100 Places to Hide a Clue, From Easy to Sneaky

A treasure hunt lives or dies on its hiding places. Too obvious and it's over in five minutes. Too clever and somebody ends up in tears behind the couch. The right spot is one a child walks past every day and has never once thought to look in.

Here are 100 of them, sorted by where they are, from the kitchen to the car. Each one is marked by how hard it is to find:

• Easy, for ages 4 to 6. Visible, or one lift away. The fun is in running there.
• Medium, for ages 7 to 10. Inside or under something they have to think of opening.
• Sneaky, for 11 and up. Somewhere nobody ever looks, and they have to work it out from the clue.

Spots marked with a link are ones our Scavenger Hunt Maker knows. Click Make a clue for this spot and it opens a hunt whose first clue leads straight there, written for the age you pick.

In the kitchen (12)

• The refrigerator · Easy. Tape it to the door at their eye height, or stand it on a shelf inside where it cannot fall behind anything. Make a clue for this spot
• The microwave · Easy. Taped to the door or sitting on top. Not inside, or somebody will start it with the clue in there. Make a clue for this spot
• The kitchen sink · Easy. On the faucet or the windowsill above it. Keep it clear of the water. Make a clue for this spot
• The oven · Medium. On the handle or the front, never inside. Make sure it is off and cold before the hunt starts. Make a clue for this spot
• The pantry · Medium. Pinned inside the door at their height, so it is the first thing they see when it opens. Make a clue for this spot
• The toaster · Medium. Underneath it, or folded and tucked beside it on the counter. Never in a slot. Make a clue for this spot
• The cookie jar · Easy. Lid on, clue on top of the cookies. They'll check it without being asked.
• Inside an empty cereal box · Medium. Put it back on the shelf with the others, so it looks like breakfast.
• Under the fruit bowl · Medium. Flat underneath, one corner showing. Nobody lifts the fruit bowl unless they're told to look.
• In the egg carton · Sneaky. In an empty cup of the carton, back in the fridge. Tell them eggs are off limits except the empty one.
• Taped under a kitchen chair · Sneaky. Under the seat, where you'd only find it on your back looking up.
• Behind the fridge magnets · Sneaky. Folded small behind the biggest magnet or a school photo. Hiding in plain sight.

In the bathroom (8)

• The bathroom mirror · Easy. Taped to the glass. If you want the trick, write the clue backward and let the mirror undo it. Make a clue for this spot
• The bath or shower · Easy. On the faucet or over the shower curtain rod. Make sure it is dry in there first. Make a clue for this spot
• The towels · Medium. Folded into the top one on the rail, so unfolding it is part of the find. Make a clue for this spot
• The toothbrushes · Medium. Curled in the cup beside them, or taped to the mirror just above. Make a clue for this spot
• Under the bath mat · Medium. Flat and dry, in a sandwich bag if the floor might be wet.
• Inside an empty toilet paper tube · Medium. Rolled up inside and stood on the shelf with the full rolls.
• In the shower caddy · Medium. Between the bottles, in a bag so it stays dry.
• Inside the toilet paper roll · Sneaky. Rolled in three sheets deep, so it only appears when somebody pulls. They'll laugh.

In a bedroom (12)

• Under the pillow · Easy. Straight under the pillow on their own bed. It is the first place a child thinks of and that is the charm of it. Make a clue for this spot
• Under the bed · Easy. Just far enough in that they have to get down and look, not so far they need a broom. Make a clue for this spot
• The dresser · Medium. In the sock drawer, on top of the pile so it does not need digging for. Make a clue for this spot
• The closet · Medium. Pinned to a hanging coat, or in a shoe just inside the door. Make a clue for this spot
• The bedside lamp · Medium. Curled inside the shade, so the light shows the shape of it through the fabric. Make a clue for this spot
• The alarm clock · Sneaky. Underneath it, or folded and propped against it so they see it at eye level. Make a clue for this spot
• In a stuffed animal's arms · Easy. The favorite teddy holds it. Little ones love that the toy was in on it.
• In a pajama pocket · Medium. The pajamas folded on the bed, clue in the pocket.
• Under the rug · Medium. Flat under the edge, with a corner just visible.
• Inside a shoe box · Medium. On the closet shelf at their height, lid on.
• Inside a rolled-up sock · Sneaky. One pair in the drawer rolled a little fatter than the rest.
• Taped behind a poster · Sneaky. Behind the bottom corner, so it has to be lifted gently.

