • A book
  • Something growing
  • A photo
  • A piece of art
  • A piece of laundry
  • A pillow
  • A backpack
  • Toothpaste
  • Money/coins
  • A fork

    • Category Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids

  • An object (book, paper, shirt) that has the letter A. Then find an object with the letter B. Continue for the rest of the alphabet.
  • Things you love.`
  • Sight words.
  • Different types and shapes of leaf.
  • A winter scavenger hunt that include finding items related to the season
  • A sensory scavenger hunt. Find something you can feel, something you can smell, something you can taste, and something you see.
  • A collection of all of your favorite things: items that’s your favorite color, smell, thing to cuddle, shirt, shoes, snack, gift, and favorite book.
  • As many things as you can find for every shape: circle, square, triangle, rectangle.
  • Something soft, something rough, something squishy, something hard, and something liquid.
  • Things that can fit inside an envelope.
  • Things that start with the same letter as your name.
  • As many things as you can find with flowers on them.
  • As many question marks as you can find.
  • Something from each color of the rainbow: an object that’s red, one that’s orange, and so on… yellow, green, blue, and purple.

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