Scavanger Hunts – Youth Group Games

Bible Scavenger Hunt – Around the Church

These clues will lead youth to locations throughout the church building and grounds. On each location, post a few slips of paper with the Bible verse number that points to the next clue. Give the groups the first clue. At the position of the last clue, put “return to the youth room and receive your prize.” This scavenger hunt took 3 groups of 4-6 middle schoolers 50 minutes to complete. It was made up using the New Revised Standard version of the Bible. The clues are arranged from easier to harder.

A few hints: The groups will sometimes pick up a clue that they find without having been led there. To prevent this, tell them not to pick up any clues unless the Bible verse led them there. Or, you could have them check back with a youth leader each time they pick up a clue to make sure they got the right one. If they don’t get the clues in order, it’s likely they won’t find all the clues.

It’s hard to find active things to do indoors here in Michigan, where it’s cold ten months out of the year. The kids really enjoyed this and it was nice for the youth leaders to lean back and watch them run around the church. It helps them become more familiar with both the Bible and the church building too.

Church front door–Matthew 7:7
music room—Psalm 149:1
communion table—Mark 14:22
Tree–Psalm 1:3
oven—Hosea 7:6
nursery–Matthew 21:16
Pulpit Bible–2 Timothy 3:16
baptismal font—Galatians 3:27
Sink—Matthew 27:24
stairs—1 Kings 6:8
ice maker—Psalm 147:17
showers –Psalm 65:10
preacher’s chair—Jeremiah 52:32
furnace room—Daniel 3:23
church office—1 Timothy 3:1
mailbox—Acts 15:30
drinking fountain—John 19:28
Refrigerator—Judges 3:24

by Marianne Grano in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Blind Builders Scavenger Hunt

This game has been modified from www.suite101.com.

* Works best for groups of 15-30.

This is a two-part, team-building game. The first part of the game is a scavenger hunt; the second part is a teamwork game.

The first thing that’s needed is this: 1) objects for the youth to build with (like Legos or building blocks). The second thing you’ll need is this: 2) a photograph of those objects, built into a simple structure (like a small, simple Lego house).

Now form groups with three or four youth in them. Choose a leader for each group. The leader will receive a paper with: a photo of the simple structure on it, and also a clue telling the group where the building materials are hidden. An example of a clue might read, “The bread and the wine are carefully prepared…and your building materials are carefully hidden there.”

Then send the groups off to find the building materials. After they find the materials, they are to return to a pre-assigned location. The leader of the group will then direct the others in their group how to build their structure (only the leader can see the photo of the structure). The first group to create their structure wins a prize.

The youth leader should prepare enough photos and building materials for 6 to 7 groups (18 to 21 youth).

by Scott Nellis in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Famous Word / Place Video Scavenger Hunt

Divide your group in 2 teams. Each team heads out with an adult, a Digital Camera, some money, and the list below. Set an hour time limit when they will return and share their pictures with the group. Set up a way to project the pictures so everyone can easily see them.

Remind your groups to be polite! BEFORE they do any activity explain what they are doing to store employees and that there may be another group coming around asking to do the same thing… if they haven’t already.

Take a Picture of… (video optional)

