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8 Birthday Scavenger Hunt Ideas That Your Child Will Love

Is your little one's birthday coming up? Your child's birthday is a big celebration, so it is important that you make the most out of this day. Once you have chosen the birthday cake and birthday theme, it is time to start deciding what activities you'll play with your child. When it comes to birthday games, there are so many fun birthday games available. In this article, we'll take a look at one birthday game that seems to never get boring - the birthday scavenger hunt. Birthday scavenger hunts come in many different forms, but all of them are exciting and fun for kids of all ages. Here you will find inspiration and ideas for having a birthday scavenger hunt that your child will love. Let's get started!

Steps To Planning A Birthday Scavenger Hunt

1. Decide If You Want An Indoor Scavenger Hunt Or Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

The first consideration is whether you want an indoor scavenger hunt or outdoor scavenger hunt. If you have a big yard, an outdoor scavenger hunt may be a fun option. That way, you can incorporate items such as your mailbox, trees, bushes, stairs, garages, and flower pots to hide the scavenger hunt clues. But if your backyard is too small or if the weather isn't nice, you may want to switch to an indoor scavenger hunt. Indoor scavenger hunts can be just as fun and safer for younger kids. When planning an indoor scavenger hunt, you may want to hide clues in places such as your child's shoes, in cabinets, on top of shelves, or on countertops. We'll take a more detailed look at where to hide scavenger hunt clues later in this article. 

2. Will Your Scavenger Hunt Be At Home Or In Another Location? 

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Another consideration is whether you want your scavenger hunt to be at home or in another location. For small scavenger hunts, a simple scavenger hunt at home may be the way to go. That way, as soon as the scavenger hunt is over, you and your child can open up presents and eat the birthday cake without having to pack up everything and drive back home. However, if you want to plan a large birthday party or you want the scavenger hunt to go on for a while, you may want to drive to a different location to have the scavenger hunt. Parks are a great place to hold scavenger hunts. Other places include around the neighborhood or at a friend or family member's house. 

If you plan on having the scavenger hunt away from home, make sure you have everything planned prior to arriving. For example, you may want to have rules planned out, such as no running into the streets. If there will be a large group of kids, you may want to have several adults supervise the event. Make sure you have permission for having a scavenger hunt if you will be holding the event in a neighborhood or at a friend's home. Tell neighbors ahead of time what your plan is.

3. Plan the Course Of the Scavenger Hunt

Once you have decided where you will hold the scavenger hunt, it is time to start planning the course. For an indoor scavenger hunt, you may want to use locations such as drawers, sinks, refrigerators, kitchen appliances, shelves, and in closets to hide your scavenger hunt clues. Make sure all of the locations are safe for your little one and easy to reach. If your child is young, you probably won't want to put the clues in places that are too high for your child to reach. Although you could reach the clues and give it to your child to read, it is more fun for your child if he or she can find the clues without your help. 

For an outdoor scavenger hunt, there are many places where you can hide clues. Flower pots, gardens, mailboxes, trees, swing sets, sheds, garages, and fences provide excellent places to hide clues and gifts. If your scavenger hunt will be at a park, you may want to hide clues on the playground or on benches. Be creative when choosing the course of the scavenger hunt. If your child is young, you may want to stick to a simple and easy course, while older children may like more difficult clues and courses. Decide what will fit your child's needs best. 

4. Remember That Safety Is First

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When planning the course of your scavenger hunt, remember that safety always comes first. Don't hide clues anywhere that requires your child to cross a street, and always keep an eye on your child. If your child's birthday party will be a large event, you may want each parent to supervise their own child. Make sure the clues are hidden somewhere that is easy to reach and safe to get. For example, if you hide a clue in a tree branch, make sure the tree can hold your child's weight and watch that your child doesn't have to climb too far up to reach it. 

5. Choose The Clues You Want To Use

This next step is the fun part. Creating scavenger hunt clues, also called treasure hunt clues, is what will lead your child to the end prize. There are two ways you can give your child clues. For a scavenger hunt, you can give your child a sheet of paper that lists all of the places that they have to look. This method still requires guessing skills and allows your children to work as a team. For a treasure hunt, however, you would hide the clues in certain places. For example, one clue may be hidden in the mailbox and written on it may be a clue to go look in the trees for the next clue. 

Both scavenger hunt clues and treasure hunt clues are fun, but treasure hunt clues are the most popular. To create treasure hunt riddles, you can first decide where the course will lead to. Will the end gift be waiting in the laundry room? If so, then write on the clue that your child should look where you put dirty clothes. If you're feeling creative, you can write the riddles in such a way that they rhyme. Click here to find scavenger hunt riddles for your child's birthday. 

6. Hide Gifts Along The Way

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What makes birthday scavenger hunts extra fun is that you can hide birthday presents along the course. While you have the option of giving only one present at the end of the course, it is extra fun for your child if he or she gets presents along the way. Just as you want to be creative with how you write your scavenger hunt clues, you'll also want to be creative with the gifts that you choose. For example, if you hide something in the closet, perhaps the gift should be a new outfit. Or if the clue leads to a kitchen appliance, perhaps you'd like to give your child his or her favorite snack. Have fun choosing gifts to hide along the course. 

7. Scavenger Hunt Variations

Not all scavenger hunts are the same. There are many different types of scavenger hunts, as well as many different scavenger hunt ideas. Here is a list of fun birthday scavenger hunt ideas to consider trying:

Glow In the Dark Scavenger Hunt

This variation is a fun way to play a scavenger hunt and brings problem-solving to a new level. Not only must your child find all of the clues/prizes, but he or she must also try to find them in the dark. Hide gifts that glow in the dark so that your child can easily find them. If you want, you can give your child a flashlight so that your child can read each clue. Glow In the Dark scavenger hunts can be done inside or outside. If you do it outside, make sure your children are away from traffic and are supervised by an adult. 

An Alphabet Search

Great for young kids, an alphabet search is a wonderful way to teach your children the alphabet in a fun way. To do an alphabet scavenger hunt, you give your child a list of items that start from A to Z. For example, you may ask your child to look for an apple, a beachball, a cup, and so on. If you want to give your child gifts along the way, you could wrap certain presents that begin with that letter and then have your child go find it. Another way to play this scavenger hunt is to have your child come up with his or her own ideas. This helps your child think what objects would start with each letter. Once your child has found each object, you can give your child the birthday present. 

A Senses Search

Similar to the alphabet search, a senses search is where each child must go out and find something that feels, smells, sounds, looks, or tastes like the object on their list. For example, if you have on the list "To Smell Something Sweet", your child could go look for a flower. Once your child finds all of the sense ideas, you could give your child the birthday present. 

8. Make It Fun!

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Have fun creating a scavenger hunt for kids. There are so many fun scavenger hunt ideas to consider using. Not only are scavenger hunts fun to do, but they also have a lot of benefits. First of all, scavenger hunts get your kids exercising and outside. Secondly, scavenger hunts engage your child's mind. Your child is forced to quickly think of an answer, which helps build problem-solving skills. Younger children are also learning how to read by reading the clues on each paper. The third reason why scavenger hunts are beneficial for children is that they relieve stress. If you're looking for fun birthday games, you can't go wrong with a scavenger hunt. 

Final Thoughts

Well, there you have it! An ultimate guide on how to make a scavenger hunt. I hope this article has helped you plan your child's birthday scavenger hunt. Remember to be creative and have fun in the process of planning it. Have fun!

Related Article: 8 Lively Indoor Birthday Party Games Kids Will Love

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