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

Restaurant Madness

This can be done on a Sunday night after church. Have a list of items that can be picked up from some of your local restaurants. Divide the group up into equal teams and then give them your list. Here is an example list: Napkin from McDonalds, French Fry from Burger King, Cup from Wendy’s, Pizza Box from Pizza Hut, A spoon from Applebee’s, Tooth Pick from Sonic, Salt Shaker from Chili’s. You can come up with your own list depending on what restaurants are in your own town. Use as much diversity as you can. Have the teams to meet back at your house or the church for build your own sundae. Remember to include one adult per vehicle to avoid speeding, cheating, and recklessness. Good Luck.

by Greg Westmoreland in Mid and Late Adolescents, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Pizza Scavenger Hunt

This is a fun way to spend a night. The kids split into groups, and each group gets a pizza crust with pizza sauce. The groups split up and go door to door asking for toppings, and at the last house you need to get your pizza cooked. Once your pizza is done, you meet back at the church and everyone must eat at least one piece of their own pizza. The best pizzas have at least 5 toppings and no more than 8. This is a great way to get your youth group known in the neighbourhood and the kids love it!

by Tim Flanders in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Generation Gap Hunt

In a effort to close or bridge the generation gap that exists at our church, we have a scavenger hunt that encourages the youth and adults to interact with one another.

I ask twenty-five adults to share one interesting fact about themselves. We have heard all types of things: someone struck by lighting, someone who was in a television commercial, someone who traveled to Florida to see the space shuttle launch. I then compile a list of these facts. Once the youth discovers the person who told me about themselves, the person signs next to their fact.

We announce the scavenger hunt to the congregation so everyone will understand what is going on. The youth must approach the adults and say, “Hello, my name is _______. One intersting fact about myself is…” and tell them something about themselves. “Would you share an interesting fact about yourself with me?” The adult then signs the list next to their interesting fact.

We usually allow two Sundays for this event. On the third Sunday, I post the winners and the names of the adults and their facts in the Sunday bulletin.

by Dennis Stegall in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Alphabet Scavenger Hunt

We made a twist on an ordinary alphabet scavenger hunt. In order to “grow our group” and let others in on what our group was all about, we did this scavenger hunt as follows:

When everyone arrived, I had sheets of paper with all of the letters of the alphabet listed down the side with a line out to the side of each letter.

I gave one sheet to each team and told them we were having an alphabet scavenger hunt. But, instead of finding items, they had to find people. They were to contact persons for each letter whose first name began with the letter they were needing. ie: Contact an Aubrey for A, Bob for B, etc. They had to get the persons to come to the church and sign on the line next to the letter of their first name in order for them to get credit for each letter. Each scavenger who came in could only sign one team’s sheet. Each team was given an hour time limit to get as many there as possible.

It was a blast for them to do. Cell phones popped out very quickly as they got to work trying to coax people to join us. As well, teams stole each other’s people as they arrived by getting the person to sign on their paper instead of the team who called them.

When time was up, we served dessert to everyone there and gave prizes to the team with the most person’s signatures on the line. We more than doubled our attendance that night and had a great time getting to know new “scavengers”!

by Kristie Kennedy in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Backwards Scavenger Hunt

Here’s an interesting twist on the classic scavenger hunt. Instead of providing a list and sending students off to find the items, send the students off to find the items and then provide the list. Here’s how it works…

1. Create a panel of 3 judges.

2. Divide your students into 3 or more groups.

3. Give the groups 5 minutes to go find a huge collection of various items that will form their pool of resources. They may come back with styrofoam cups, couch cushions, pop cans, hockey sticks, etc.

4. Each group returns to the room/gym with a nice big pile of items in front of them.

5. As the leader, you will read out one item on your scavenger hunt list – for example: Life preserver.

6. The students then quickly collaborate to come up with one item or a couple of items that will represent “life preserver.”

7. Once they have an item, they rush up to the panel of judges. They rush because bonus points are awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd groups ready for judging.

8. Each group presents their item and is given a brief opportunity to sell the judges on why their item best represents “life preserver.” One group may bring two couch cushions tied around a student’s waist with rope. Another group may bring up a Bible.

9. Judges secretly score each team and after all teams are done presenting, the judges reveal their scores and award the bonuses for the first teams to have their list item ready.

Have fun with your list items and to keep things interesting, make some of them intentionally vague and open to interpretation.

Make sure you set up clear boundaries at the outset so that students don’t get into rooms or offices they shouldn’t and remind them that whatever they bring to the room/gym, they have to return when the game’s done.

by EGAD! Admin in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Scavenger Hunt Rule

When we have Scavenger Hunts or Treasure Hunts that involve driving around the city, we put into place the following rule: Everyone in the car who has a driver’s license must put their license in a sealed envelope that is then kept in the glove compartment of the car. Thus if the car is pulled over for any type of driving infraction the envelope seal is broken and they have points deducted. This way when we have the rule that points will be taken off for getting caught speeding the driver can’t say “I was stopped but not given a ticket thus I won’t tell.” If the envelope is opened it is points deducted.

by Randy Hausler in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off

Stages of Life

This scavenger hunt is great for an evangelism event. Start at a central location to where your group will be allowed to roam. Have adults drive minivans or SUV’s (about six to seven youth per team). Give each team a bag of six verses of Scripture and a disposable camera. Each group is to have their picture taken at a place or event that matches the verse of Scripture having to do with a stage of life. For example, the six verses that we gave our teams were: 1) Ps 139:13-16 (Birth) Some had their picture taken at the maternity ward of the local hospital; 2) Prov. 22:6 (Childhood) A Daycare center; 3)Ps. 119:9 (Adolescence) Local High school; 4) 1 Cor. 13:11 (Adulthood) Place of business; 5) John 21:18 (Senior Adulthood) Retirement Center; 6) James 4:14 (Death) Graveyard.
Have everyone gather for a lesson on the difference in a life spent with Christ and one without Christ.

by Chris Gray in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off