Let Me Help you to make a Great Scavenger Hunt

October 23rd, 2011



From the visits and views from this site it seems that there is a real need to create a fun and enjoyable scavenger hunt. However, a scavenger hunt has many different pieces and depending on which piece it is; it can bring yours to a grinding halt.

To avoid that, I want to help.

I have created a very short survey that will be helpful in determining who my real visitors are and what is the best way to help them. I assure you that once you fill it out I can provide a Real solution for your needs and you will be able to create the best scavenger hunt of your life.

Click here to Complete Survey here Read the rest of this entry »

Two secrets to finding great hiding spots for scavenger hunt list items

August 12th, 2011

Imagine hearing one of your adult participant burst out with, “Oh my gosh! I can’t believe it was there the whole time. It was right in front of me!”, and that, my friend is how you know you have developed super spy like hiding talents.

Perhaps you already know that finding a great hiding spot has little to do with hiding something out of sight, but instead hiding something in plain sight. It is important to note that you want people to stand up and pay attention to their environment. Break them out of their drone states and free their minds! Okay, so perhaps that is going a little bit too far but you understand what we are trying to say. We are putting our heads together and showing you our expertise yet again by providing you with several secrets to hiding things in plain sight. One of the things that you are really going to love about hiding things on your scavenger hunt list is just how easy it will be once you get started, and how you can succeed by using your creativity.

Stop: A word to the wise before we continue disclosing our valuable super spy secrets. It is more difficult to hide things from a child. Children learn by taking photographs of their environment and constantly noticing changes. They are in awe of the world and will notice that apple that you hung from the ceiling directly in front of the still life painting. Naturally, an adult will notice this eventually but probably not before the child who has studied the painting in awe for months. Everyone knows that children, particularly young ones, will be more fascinated when they find a new object but they can easily give it away for the entire group with one cute little point of their chubby finger. Don’t try to hide things in plain sight from children; this is primarily a way to trick adults.

Look for objects in your scavenger hunt list area that could use some natural additions. Could the statue in the park use a real arrow or a plastic toy arrow? Add it to your list. What about hanging a few glittery pinecones to a tree full of regular pinecones? This is fun, isn’t it? A small pond may look better with a few fake ducks from the hardware store; just make sure that you are not disturbing the ecosphere of the animals, or destroying their homes. Read the rest of this entry »

How To Use Photo’s in Your Scavenger Hunt List to Walk Down Memory Lane

August 10th, 2011

One of the things that you are really going to love about using photos on your scavenger hunt list is the sheer fun that creating the list brings. It’s good to look back at our life’s experiences or hear stories about the experiences of other’s isn’t it? Wouldn’t it be great to find a fun way to integrate everyone’s memories into one giant event that brings everyone together? We certainly agree!

Experience has shown us that there are two very important tips to take into consideration when creating a scavenger hunt list for your event. Everyone knows that it is important to respect the property of others and this does not change when using others photographs. Make sure to tell those who are providing photos to double seal them in a plastic, water tight, Ziplock bag, especially if they are mailing the photos for the scavenger hunt list. Leave the photos in the bag until you are ready to produce copies and then promptly return the beloved photographs to their rightful owner.

Further consideration should be given to the scavenger hunt list hints developed around the photographs. You might already know that it is important to take others feelings into consideration when planning an event like this, but in case the thought didn’t cross your mind here are a few tips. We all know that it is okay to poke fun at people but there are a few areas where they may be sensitive. For example, do not mention if someone is balding, has gained weight, is overweight, has pimples on their face, or is dressed like a bum, especially if the pictures are recent. Always use a second set of eyes to read the list to make sure that they do not see anything as cruel and offensive. Ask the most sensitive person you know to read it and check for the potential for hurt feelings.