Group & stranger inside McDonald’s doing the song "Da, Da, Da, Da, Da… I’m Lovin’ It!"
Group outside a pizza place pretending to hold a pizza saying, “Pizza, Pizza”
Group in Wal-Mart standing by a Timex Watch case and pointing to their pretend watch saying, “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking”. This was an old ad slogan from the 1960’s.
2 people from the group in front of video store reenacting “Luke, I am your Father” from Star Wars.
Our group with as many waitresses/waiters you can get at Applebee’s singing their birthday song.
Group member inside KFC flapping their “wings” (elbows out – thumbs tucked under arm pits) making chicken sounds then saying “Unthink what you thought about KFC”.
Someone inside Wendy’s who can remember the 1980s commercial “Where’s the beef?” and say “Where’s the beef?” as a group.
Group inside Home Depot by the batteries pretending to be the Energizer Bunny (drumming & sunglasses help) saying “Nothing outlasts the Energizer. It keeps going and going and going…”
Group & stranger inside Burger King singing the 1970s song “Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders won’t upset us, all we ask is that you let use serve it your way. Have it your way, have it your way! Have it your way at Burger King.”
Group at bank singing “F R E E that spells free credit report dot com baby”.
Group & stranger in K-Mart pointing to a “Blue Light Special” sign.
4 from our group lying on a bed at a furniture store counting the Serta Mattress Sheep.
Group inside grocery store holding a gallon of milk saying “Got Milk?”
Group & stranger inside Quiznos saying “The Toasty makes it Tasty” – say it like you mean it!
Group & stranger inside Taco Bell singing “It’s all about the Roosevelt’s baby”.
Group working together to make a Christian symbol with their bodies in the grass in front of our church.
A group member being a greeter at Wal-Mart or other store with greeters – make sure to ask the regular greeter first!
A group member eating a Jimmy Johns pickle inside the restaurant.
The group helping someone fold their laundry at a laundramat.
The group and a police officer singing the theme to COPS “Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do when they come for you?”
Group & employee inside a Chinese restaurant holding Chop Sticks – be polite.
A SMALL team member being pushed in a Pet Supplies Plus shopping cart.
The whole group inside one car at a new or used car lot – make sure to ask first and be careful!
The group making a human pyramid in front of the library saying “Reading is FUNdamental!”
Group inside Rite-Aid with a bottle of Pepto-Bismol doing the song and motions from commercial “Nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea”.
2 people in front of Cinema reenacting the line “Run Forrest, run!” from Forrest Gump.
Group outside Arby’s saying “I’m thinking Arby’s” with the thinker pose.
Group inside store holding a Dora the Explorer toy saying “Swiper no swiping!”
Group inside Wal-Mart holding a jar of Smuckers Jelly with everyone saying their slogan, “With a name like Smuckers… it has to be good”
Group flexing muscles In front of Recruiting Office or Armory Building saying, “Be all that you can be”.
Group with a mouth FULL of M&M’s saying “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands.”
Group at grocery store holding a box of Frosted Flakes saying “They’re great!”
Group & employee inside any Subway with big smile saying “Eat Fresh”
Group & stranger inside McDonalds singing the Whopper Song, “Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun.”
Group inside store holding a Band-Aid box singing “I am stuck on Band-Aid brand ‘cuz Band-Aid’s stuck on me! I am stuck on Brand-Aid brand cuz germs don’t stick on me! Cuz they hold on tight no matter what on fingers, toes, and knees. I am stuck on Band-Aid brand cuz Band-Aid helps heal me!”

by Andrea in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Dollar Night At The Mall

This one is requested again and again — especially by the girls! Divide the group into groups of 3-4 and give each group $1. The object of the hunt is to purchase as many items as possible at the mall for under $1.
The group must have a receipt for each item, and there can be no two items the same. For example: a person might get a dead cricket from the pet store for a nickel, one jelly bean for a penny, etc. Catch is that they have to get a receipt. After a set amount of time (45 minutes is good), all teams meet at a designated spot in the mall. The groups show their purchases, receipts, and change to an impartial judge, and the winner declared. The winner is determined as the group with the most purchases for their money, and the entire dollar must be used. It’s fun!

by Sonja Stires in Early and Mid Adolescents, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Nature Scavenger Hunt

We took the youth group to a state park for a nature scavenger hunt this fall. We had made a list of about 50 different things that might be found along the nature trails, such as red leaf, bird’s nest, wildflowers, fossils, etc. We listed everything from flowers to caterpillars and fish. Be creative. We put them into teams and sent them out – the leaders made one team. At the designated time, we met back to tally points. You can either do one point for each item or make the harder items be worth more points. We had Christian T-shirts for each winning team member and pens for the second place team. The kids had a blast!

by Emily in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Misc Scavenger Hunt Ideas 2

Here’s some more scavenge ideas…

16) 40 points: Interview a shopper inside food store who is not a part
of any of the other teams and who was not at starting point when we
started. Ask them to name every type of pet they have ever had and what their names were, what toothpaste they use and why, and what has brought them out to the store. Be polite!

19) 20 Points: Have your whole team fit into one closet in someone’s
house for 30 seconds. If the closet has a door, you must close it. If it doesn’t, just remain confined to the closet space.

