If you’ve ever seen your students light up at the idea of a scavenger hunt, you already know it’s one of the easiest ways to sneak in learning without it feeling like work. But coming up with one that really grabs everyone’s attention, works with your content, and keeps all learners included, takes a little planning.

Here’s how to create a scavenger hunt that works with your curriculum and gets all your students involved, no matter what subject you teach or grade you have.

How to Create a Scavenger Hunt

Start with a Purpose

Before you dive into writing riddles and hiding clues, you must figure out your end goal. What do you want students to learn or practice? Are you reviewing vocabulary words or exploring historical facts? Your learning goal is what will drive the scavenger hunt. Once you understand the purpose, you will be able to write more effective clues, and everything will fall into place.

Be Creative with Your Clues

The best clues make kids think, maybe even laugh. Here are some ways to get creative and keep students engaged.

Riddles

Use riddles to describe where the next clue is hiding or what question they need to answer. They should stop and make kids think, but also be fun. Here are a few examples.

  • “I’m where you go to grab a book. I’ve got shelves, stories, and a cozy look.”

(Answer: classroom library)

  • “Add me up, subtract me down. I’m the place where math is found.”

(Answer: the math center or math bulletin board)

  • “I have four legs but never walk. I hold your work and take the chalk. Where am I?”

(Answer: the teacher’s desk)

Visuals and Symbols

Younger students, visual learners, and those who require support with reading will benefit from the use of pictures or symbols. For example, if you want them to find a book, use a picture of a book, or instead of saying, “Look near the art station,” show a pair of scissors.

Puzzles

Use puzzles. Have students unscramble a word or try and decode something. Or, turn a math problem into the next clue. For example, “Solve for x, then look in the cubby with that number.”

Movement-based Clues

Get students up and moving. Ask students to complete a physical challenge like hopping on one foot or jumping jacks. Or, challenge students to go to a specific location within the school to get their next clue.

Make sure your clues are challenging but not so difficult that all students can’t figure them out. Consider creating a “hint board” where students can get extra help when they are stuck. However, to use it, they must complete a short task first, like solving a mini problem.

Make It Work for Everyone

A lot of scavenger hunts leave some kids behind without meaning to. Maybe the clues are too text-heavy, or the reading level is too high. Maybe it requires a lot of movement when some students aren’t up for that.

Here are a few ways to include everyone:

  • Offer picture clues, symbols, or audio clips for students who need language support.
  • Let students work in pairs or small groups so they can combine strengths.
  • Don’t make every clue the same. Mix in a few easier ones so students can build confidence.
  • If you have students with limited mobility, bring clues to them or have them direct a partner.

The goal is to get all kids engaged, not just the fastest ones.

Consider Using Technology

If you want to stick with an old-fashioned paper scavenger hunt because you’re ready for a break from screens, that’s totally fine. But if you’re looking to mix things up a bit, adding some tech can take your hunt to the next level. Chromebooks or iPads can give it a fun twist. If you only have a few devices, no problem, just have students work in pairs or small groups.

Here are a few easy ways to bring technology into your scavenger hunt:

  • Link clues to short videos using QR codes
  • Have students type their answers into a Google Form
  • Ask them to take a photo of something and show it to you as proof they found the clue

You don’t need a full class set of devices to make this work. A little tech goes a long way.

Plan the Details Ahead of Time

This is the part you don’t want to figure out last minute. Ask yourself:

  • How much time will they need?
  • Will students move around the classroom? The whole school?
  • Will they work solo, in pairs, or in small groups?
  • How will you explain the directions so nobody is confused?
  • Do they need anything like clipboards, pencils, or checklists?

Also, run through the whole thing yourself before your students do, or ask a student from another class. You’ll catch anything confusing or too tricky that way.

Add a Bit of Friendly Competition

Some kids love a good race, others do not. So, if you add a competitive angle, make sure that you keep it low stakes. Maybe you reward the team that finishes first, but also give shout-outs to the group that worked best together or showed the most perseverance.

You could even ditch the competition and focus on completion. Some teachers like to keep the hunt open-ended so students finish at their own pace within a certain time. Do what works best for your class.

End with a Quick Reflection

Take a few minutes to debrief your class after the scavenger hunt. Ask students, “What did you like?”, “What did you find challenging?” and “What kinds of clues were your favorite?” This feedback will help you with the next scavenger hunt. You can even challenge students to come up with their own scavenger hunt.

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to creating an engaging scavenger hunt. You can even find pre-made ones online and print them out. The goal is to get your students thinking and working together in a fun, new way that keeps them engaged.

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