Now that we are aware of how to structure the list in a positive fashion let’s pay attention to the way that people will view the theme of your scavenger hunt list. Although it might seem fun to ask people for any random picture, try to keep it more specific. You might consider asking for everyone’s childhood pictures, and then creating hints around how they looked at that time compared to how they look now. For example, “find the picture of the beautiful young woman whose eyes still sparkle as brightly blue today under her white hair as they did when she was five”. You can also ask for the silliest or most embarrassing picture of each person, but make sure to keep the scavenger hunt list tips light, fun and positive. Read the rest of this entry »

How to Supervise a Scavenger Hunt

August 8th, 2011

Scavenger hunts provide rip roaring excitement for every age group. Those lucky enough to experience these events on a regular basis know that supervising the scavenger hunt must be broken down by age group. You’ve easily found the perfect list on our website, and we’ve used our expertise to help you determine the right location; now let’s turn our attention to another important matter and focus on some supervision and safety tips.

You may already be aware that young children and older seniors are at the highest risk for injury or emergency when participating in a scavenger hunt. It is a well-known fact that younger children are not entirely aware of a dangerous situation approaching and my not pay close attention to their surrounding environment. Older seniors have the highest risk of injury due to the increased chance of a fall, and more brittle bones that can easily break. Preteens and Teens generally require much less supervision during a scavenger hunt but still need a method for checking in and staying safe.

Younger children must participate in smaller groups with more adult supervision. Children under 9 need one-on-one supervision. Children should be the ones finding the goodies with adults playing the key safety spy role. There is only one exception to this rule. If the scavenger hunt is taking place in a closed environment, such as a small playground, where students are accustomed to being taught by their teachers, fewer adults will be needed to supervise.

Pre-teens require less supervision as long as they are traveling in a large group, but make sure that each of them has a self-phone and a buddy system has been instituted. Have them set alarms on their cell phones so that they all know to check in with a specific adult every thirty minutes. Make sure that the cell phones have GPS capability. Consider sending a young adult along on the pre-teen adventure so that the pre-teens do not feel suffocated, but are still kept safe and keep the scavenger hunt area small so that they are easy to locate in an emergency. Read the rest of this entry »

How to pick the scavenger hunt list items that your age group will love!

August 5th, 2011

You might already know that having toddlers search for brightly colored objects in a parks play area will make them unbelievably happy, but what happens if you ask a group of teenagers to do it? Everyone knows that different age groups enjoy participating in different activities. Naturally you want to pick the scavenger hunt list items that your age group wants to see for the ultimate scavenger hunt experience. Pay close attention as we levy our years of wild scavenger hunt expertise to help you determine how to build a rocking scavenger hunt list that will make everyone give a standing ovation.

Toddlers and small children under five are an easy group to please when choosing items for a scavenger hunt list. The items should be simple, bright, and colorful. Children in this age group love shiny items as well. We would suggest avoiding the use of candy as it will never make it back to the scavenger hunt checkpoint, we are sure you know why! Experience has shown us that each scavenger hunt item must be inspected by an adult prior to allowing the child to pick it up, or carry it long distances. Some scavenger hunt list items pose a choking risk or even risk of injury so make sure that items on the list will not inherently pose these dangers.

Children between the ages of 8-12 may want a list that is themed around their favorite genre at that time. What is popular now? Are the kiddos in the group still playing with Barbie or have they moved on to Brat Dolls, or is Hannah Montana the new hot thing? This group is especially difficult to please as they change what they believe to be popular every day. Everyone knows that one of the best times to plan a scavenger hunt list for this particular group is around a holiday as very few children in this group will object to finding fifty different types of hearts and arrows, or ten different variations of flags. This age group works primarily from incentive so make sure to offer pizza, candy, and soda, or perhaps something healthier, as a reward for participating.

