An indoor scavenger hunt is the fastest rainy day rescue there is. There's nothing to hide and nothing to set up: print the list, hand it over, and the house does the rest.
The trick is a list that fits the age. Too easy and it's over in four minutes. Too hard and somebody gives up in tears. These are pitched for three ages.
What's on the list, by age
Ages 4 to 6: one thing, easy to see
- Something red
- Something soft
- A spoon
- A sock
- Something with wheels
Ages 7 to 10: something to think about
- Something with a number on it
- Something that starts with the letter M
- Something made of metal
- Something older than you are
11 and up: noticing
- A word that is spelled wrong
- Something with a barcode
- Something in this room you have never noticed before
- The oldest date printed anywhere in this house
Running it
- Say which rooms are in. Bedrooms out, for example. It saves an argument later.
- Bring things back, or just tick them. For little ones, bringing the things to the kitchen table is half the fun. For older kids, ticking is faster and nothing gets moved.
- Finish with show and tell. Everybody shows the one find they're proudest of.
Want it to be a trail instead, with clues that lead from room to room? The same builder makes that too, and 25 Scavenger Hunt Riddles for Kids has riddles for every room.
