How to make a halloween scavenger hunt
10 Halloween Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids to Get Spooky
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26 Oct
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On a search for Halloween scavenger hunt ideas for kids, I found 10 spooky-fun hunts with pumpkins, spiders, monsters, ghosts and decorations.
As you probably already know, I absolutely love doing scavenger hunts for kids.
Why not do a Halloween scavenger hunt as well?
I shared a spider web scavenger hunt we did for Halloween.
But I realized when I was searching for ideas that there’s not a lot of variations for Halloween scavenger hunts.
They’re all very similar and mostly doing a hunt for Halloween decorations.
I decided to keep searching and found 10 different ideas to do a Halloween themed scavenger hunt with the kids.
I ended up finding scavenger hunts with pumpkins, spiders, monsters, and ghosts. Plus the traditional scavenger hunt for decorations.
I think you’ll love these, and your kids will even more! Have fun!
Download FREE Week of Move & Learn Kids Activities
Enjoy these Ideas for a Halloween scavenger hunt!
- We did this one the other day, a spider web scavenger hunt for bugs. My kids love it because they love the web I weave around the room for them to search through. Hint: this one’s a hit any time of the year!
- Teach Preschool shared a printable pumpkin patch learning scavenger hunt to find different sizes and work on counting with preschoolers.
- The more traditional scavenger hunt, looking for Halloween decorations in the neighborhood. Find the free printable at Creative Family Fun.
- Mom to 2 Posh Li’l Divas put together a great idea for a Halloween scavenger hunt with a monster sensory bin to hunt for Halloween items.
- If kids are reading, try this reading and rhyming scavenger hunt for Halloween from Imagination Soup.
- Combine two favorites and go on this Halloween BINGO scavenger hunt from Uncommon Courtesy.
- Check out these simple and silly Halloween clues from Play Party Plan.
- Hide these little pumpkins around and have the kids count and find them all from Little Family Fun.
- Have the kids become a ghost detective, find out more on There’s Just One Mommy.
- And finally, its time for a trick or treat scavenger hunt from Bitz & Giggles.
Go on a hunt all year round with these 32 scavenger hunts for kids! Indoors and out, all kinds of fun!
Once Halloween is over, its the holiday season already! Have you seen our 10 ways for kids to go on a Christmas scavenger hunt? They’re so much fun for the season!
What is a scavenger hunt activity for kids?
A scavenger hunt is such a fun activity for kids.
It gets kids moving and thinking. And, they can be super educational.
You can have a lost of clues to follow, a certain number of a single thing to locate from carious hiding place, or a legend to locate all the items listed.
You can make them holiday or seasonal themed, focus on math or letters, or simply find items on a walk or traveling.
We love scavenger hunts! They are so fun and versatile.
I’m sure you will love them too!
More Halloween Fun can be Found:
- 40+ Fun & Easy Fall Pumpkin Activities for Kids
- 15 Spooky Monster Crafts for Kids to Make for Halloween
- 12 Not-So-Frightful Spider Web Crafts for Fall
- Spooky (and Fun) Halloween Ideas for Kids
- Boo! 15 Friendly Ghost Crafts for Kids to Make
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About Jamie Reimer
Jamie learned to be a hands on mom by creating activities, crafts and art projects for her three boys to do. Jamie needed the creative outlet that activities provided to get through the early years of parenting with a smile! Follow Jamie on Pinterest and Instagram!
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Free Printable Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Home Fun & Games Scavenger Hunts Free Printable Halloween Scavenger Hunt
By: Britni Vigil
This post may contain affiliate links.
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This free printable Halloween scavenger hunt is perfect for kids! Just give the kids the first clue, which will send them off to find a hidden clue at the next location. It’s simple, fun, and perfect for a kids’ Halloween party, classroom party, or even a trunk or treat!
A Spooktacular Halloween Scavenger Hunt
All growing up my parents set up fun little scavenger hunts for us where they’d write out silly rhyming clues that would send us from one place to another on our way to the “grand prize.”
They did it for Christmas one year all over the neighborhood and all sorts of other times when they wanted the gifts to be a little more special.