20) 35 Points: The whole team must carry on a 2 minute conversation with the (town monument). For an extra 25 points, proclaim the gospel
of Jesus Christ to it for 20 seconds. DO NOT TOUCH, MOVE, DEFACE, DEBODY, OR DE-ANYTHING
to it!!

21) 15 Points: Jesus was amazed by something, what was it? (Lint : M)
_____________.

22) 30 Points: Go to a Sheriff or Police station, finding at least one
uniformed officer, tell the officer(s) that their service and sacrifice are appreciated. A gift or card of some TASTEFUL kind would be a nice touch and worth an extra 10 points. You also get 30 extra points if you have prayer with an officer(s) or inside the establishment, praying for such things as: the county, city, state, officers, their families and people in need. Prayer time must be at least 30 seconds in length. You may have the camera either on or off during prayer time. *Note: Please be serious when you do this. Please.*

23) 15 Points: Complete: Trust in the Lord, and he shall….. (Lint:
Psalms)
_____________________

24) 15 points: Every member of the group must come up with code names
for one another. List them below.

______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________

25) 25 points: Order one medium combination drink (a little of all the
drinks they have on fountain put into that one cup) from a restaurant
drive thru with your best Darth Vader impersonation. Also order as many straws as there are people in your team. Then park the car in one of the parking spaces at the restaurant, set the drink somewhere safe, get out of the car and run around it (all of you in the same direction) while each of you rub your heads and do your best Curly “Woo! Woo!Woo!” impersonation. Then you all must each drink the drink at the same time with the straws.

26) 15 points: Make up a 20 second dance called “The Funky Chicken”, and then do it in front of a security camera somewhere.

27) 20 points: The entire team must stand in a circle without shoes.
Each person must vacuum the feet of the person to their left.

28) 2 points each: Tell a stranger or friend “Merry Christmas”. Limit 10.

29) 50 points : You must video a fashion show in someone’s home that is at least 60 seconds in length. Each team member must wear an article of clothing that is opposite their gender (Guys wear something feminine, girls wear something masculine). You must have a runway area to stroll through in front of a judge/ commentator who will make on camera comments just as in a real fashion show. You get an extra 15 points if the judges are 3 people not on list, and you get an extra 10 points if you have appropriate background music.

by T Calton in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Pizza Scavenger Hunt – Add-On

We used the idea from this site for a pizza scavenger hunt. It was awesome! We handed out thank you cards from the youth group at the homes of folks who gave the kids pizza toppings. We then used Matthew 7:7-12 for our lesson. Since the kids saw the generosity of complete strangers on the scavenger hunt, it was easy to talk about how God’s love is even MORE abundant and generous!

by Barb Boswell in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Basics of Scavenger Hunts

Purpose

The primary goal of a scavenger hunt is to send participants out with a list of things to find, obtain, photograph, videotape, audio record, etc. The hope is that while they are working together as a team, relationships will be developed.

Publicity Opportunity

Make invitations to your church, business, or organization and give them to everyone who participates or that interacts with the groups in some way. Or create a small thank you card with your contact information. Participants can give a thank you card to everyone who helps them. Even better, invite them to a party or slideshow where the results will be displayed.

Preparing Item Lists

Lists can be as creative and wild as you want them to be. Design your list around a theme or concept:

Ecological, Bible Objects, Occupations, Food, Canned Goods, Prices of items, Animal Tracks, footprints, Photos at History Locations, People, sounds, clothing, church members, Camp Supplies, Items for the needy, recycled materials, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, New Year, Halloween, Noah’s Ark Party, old family photos, fruits, vegetables, widgets, Posed Photos, Video, etc.

Protecting Participants

1. Don’t let any youth drive – put adults in charge and don’t allow horseplay on the roads like “Chinese fire drills”. Make sure everyone wears seatbelts or take major points away if they are caught on film without them on. You could also conduct the scavenger hunt on foot. You don’t want a participant killed while speeding during your scavenger hunts.

