How to Plan a Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt for Kids

Are you looking for a fun activity that will get your kids outside and having a blast? Planning a neighborhood scavenger hunt is a great way to get kids moving and interacting with their community and landmarks while getting to know the people and places around them. We dare you to try to not love this town scavenger hunt!

Looking for a fun way to explore your neighborhood with the kids? Check out this neighborhood scavenger hunt printable. This printable is a great idea for teens, tweens, or kids. If you’re looking for a fun activity to do with the kids in your neighborhood, consider this fun neighborhood scavenger hunt PDF!

Let’s get outdoors and begin our local treasure hunt!

What is a scavenger hunt?

A scavenger hunt is a game similar to a treasure hunt. Players collect or identify specific items, usually specified on a list or given in a series of clues. Players are given a list of items to find or collect. This collection can be a collection of similar things or a series of clue cards. There are two different types of scavenger hunt hunts…

Scavenger Hunt Checklist
Scavenger Hunt Clue Cards

A scavenger hunt can be casual or can be a timed race. It can be played individually or with a team. There are a few examples of how to declare a winner in a scavenger hunt…

Man vs clock: Each player races to beat another players time.
Man vs Man: Multiple players go at the same time. The winner finishes the race first.
Team vs Team: Players work together to finish their scavenger hunt before the other team finishes first.

At the end of a scavenger treasure hunt there is a prize. The first player to find or collect all the items on the list or complete the rhyming riddles wins the game. Examples of scavenger hunt prizes can include…

holiday gifts
birthday presents
party favors
small prizes
a series of items that lead to a larger clue (for example letters to unscramble)
candy

How to Prepare for a Scavenger Hunt

Decide on the area you will be searching. This could be your neighborhood, a local park, playground or even your own backyard. In this case, you’ll be doing the scavenger hunt in your neighborhood and by foot or car depending on your area.

Put together clues in the form of a checklist or clue cards. For example, in a scavenger hunt checklist, make a list of items for the players to find or collect. The list can be as simple or complex as you like. For example, at a Safari Themed Party, players might collect different animals found in the jungle that are hiding in the party venue.

If you are created ideas for scavenger hunt clues for kids, you want to have a consecutive list of places you want the kids to go. Then you offer clues so that they find that location.

An example of a scavenger hunt clue for kids is…

Check out the pathway on the side of the street. On the concrete is a clue for you to meet.

Start the town scavenger hunt. Print out the cards or checklist, and choose the area of the neighborhood you’ll be working in.

What’s in this Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt?

For this neighborhood scavenger hunt printable set, there are actually two types of neighborhood scavenger hunt ideas to choose from: A checklist and rhyming riddles clue cards.

The first neighborhood treasure hunt is more descriptive and great for older kids or teenagers that can read and solve riddles. This could be used on your street or using a car scavenger hunt for a larger area. Second, there is also a list of items for younger kids. This would be used as a walking scavenger hunt and kids check off the list of items on their visual list.

Clue Cards

This scavenger hunt is great for older children, teens or even adults. Use rhyming riddles and go on a neighborhood walk scavenger hunt on foot or driving scavenger hunt as you locate different clues and ultimately find your prize.

To get started, cut the rhyming clue cards apart. Choose the scavenger hunt clue cards that are best for your neighborhood and plan your order. If you wish, you can add a number to the back of the card for ordering.

Since you are in a larger area, such as a neighborhood, create a boundary where clues can be found. To keep the clues in a larger area, write your own clues on the back. For example, use hints like this is at a house to the left of yours. This is at a flower bush four driveways from yours. Hide your cards in the appropriate spot but save the first card to start the hunt. You can play foot, bicycle, golf cart or car!

In our printable set, you’ll also find a page full of do not touch signs! These signs are great for when you don’t want anyone messing up your scavenger hunt and picking up a clue card before players have gotten to that riddle.

Checklist

The second photo scavenger hunt is ideal for preschoolers or younger children and kids. In this scavenger hunt list, participants can see the picture and from there they can look for the item in the picture. The scavenger hunt includes 16 items.

Example neighborhood checklist items include…

sprinkler
dog
flower
mailbox
airplane
stop sign

Once an items is found, you can use a circle sticker and cover the item (like these on Amazon) or just add a circle or X. This is not a checklist neighborhood hunt where you pick up the item – the neighbor might not like you carrying their dog home. LOL.

You’ll want to snag this neighborhood scavenger hunt printable to get the full list of items and clues!

Best Tips for Having Scavenger Hunt

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If you’ve never thrown a neighborhood scavenger hunt for kids, then you may not know what to expect. Enjoy some of the best tips for having a scavenger hunt for kids, teens, or even adults!

Have Fun with It

Have a prize for the winner! This could be something as simple as a certificate, bragging rights, or a small prize. You could even have money along the way if playing with teens or adults (who act like kids!)

Make it a competition!

See who can complete the scavenger hunt the fastest. Part of the fun is seeing who can complete the scavenger hunt the fastest! You can do man verses time, team verses team or man verses man depending on how many players and how much time you have.

Work as a Team

Make it a team effort! Put people into teams and see which team can find all the items on the list first. Or give each team member a different row (if doing the checklist) or have an order of riddles children have to solve if doing the 20 rhyming clue cards. You make the rules based on your audience, personalities and the number of players.

End with a Treat

After the scavenger hunt, have a little something for everyone. This could be a treat, prize or even just some fun conversation – aka polite bragging rights. Scavenger hunts are a great way to bring people together, get to know your neighbors or act as ice breaks for new friends!

Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt Printable

Now that you know all about neighborhood scavenger hunts, it’s time to get out there and give it a try! Be sure to print out this scavenger hunt printable before you head out. Happy hunting!

What you get with purchase:

20 Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt Riddles for Kids PDF Instant Download
Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt Checklist for Toddlers
Scavenger Hunt Riddles Answer Key
Do not touch this clue cards (in the case of doing this in a public place.)

Click to Instantly Print the Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt Printable PDF

Free Printables

Not ready to purchase? No problem. We have other ways to have fun with neighbors. Check out our free printables library and print a You’ve been Elfed, You’ve Been Boo-ed or You’ve Been Egged freebie! They all are great ways to have fun with your neighbors.

Print your free neighbor printable games and resources today!

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How to Print at Staples

Don’t have a printer? You can print at your local print shop or your Staples Printing Center. Watch this video for how I print my PDF documents at Staples.

More Scavenger Hunt Ideas

Don’t let the fun stop there! If you love scavenger hunt ideas for kids, take a look at this collect of printable scavenger hunts in our store. The majority of these scavenger hunt printables are easy riddles for kids but some are a basic checklist. Enjoy!

What is your favorite part of having a scavenger hunt? Is there a scavenger hunt them or time of year you love?

Our Pinterest community and I would love to see how this worked out for you. Share your final neighborhood scavenger hunt. How did the city scavenger hunt work for you? did you adapt it? What was your child’ favorite part? How long did the scavenger hunt take?

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