I thought it would be fun to create this fun Halloween scavenger hunt that you can either play with your kids on Halloween along with some of these Halloween games or play with a bunch of kids at a Halloween party.
Plus, it’s one of the most fun and safe Halloween activities this year!
I kept the clues as universal as possible so that you can just print out the clues, hide them around the house, and be on your spooky way.
If you’re looking for more of a find all these things on this list scavenger hunt, I’ve got two of those in this Halloween neighborhood scavenger hunt post. Plus a Halloween themed group text scavenger hunt!
How to Set Up a Halloween Scavenger Hunt
If you’ve never participated in a scavenger hunt, they are a lot of fun and are really easy to set up!
To get started, print out the clue cards and location cheat sheet. Cut them up and put them in order using the numbers on the cards. Now the fun begins.
Hide all of the clues (except for #1) in the location that is immediately before the place the clue leads to.
I know that sounds confusing, so I’ve made it easy for you by creating a cheat sheet that tells you exactly where to hide which cards.
Once you’ve hidden all of the cards, give the kids the first clue. They’ll read that clue and go in search of the next one.
And so on until they’ve found their fun surprise at the end.
If you want to make it even more fun, you can include little surprises along the way with random clues.
Halloween Scavenger Hunt Prize Ideas
One of the best parts of scavenger hunts, whether it be a Christmas scavenger hunt or 4th of July hunt is the prize at the end! I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite scavenger hunt prizes for kids and a couple that are good options for teens as well!
These prizes would work well if you wanted to play this Halloween bingo game too!
I know that some people might think to just do candy but with so many people with allergies – I think it’d be great to stay away from candy or at least offer an alternative, kind of like the teal pumpkin project for trick or treating!
If none of these work, you could always give out any of these Halloween party favors or make a fun Halloween snack board like this one!
- Stickers
- Halloween Movies
- Halloween Boo Mug
- Halloween treats like these Halloween rice krispie treats
- Halloween Legos or other Toys
- Fall Books like this one
- Halloween bath bombs (with Halloween treats inside – my son is a little obsessed with these!)
- Plastic pumpkin filled with treats
- Mini fall erasers
- Silly Halloween pencils (so cute!)
- Halloween Rubber Duckies (kids LOVE these)
Looking for more Fun Halloween Games?
Other Halloween Games
- 45+ of the best Halloween games
- Halloween would you rather
- Halloween name that tune game
- Trick or treat game
- Halloween minute to win it games
- Halloween dress up game
- Halloween Pictionary game
Download the Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Enter your first name and email address below to get the free printable.
You’ll receive a copy to your email within a few minutes. If you cannot find it, check your spam and promotions folders.
If you can’t see the form below, click here to get to the form to enter your info.
And if you’d rather not provide your email address but would still love the scavenger hunt, you can purchase it from my shop here.
Don’t forget to pin this Halloween scavenger hunt for later!Reader Interactions
Free Scavenger Hunt Halloween Party Ideas for Adults
There are many adult scavenger hunt ideas that can bring fun and adventure to any Halloween party. Add a fun and scary scavenger hunt to your holiday to keep your guests entertained and entertained.
Halloween Themed Scavenger Hunt
For people who like to throw themed parties, Halloween has a lot of ideas to choose from. If you love throwing costume parties, Halloween is definitely the perfect occasion. Once all your friends are dressed up, it will be fun to give them somewhere to go.
A scavenger hunt will give them the opportunity to show off their costumes while having fun looking for treasure.
- 27 Halloween party ideas for adults to have fun
- Halloween Party Decoration Ideas
- 21st Birthday Party Ideas
Hunting parties are versatile and adapt to almost any theme. Print out these lists and give them to your scavengers during your Halloween party:
- Pirate
- Super Scary
- Western
- Decade 70s
If you need help downloading lists, check out these Adobe Printables Guide.
For those with a theme, match clues and items to the theme being used. Decorate the main part, dress up the part and have your guests carry items related to the theme. For example, for a western theme, dress up as a cowboy and give guests red bandanas and baskets for them to pack their things. Have guests search for items such as a cowboy hat, hay, boots, a horse, and more.