In the living room (14)

• Under the couch cushions · Easy. Under a cushion, one corner showing. Buried completely and it turns into furniture removal. Make a clue for this spot
• The television · Medium. Taped to the bottom corner of the screen, or on the stand directly underneath. Make a clue for this spot
• The remote control · Medium. Taped to the back of it. Put it somewhere it is normally found, or the hunt stalls. Make a clue for this spot
• The bookshelf · Medium. Slipped inside a book so a corner shows, or standing behind the books on one shelf. Make a clue for this spot
• The houseplant · Medium. Tucked against the pot, or rolled and pushed into the soil at the edge. Not among the leaves if it is prickly. Make a clue for this spot
• The clock on the wall · Sneaky. Tucked behind it, or taped to the wall just below so they have to look up. Make a clue for this spot
• The toy box · Easy. On top of the toys, where the lid opens.
• Inside a board game box · Medium. In the box of a game they know, on top of the board.
• Under a lamp base · Medium. Flat under a lamp that sits on a table. Not a floor lamp that tips.
• Under a coaster · Sneaky. The one under your mug. Nobody ever looks under a coaster.
• Inside a book at a page number · Sneaky. Give the page in the clue: "page 12 of the red book". Great for readers.
• Behind a picture frame · Sneaky. Taped to the back of a small frame on a shelf, not one on the wall.
• Inside a throw pillow cover · Sneaky. Unzipped, clue slipped in, zipped back up. You'd walk past it all day.
• In a DVD or game case · Sneaky. In the case of a favorite movie, on top of the disc.

In the hall and on the stairs (8)

• The front door · Easy. On the inside, at their height. Not the outside, where the wind takes it. Make a clue for this spot
• Under the doormat · Easy. Underneath it, flat. The oldest hiding place there is, which is exactly why it works on children. Make a clue for this spot
• The shoes by the door · Easy. Rolled up inside one shoe, toe end, so it has to be tipped out. Make a clue for this spot
• The stairs · Medium. On the fourth step up, or taped to the banister where a hand lands. Make a clue for this spot
• In a coat pocket · Medium. The pocket of the biggest coat on the hooks.
• On the key hook · Medium. Hung on the hook with the keys, folded like a tag.
• Inside a folded umbrella · Sneaky. Rolled into the folds of an umbrella by the door. Only if it stays closed indoors.
• Taped under the stair rail · Sneaky. Under the rail, where only a hand running along it will feel it.

In the laundry room (5)

• The laundry basket · Easy. Taped inside the rim, or at the bottom under a clean towel if you want them to dig. Make a clue for this spot
• The washing machine · Medium. On the lid or the door. Check it is empty and off first. Make a clue for this spot
• The dryer · Medium. On the door, or in the lint tray if you want them to open something. Make a clue for this spot
• In a stack of folded towels · Medium. Between the third and fourth towel, one corner sticking out.
• In the clothespin bag · Sneaky. Clipped with a clothespin inside the bag, so it looks like it belongs.