One of the things that you are really going to love about working with teens is their creativity. Give them a scavenger hunt lists that requires items to complete a task, such as, “something that can open a bottle of coke but not a bottle opener”, or “a round object that can be used for sitting on at a baseball game but not a chair”. Provided with enough time, this group will blow past your expectations making it difficult to judge who has the coolest items. Read the rest of this entry »

Hot New Scavenger Hunt Trends: Why TV Shows are the Newest Goldmine for Scavenger Hunt Success

August 3rd, 2011

You might want to stop what you are doing, pay attention, and take notes because we are about to enlighten you on the easiest way to create a crowd pleasing scavenger hunt list that will knock participants socks off. First, allow me to ask you this question. In your experience, what are most people doing on any given weekday night between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.? I’ll give you a hint, it’s not working. Everyone knows that the majority of people come home, grab a bite to eat, and sit down to watch sitcoms on television as they wind down from the daily grind. So how can we, the scavenger hunt list experts, use this golden nugget of information to create a scavenger hunt list that everyone will love? Our secret lies in how to create a theme that everyone will want to talk about over and over again.
We use TV. That’s right, it’s just so simple! Each television show is targeted toward a specific demographic, whether that is male or female, families, children, young, or old. When you know the age and gender of your group you can use TV shows as a goldmine for scavenger hunt list ideas.
Perhaps you already know that your friends are fascinated by the show LOST. First, create the theme in an outdoor environment like you might see on the show. Now add an element of mystery or fake danger to the event by hiding items in an area where someone might need to perform a stunt to reach them. Next, pit teams against each other to find objects for their survival. Finally, tell each team that without these survival items they will perish, or fail to receive spaghetti dinner afterward. Will they know it’s all a game? Sure! Will they love you for creating an experience that they will never see elsewhere? When they look back a month after your event they will still be reeling from the fun that they had and they will have you to thank.
You may already know that not every group enjoys the same TV show. One fun way to bring together a group of people from different demographics is to choose a classic older show and tell them in advance that they can’t win the scavenger hunt unless they watch it in detail. Make sure that the show is chalked full of funny antics so that your participants have something to discuss when they arrive on site. Create an ‘I Dream of Jeanie’ theme and make participants say incantations in order for them to receive the next hint on their list. Ask everyone to dress up like a related character and see what they come up with; make sure to award a prize for the best costume as well.
There are thousands of different theme ideas to choose from when using the plethora of TV shows as your theme. Just pick a show that everyone can relate to, create an experience that will make them feel like part of the show, add scavenger hunt list hints that requires them to watch the show to win, and have them dress up like their favorite character. We know from experience that this will create a scavenger hunt experience that participants won’t soon forget!

3 Secrets Pros Know for Picking a Scavenger Hunt Location

August 1st, 2011

You might already know that picking the right area for a scavenger hunt requires careful planning and a keen ability to scope out terrain. Make it easy on yourself by using this check list the next time that you need to pick a scavenger hunt area. We have put our heads together and rallied our years of expertise and experience so that you can see how to find the perfect scavenger hunt location. Sooner or later you will realize that the three secrets to picking a phenomenal scavenger hunt area are terrain, safety, and theme, or TST.

Naturally terrain plays an enormous role in the area in which you decide to hold your scavenger hunt. Think about the health of the participants who will be participating in the scavenger hunt. Are they young, spry, and able to cover long distances or large hills in a short period of time or are they older and require an area that is flat and easy to walk through or smaller in size? Remember to consider if anyone in the scavenger hunt requires a wheelchair or a walker to get around. If so, make sure that there are no steep hills to go up or down. Furthermore, look for areas that have wider walking spaces and smooth sidewalks to prevent injuries. Consider holding the scavenger hunt in a place where there is a plethora of local businesses where your older group will only have to travel a short distance to accomplish the entire list. Take the physical ability of the individuals into mind when planning for terrain and distance.

Check the entire area for safety issues including tree branches that are loose or could fall, holes that could cause ankle sprain. Make sure that the area is well lit, and there are no hidden places where crime could occur. Institute a buddy system for each individual and make sure that at least one of each of the buddies is carrying a cell phone in case of emergency. This is especially important if the scavenger hunt is occurring in a large park or remote location. It is easy to run and get help in the city but not in a remote location. If the scavenger hunt is taking place between children make sure that each group has a trusted adult with them to guide them through the process. As you sit here reading this you may think that we are overreacting but with our extensive experience in scavenger hunts we’ve seen it all, and we just want you to feel prepared.