Map First
The best part about adult scavenger parties is that all the real work is done beforehand.
This is a lot of work at first, but once the scavenger hunt is set up, the host can use the search time to prepare food and other fun things for the guests to do when they return.
Indoor or outdoor
The first thing the owner must decide is how far the scavenger hunt will be. For residents of apartment buildings, the scavenger hunt will most likely be outside the home, or at least outside the apartment. For homeowners, scavenger hunts may be limited to the home, yard, or entire neighborhood.
Nature of the hunt
Once you've decided on a scavenger hunt area, the next step is to figure out how you want your guests to scavenge. There are as many different ways to approach the list of items to find as there are ways to hide them. Decide if you want your guests to pull out real items or if you want them to take pictures of them. If you prefer the latter, give guests disposable or digital cameras to take pictures. Each team can get a camera to use.
Scavenger List
Don't forget to adapt your scavenger hunt list to include Halloween-themed items.
Here are some basic elements that can be printed in the form of a list:
- pumpkin
- Black cat
- Spider
- Halloween sweets
- people in certain costumes
- Glo-Vostiki
- Freak eyes
Spooky Clues
Once you've worked out the area and the list of items to find, the next step is to write instructions. Hints are more fun than a straight list. A good way to solve this problem is to start with simple named items and work your way up to hints as the list gets more complex as the game progresses. Keep in mind that while complex can be fun, being too complex keeps scavengers up all night. Some spooky hints to use:
- I light at night and often hold a candle in my mouth. (Jack-O-Lantern)
- If I cross your path, you might not be lucky. (Black cat)
- I often get entangled in the web of death. (Spider)
- Tonight, not all fright and fear, trick or treat are waiting nearby.
(Halloween candy) - I ride a broom and brew potions. (Witch)
Tips for a successful scavenger hunt
Once your scavengers return, be sure to give them a big welcome. Offer them Halloween snacks and tell them about the other teams' progress. You can submit items such as:
- Hot meals such as hot dogs, wings or pizza
- Refreshments, including Halloween-themed drinks
- Hot chocolate or coffee
You can offer prizes for certain categories, such as:
8 The first team returned
Make it fun
Since scavenger hunts are your guests' entertainment, you'll want to make them suitable for all your guests. Don't make it so complicated that your guests spend hours searching and getting frustrated looking for their stuff. Make it simple and fun so that everyone can enjoy hidden object fun while enjoying the Halloween game.
7 Halloween jokes or treats to play with the whole family
📖 Content:
- 🤩 1. Halloween scavenger hunt.
- 🤯 2. Halloween Trivia
- 🧛♂️ 3. Halloween Mystery Box
- 🍎 4. Apple bean.
- 🎃 5. Halloween pumpkin cravings.
- 🌳 6. Tree trick or treat
- 🤗 7. Halloween Charade
Halloween trick or treat games are a great way to bring the family together. There's something for everyone here, whether you want to fumble or treat at home, taste chili in your neighborhood, play Halloween party games at home with friends and families, or dress up as scary monsters!
You can even get your kids involved by making Halloween cupcakes and decorating the house. Keep reading to discover the best Halloween Fun or Treat games for you and your family!
Best Halloween Trick or Treat Games
Halloween is a great time to celebrate with family and friends. But for the kids, it's mostly a scary party filled with candy! And who doesn't love candy?
Quiz:
Which tarot card am I?
Find out right now which tarot card most represents your personality and defines your life!
Start the quiz
You can also do a Halloween trick or have games part of your party.
Here are some fun ideas for you and your kids on Halloween night:
1. Halloween scavenger hunt.
If the kids are bored, try organizing a Halloween scavenger hunt for them. You can create your own list of items they need to find or use one from an existing game such as our Halloween Scavenger Hunt which can be printed below.
Print out this Halloween scavenger hunt list and give it to each child so they know what to look for. Every time they find an item, cross it off the list and give them a Halloween treat or a small toy to cheer them up!
How to Play Halloween Scavenger Hunt
To play, tell each child to find items from the Halloween scavenger list. Have them cross off each item they find and give them a treat or toy of your choice!