Outside (14)

• A tree in the yard · Easy. In a bag tied to a low branch, or tucked in a hollow at the base. Pick one they can reach. Make a clue for this spot
• The mailbox · Medium. Inside it, in an envelope so it looks like mail. Check nobody empties it before the hunt. Make a clue for this spot
• A flower pot · Medium. Underneath it, in a sandwich bag so it stays dry. The classic, and it still works. Make a clue for this spot
• The garden hose · Medium. Tucked into the coil, or tied to the faucet it connects to. Make a clue for this spot
• The bicycle · Medium. Rolled into a handlebar grip, or tied to the seat post with string. Make a clue for this spot
• The outside trash can · Medium. Taped to the lid on the outside, in a bag. Never inside. Make a clue for this spot
• Under a rock by the door · Easy. A flat rock they can lift easily, clue in a bag underneath.
• At the bottom of the slide · Easy. Taped where they land. They have to go down to get it.
• Under the swing seat · Medium. Taped underneath, in a bag so it stays dry.
• Inside a watering can · Medium. An empty one, clue rolled up inside.
• Taped to a fence post · Medium. At their eye height, on the side facing the house so it's findable.
• In the doghouse · Medium. Only with a dog who is happy to share. Taped to the roof inside.
• Inside a birdhouse · Sneaky. One they can reach without climbing, on the ledge inside.
• Buried in the sandbox · Sneaky. Shallow, in a sealed bag, with a stick marking the spot. Digging is the fun.

At a party (10)

• Under a plate at one seat · Easy. Only one plate has it. Whoever sits there reads the next clue out loud.
• In a party hat · Easy. Folded inside one hat on the table.
• Inside a goody bag · Medium. In the one with the birthday child's name on it, on top.
• Taped under the cake table · Medium. Under the edge, well away from the candles.
• Behind the birthday banner · Medium. Pinned behind one letter of the banner.
• Under the pile of presents · Medium. Underneath the bottom one, so it turns up while they sort them.
• Inside a balloon · Sneaky. Rolled small and pushed in before you blow it up. Somebody has to pop it.
• Inside the piñata · Sneaky. With the candy, so it falls out when it breaks. Write the next step big.
• Frozen in an ice cube · Sneaky. A tiny note in a small bag, frozen in the ice tray. They wait for it to melt.
• Under the flap of a birthday card envelope · Sneaky. Written on the inside of the flap. Only whoever opens the card finds it.

In a classroom (10)

• In the pencil cup · Easy. Rolled up with the pencils, sticking out a little.
• In a cubby or on a coat hook · Easy. In one cubby, or hung on one hook.
• In an envelope on the bulletin board · Easy. Pinned up with the other notices, labeled with a big number.
• Inside a textbook at a page number · Medium. Give the page in the clue. Good practice for finding pages.
• Behind the whiteboard eraser · Medium. Tucked behind it on the ledge.
• In the class library bin · Medium. Inside one book in the bin, corner showing.
• Taped under a desk · Medium. Under the teacher's desk, at the front edge.
• Under the globe · Sneaky. Flat under the base.
• In the lost and found box · Sneaky. On top, in an envelope, so it looks like something somebody lost.
• Taped under a chair · Sneaky. Under one chair in the room. Everybody checks their own first.

In the car (7)

• In the seat back pocket · Easy. The pocket in front of them, so a road trip hunt starts without leaving the seat.
• In the door pocket · Easy. With the maps and snacks.
• In a cup holder · Easy. Under an empty cup, or rolled in the holder itself.
• On the sun visor · Medium. Clipped to it, for the front passenger. Only when the car is parked.
• Under a floor mat · Medium. Flat under the edge of the mat at their feet.
• Taped to the back of a headrest · Medium. Facing the back seat, at their eye level.
• In the glove box · Sneaky. A grown-up opens it. Save it for the last clue of the trip.

Three rules for every hiding place

• Reachable from the floor. If a child needs a chair, the hunt stops while somebody finds a grown-up.
• Nothing an adult has to open. A locked cabinet or a high drawer turns the hunt into a line.
• Nothing hot, sharp or running. Clues go on the outside of the oven, the microwave and the dryer, never inside, and only when they're off.

Need the words to go with the places? 25 Scavenger Hunt Riddles for Kids has a riddle for many of these spots, and How to Hide a Clue covers the tricks for hiding one well.