How Does a Scavenger Hunt Work?

By Dale Devries

Scavenger Hunt Defined

The standard definition for a scavenger hunt is a game in which individuals or teams are sent out with a list of objects to find, without buying them, and returning with them. The person or team who has the most items on their list wins. Scavenger hunts are fun and can be very educational. They can be adapted for a four-year-old's birthday party searching for leaves and rocks to employees of a business searching for a list of information. With today's technology, you can have scavenger hunts with and against people you've never even met.

Types of Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts have evolved since their inception. You used to have a list with things on it, like a maple leaf, an old bird nest and a garden rock. Now with computers, digital cameras and camcorders the game is much more interesting. The types of scavenger hunts can only be numbered by your own imagination.

While on vacation, give everyone a list of things to bring back or take pictures of. Snorkeling with an underwater camera is great. Wear a waterproof wallet to keep your list in and take pictures of things on the list, such as fish, coral and sponges. Meet up with your friends and family later to show off all your pictures and see who won the game.

Other types of hunts include taking video while your group does things on the list. You could dance or sing in the middle of the mall or find a restaurant that will let you take someone's order.

On the Internet, gather some online friends and make up a list of things to find, such as a traffic exchange that uses fish for their theme or a business program that uses the word "Never" in their title.

If you're a history buff, make your hunt educational by making your list up of years that things were invented and then see who can find the most inventions in those particular years.

There is even a company called Team Building USA, that comes to your city and sets up a scavenger hunt for your employees to build teamwork and management training. They don't make this one very easy, and it's not an individual sport.

Scavenger Hunts for Good

A way to help out your community and those in need is to gather a group of people who like to help others. You can organize it for a charity, like collecting clothes for the Salvation Army or blankets and dog toys for the local pet shelter. Another idea is to make a list of things to do, such as sing at a retirement home, volunteer for an hour visiting at the hospital or clean up a older person's yard. Take a picture while you're doing it and bring back the pictures for proof.

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