You might already know that the most important key to a successful scavenger hunt, other than the scavenger hunt list, is to choose your scavenger hunt area based around a fun theme. Using a nature theme in a large park seems simple enough. Try spicing it up by adding tasks that require sleuthing for a little bit of local history or that requires using the objects on the list to build something before a winner can be declared. For a city scape require the scavenger hunt participants to find a scavenger hunt list full of items that are specific to what that city is best known for, or break it up and give one team a list from each local city and send them out to find the loot. A theme based location can make or break a scavenger hunt and leave people chattering in excitement about your event for years to come.

How to Build a Scavenger hunt list for teenagers

July 21st, 2011

Whether the goal is to entertain teenagers at a sweet sixteen birthday party, keep a group of Girl Scouts in check at camp, or plan a fun filled evening at the local youth group lock-in, the right set of scavenger hunt lists for teenagers is essential. Scavenger hunt lists for teenagers can be found for free on the internet, but it seems as though every person has the same idea. Teenagers in this generation are used to constant entertainment at their fingertips, and may find the concept of an evening of hunting and gathering 1980’s style boring, until they hear about the killer challenge that you have planned, and the back end incentives to participate, otherwise known as prizes.

Video games and reality TV seem to speak the language of the current generation better than anyone, so planning a theme party around these themes seems like a great idea, right? Before launching a boat into those waters realize that this generation is all about individuality. An adult searching out scavenger hunt lists for teenagers should keep in mind that not everyone will like the same video game, or reality TV show, and within some cliques it is cooler not to like anything that other hip young teens like. So how does the person looking to plan a rocking scavenger hunt succeed when dealing with a generation whose eyes glaze over every time someone over thirty opens their mouth? Accomplishing this task is simpler than it ultimately seems. Use a list of things that the teenagers can make fun of from past generations. Discussing how the past generations are lame is sure to bring a group of extremely different individuals together, regardless of their current cliques.

First things first, single out the leader of the pack, the most popular person in the group, and vie for their participation. Ask them for ideas on what other teenagers consider outdated. Add to the list by talking to friends from different generations about what was hip to the jive in the good ‘ole days. Generate as many sets of scavenger hunt lists for teenagers as you can possibly muster, and then have the most popular teen, or group of teens vote on the best list. If none of the popular teens want to participate in the scavenger list creation and selection process, consider buying several sets of scavenger hunt lists for teenagers and combining them. Lists to purchase might include something from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. Avoid the 1990’s as this group may be the group that the teenagers most aspire to be like and encompasses those currently in their twenties.

After the set of scavenger hunt list ideas for teenagers has been pared down to five to fifteen items to collect, find out what types of incentives to offer. Stay within the safety zone of movie passes, local restaurant gift cards, and cash. Avoid offering gift certificates from specific stores unless it is a place that is a local store, animal friendly, earth and environmentally friendly, fair-trade compliant, and has never had a human rights abuse to its name. Chances are that at least 10% of the participating group will have some objection to some type of prize if it is tied to a national corporation so stay within the local area. This generation votes with their money, and for them maintaining a good social reputation means buying from neighborhood stores, not big name chains. Consider offering gift certificates for experiences, such as adult guided white water rafting, but make sure that it is something that most parents will approve. Offer several ways to win, and lay out the rules so that they are easily understandable. Read the rest of this entry »

How come up with Awesome Scavenger hunt list Ideas

July 21st, 2011

Scavenger hunt list ideas found around the internet are often stale and lacking creativity. No one wants to spend the next two hours using the same scavenger hunt list that they have used for years and years. The best scavenger hunt list ideas come from a collaboration of unique individuals perspectives, or a group centered theme. Scavengers hunt list drafting takes planning, but should not require an extensive amount of time or loads of cash out of pocket.