They cannot go back to items that have already been crossed off, so be sure to remind them. If you want everyone to win, put small prizes in the bowl for the child who finds the most items!
👉 Here you can find our printed Halloween Scavenger Hunt! Have fun!
Print Halloween Scavenger Hunt
2.
Halloween Trivia Halloween Trivia is also a great game! Everyone can take part, whether they are children or adults. For younger kids, you can ask questions ahead of time and then ask them questions, while older kids can write their own list of Trivia Halloween questions for everyone to answer.
How to play Halloween Trivia
Everyone writes down as many Halloween Trivia questions as they can think of, and then you walk around the room asking them questions. If someone answers correctly, they will receive a treat or a small toy.!
Here are some Halloween Trivia questions for kids to get you started:
-
How many candies does the average person eat on Halloween night?
-
What do witches wear?
-
Which state is known to be the most visited in America?
This game can be played anywhere, anytime! Everyone has their phone in their pocket and can google any questions they don't know the answer to.
👉 Here you can find more Halloween Trivia Questions for Kids!
Join Trivia Live!
3. Halloween Mystery Box
Halloween Mystery Box is a great alternative to handing out Halloween candy. You can hold it at the door and when the children knock, hand them the Mystery Box with instructions that each child has one chance to open their Mystery Box.
Here are some items we recommend putting in your Halloween mystery box to get you started:
-
small pack of candy corn
-
your favorite scent markers
-
funny socks with monsters on them
one piece of chocolate brownie or other delicious treats!
This game is great because it inspires kids to come back for new experiences and it can be played right at home. No need to dress up in costumes or go out somewhere!
👉 If you want Halloween board games, go this way!!
4.
Apple bean. Apple bobbing is a Halloween game that originated in the United Kingdom. It was originally played at harvest time and involved placing apples in tubs of water. However, it has since been adopted as part of the Halloween tradition!
Here are our favorite apple bobbing ideas for kids:
-
Decorate an old bucket to become a bobbing apple bucket. Use paint, stickers and loose glitter to decorate!
-
Cut an apple in half and thread a string or string through the center. Tie it around your waist so you can get out of the water after bouncing!
This game is great for younger kids because they can play with candy while older kids can enjoy other treats like small toys, stickers or temporary tattoos.!
5. Halloween pumpkin cravings.
Pumpkin carving is another fun game to play at home! While cutting through the flesh of a pumpkin can be tricky, using a plastic knife will make it a lot easier.
Kids love to get creative and make their own Halloween pumpkin designs. So don't worry about doing any damage as long as you teach them how to do it safely.!
Here are some Halloween pumpkin carving ideas for kids:
-
a small outline of a ghost and a face with a carved mouth
-
a large silhouette of a bat on the front of a gourd with spread wings. Cut out eyes, nose and mouth on each wing. Use black paint or felt-tip pens to color the eyes!
-
Cut out the outline of the pumpkin with Halloween-themed shapes such as ghosts, cats, witches, etc. Cut out holes for the face and paint or draw on the facial features!
This game can be played at home without worrying about the mess because you only need a bag of chocolates when it's ready! Plus, you can even make pumpkin soup with leftovers!
6. Trick or Treat Tree
Trick or treat trees are a great alternative to giving out candy! You can store treats in a large plastic container, and when the kids knock, hand them an object.
Here are a few Halloween items you can add to your tree of tricks or treats:
- small packs of candies, gummy bats and other delicious candies
- Halloween-themed pencils, erasers and bookmarks
- funny socks with monsters on them!
This prank or treat game is great because it inspires kids to keep coming back for new experiences. Plus, next year you can pull up a tree with tricks or treats for even more treats when they arrive! Now it's a win-win.
👉 Still haven't found the right game? Follow this link to find out more Halloween games for kids!
7. Halloween Charade
Halloween Charade can be played anywhere and anytime! This game is great because it's easy for younger kids who are just learning to talk or point things. Plus, it's a great way for you and your kids to spend Halloween!
How to play Charade
Charade is easy to play. Just follow these steps:
- Prepare word sheets for a Halloween Charade.