2. Participants must obey all laws and instructions from sponsors.

3. Limit the play area and place people at strategic locations if needed to insure the safety of participants.

4. Make sure each group has a mobile phone and contact numbers for emergency.

Points

1. Set a specific point value for each item on the list.

2. Have a point penalty for each minute late to the final destination or to report back with the items.

3. For Video or photo scavenger hunts, give extra points to groups for having a company, organization, or church logo in every picture. You could also require a Bible, a mascot, or some other object in each picture. Some groups have even been known to have to carry a large teddy bear or other object ( a couch) around to be in each picture.

4. Award extra points for having everyone in the group as part of the photo or video.

Planning the Scavenger Hunt – 10 Steps

1. PURPOSE: What is the purpose of your scavenger hunt. (Is it an icebreaker? For team building? Just for fun?)

2. TYPE: What type of scavenger hunt is it? (Is it to collect objects? a photo scavenger hunt? A video scavenger hunt? A sound scavenger hunt? Others?)

3. THEME: What is the theme? (Is it a Pirate’s Treasure Hunt? a Superhero Hunt? Aladin’s Magic Carpet Hunt? Others?)

4. LOCATION: Where will the hunt take place? What are the boundaries? (Is it limited to a school or church building? The downtown area? Walking distance? Reconnoiter the location to determine potential problems. Get permission in advance from affected businesses and individuals.)

5. ITEM LIST: What items do participants need to collect? (Based on your purpose, type of hunt, and theme, make a list of items that can be found in the specified boundaries. Are subsitutions allowed?)

6. SCORING: How will points be allocated? (Are some items worth more than others? Are there points for creativity and quality?)

7. INVITATIONS: Who will be invited to the join in the Scavenger Hunt? (What do they need to bring? What do they need to wear? Tailor the invitations to your theme.)

8. TEAMS: How will participants be divided into teams?

9. RULES: What are the rules? (Take into consideration the safety of participants as well as minimizing potential problems.)

10. AWARDS: Determine the location and the time for the awards party. (How will teams present their items to the judges?)

More Ideas?

You can get ideas for specific scavenger hunts from http://www.creativeyouthideas.com/

by Ken Sapp in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Ecological Scavenger Hunt

Good activity for get-togethers at a beach or picnic/park area. Give the kids a list of items which must be found on the ground. Taking from garbage cans is not allowed! Points are awarded for each item and there is no limit for the amount of items retrieved. Also, bonus points for the most different items on the list are awarded. For example, if anyone brings in at least one of every item on the list, he might get a bonus of 100 points. If he brings back 7 different items, 70 points could be awarded.
Sample items: 1.) Candy wrapper 2.) Aluminum beverage can 3.) Plastic fork 4.) Paper cup 5.) Gum wrapper 6.) Pop or beer bottle, etc, etc.

by N/A in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Video Scavenger Additions

Do not film unnecessary footage! We want to watch all of the videos when we return and that will not be possible if they are too long!
(We sent each team out with enough money to cover the cost of the various items on their list. We found that the ideal number of kids for each team was six. We used ideas from egadideas.com and made up some additions. We invited the parents to come at the time the kids were due back. They enjoyed watching the videos with us. It was funnier than watching the Three Stooges!)

25 points – Have one team member explain and demonstrate a “skin the cat” on the monkey bars.

25 points – Video a team member scoring a goal (basketball, soccer, field goal.) Must use a real ball.

20 points each – Video team members playing jump rope while reciting a jumping rhyme. To receive the additional points, each time, it must be a different team member and a different rhyme.

50 points – Video your entire team inside your car while going through a carwash.

25 points – At someone’s house, a team member must demonstrate and teach us how to wash a load of laundry. We’d like “dos and don’ts” please.

25 points – Standing in front of a restaurant, a team member explains why this restaurant’s food and service is better than the restaurant down the road. At least 25 seconds. Give “convincing” examples.

50-150 points – Create a “music video”. Points will be awarded by the “judges” according to the quality of the music video.

25 points – Stage a minor accident. DON’T DO ANYTHING DANGEROUS!

25 points – Video entire team cleaning someone’s bathroom and explaining proper cleaning methods.

25 points – Video each team member explaining what “the bomb” means. A variety of meanings is best-try not to agree on the definition.

50 points – We also used money we raised with a fundraiser to go to the dollar store and fill a stocking with gifts for someone of their gender and age (one for each team) for a local ministry.

by Debbie Cordy in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off