Scavenger hunt list ideas can be generated by sitting down with a group of interested leaders who are dedicated to coming up with something both creative and challenging. Consider how the scavenger hunt list of ideas can be pared down to one or two ideas, so that everyone can vote on the best idea. There are several things to keep in mind when generating a set of scavenger hunt list ideas. First, make sure that everyone is working toward the same goal, and not self-promoting for their company or group. Second, ensure that actual collaboration is taking place by silently voting instead of allowing the person with the strongest voice to take over the entire process. If someone objects to one of the items on the set of scavenger hunt list ideas, find out why, and make sure that everyone is listening with an open mind. Something suggested by one group may not work well for the other if it goes against their core identity, or set of beliefs. Finally, ensure that each person feels heard and empowered through the process.
After a set of scavenger hunt list ideas are generated, focus on the remaining tasks at hand. Pick the right venue, keeping in mind that an outdoor venue might require a back-up location in case of bad weather. Create a set of rules to determine who wins the game, and how people can be disqualified. Purchase or allocate several prizes, cash or otherwise, for the games winners. Establish several ways for participants to win so that everyone goes home feeling accomplished, and wants to return the next time a scavenger hunt is on the agenda.

Once the group has created a set of scavenger hunt list ideas, it is time to pick the actual theme. Some fun themes might include a movie themed scavenger hunt, local sports team scavenger hunt list, favorite novel scavenger hunt list, blast from the past scavenger hunt list, or city themed scavenger hunt list.
Another exceptional way to generate scavenger hunt list ideas is to ask the participants. If there is a wide variety of diverse individuals or businesses participating, ask that they donate items that can be hidden around the scavenger hunt area. This is a great way to bring groups from different backgrounds to a better understanding of each other’s company, religious, or ethnic culture.

No time to create the perfect scavenger hunt list? Consider purchasing a scavenger hunt list, or better yet, purchase several scavenger hunt lists from the ideas and combine them for fun for the entire crew.

How to create a Scavenger hunt list for Adults

July 21st, 2011

Cocktails and cheese just do not cut it anymore at parties for those who have passed the college drinking games age. Although beer pong sounds like a fabulous way to spice up the evenings events, it may not be for everyone. So how can the party host, looking to plan the adult party of the century possibly pull it off without creating a situation that might be featured in Lifetime’s next made for TV drama? It is as simple as finding the right scavenger hunt list for adults, setting the party mood, and watching people go wild over this phenomenal party game that makes a frat party look tame in comparison.

The first object of this project; pick a theme. Consider choosing a theme that everyone can relate to while keeping people guessing. Are most of the people attending the party in their thirties or forties? Use a scavenger hunt list for adults that include 80’s trivia and crazy items they’ll remember such as t-shirt clips, and Prince 8 track album covers. Looking to please an older generation? Use an adult scavenger hunt list that includes items such as a picture of a woman in a poodle skirt or nostalgia items that remind them of World War II. To please a younger crowd, those passed the frat party age, but post-eighties, use a scavenger hunt list for adults that includes items that remind them of internet start-ups that are still thriving. Place something that reminds them of AOL, Yahoo, or AltaVista in the area, with a focus on the pre-Google take over.

After a theme has been chosen, it is time to determine the right venue. Should the party be moved outdoors for this list, or perhaps to a local entertainment facility? If renting a place, make sure that they are aware that you will be placing items throughout the building and get a list of areas that off limit. Have a backup plan to offset foul weather if the party is scavenger hunt is set to take place outdoors. Make sure to decorate in line with the theme set for the scavenger hunt list for adults.

Create a set of rules that will be agreeable for all parties. These rules should include how to win the game, or become disqualified from the game. If these friends are from different social networks consider separating the cliques and placing them into groups where they can get to know others. Use the scavenger hunt lists for adults to highlight specific items that everyone must find, and items that are optional. Consider assigning points to each item and award prizes to the team with the highest points, and the team that collected the most items at the end of the adult scavenger hunt competition. Read the rest of this entry »