Hey girl, are you looking to do a Halloween scavenger hunt this year? This will be something fun and a little different that you can do with your kids this Halloween.
Halloween can be such a fun holiday to celebrate with your kids. Everyone’s creativity gets to run a little wild. If you are anything like me, you are looking for new ways to have spooky yet happy Halloween fun.
As a mom of 4 kids, I am going to tell you a great way to have fun with your kids with a Halloween scavenger hunt.
You are going to find out who can do this Halloween scavenger hunt, where to go for it, which Halloween decorations to look for, what you can do after the scavenger hunt is over, and more!
After you get through all of this Halloween scavenger hunt info, you will be able to put together an activity that your kids will be talking about for years.
Let's get started with setting up the best Halloween scavenger hunt that you can do with your kids.
My post may contain affiliate links, which means I'll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my full disclosure.
Best Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Who Can Do This Halloween Scavenger Hunt?
This Halloween scavenger hunt can be done with your kids no matter how old they are. You can even do this scavenger hunt with just adults.
I can tell you from experience that tweens and teens will have a blast with this.
They may roll their eyes at first, and girl, I am sure you see it almost every day. Oh, this is a hard age to please! But once they get past that, it is all for fun.
You can invite your friends, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins to join in on the fun. Make it a party.
My kids love scavenger hunts and we have been doing them for about 8 years now.
To get even more festive, get these Halloween snap bracelets or something similar for everyone to wear.
I like these bracelets instead of something like glow necklaces since you can wear them any time you want to go on the hunt, and after.
Where and When To Have Your Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Do you go all out with your Halloween decorations? If you do, you can have this scavenger hunt at your house, inside and/or out.
I certainly do not have enough so I wouldn't be able to do it this way. My major holiday is Christmas but our Halloween decorations are gaining thanks to my daughter.
Some other options are to go around your town or take it out further and go to neighboring towns. There are some houses in our town that are crazy about decorating for Halloween.
If you choose to stay in your own town, you can walk it, you will see so much more. However, sometimes it is easier to drive if you have small kiddos with you.
More often than not, we walk. It is easier for our kids to catch all the items on the Halloween scavenger hunt list.
You can go any time of the day. If your kids are younger, work it around nap time. Maybe the spooky effect is more your thing so choosing to go later in the day would be best.
We have tried every time of the day that you can think of, it all works. My favorite is right after lunch.
I am more of the Happy Halloween type and not spooky. Being scared is not my thing, so I skip the dark scavenger hunt.
It can also be done any day before or on Halloween. I wouldn't do it after though. Many people are quick to change their décor and get ready for Thanksgiving.
Rules Of The Halloween Scavenger Hunt
You don't have to have rules, especially if you are doing this game when your kids are under the age of 5. But if you want to spice up the hunt a bit, here are some rules we have used in the past.
You can use as few or as many of these as you like. The more rules you use, the more challenging it is!
All the participants have to be dressed in their costumes.
I do love this rule. Costumes are expensive so why not wear them more than once? Get Festive!
Some people will not want to wear a costume, and that is fine. You can take points off their final score for this.
This last year my husband went as Bob Ross and I went as a Rockford Peach.
Our kids were a witch, Super Mario, The Flash, and Lightening Mcqueen Pit Crew.
Set a time limit.
The pressure will be on but it adds to the excitement.
We have only used this one when we have other people besides our kids on the scavenger hunt with us.
Split up into teams.
This rule is so good if you have a large number of people participating.
If you have multiple kids of your own that are a little older this works great. Have a few go with you and the rest go with your husband. Make sure you take different routes.
Map out a specific route.
This will make the hunt more challenging.
Make it a photo Halloween scavenger hunt.
Be sure to have the kids in the photos as proof that you actually saw the items. These pictures turn into fun memories to look back on.
Give extra or bonus points for items that may be harder to find.
One year, we just couldn't find a cauldron.
What To Look For On The Halloween Scavenger Hunt
There are so many different Halloween decorations to search for. Like I said before, I am all about the Happy Halloween décor.
I have put the most common ones I have seen over the years near the top of the list. The items that are usually harder for us to find are near the bottom.
You can use this list as is or rearrange it any way you wish.
1. Pumpkins
2. Jack-O-Lantern
3. Halloween Yard Blow-up
4. Spider
5. Spider Web
6. Bat
7. Skeleton
8. Mask
9. Witch
10. Witch Hat
11. Candy Corn
12. Ghost
13. Monster
14. Full Moon
15. Hay Bale
16. Corn Stalk
17. Scarecrow
18. Bones
19. Black Cat
20. Tombstone
21. Halloween and Orange
22. Halloween and Black
23. Halloween and Purple
24. Orange Lights
25. Broom Stick
26. Caldron
27. Halloween Charlie Brown
28. Hearing Halloween Music
29. Magic Wand
30. Spooky House
31. Vampire
What To Do When The Halloween Scavenger Hunt Is Over
To wrap up the festivities, you need to see who found the most items right? Start adding up those points.
We usually give extra points for the best Halloween costume. And don't forget the bonus points for those tough to find items.
Remember to take points away for not following the rules.
Have some prizes on hand for the winner(s). It can be as simple as some Halloween candy. Or, you can go crazy and create a Halloween gift bag.
I made a Halloween gift bag one year when we had a bunch of kids in on the hunt. This is what I included.
I also put in juice boxes, which I found at my local grocery store.
Since most of these items came in bulk, I did 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place bags so I wouldn't be stuck with a bunch of leftovers.
When my kids were under 5, the winner got something simple like Halloween stickers or got to pick the movie we would watch.
Now that they are a bit older, I have my kids' favorite treats on hand. 1 bigger treat for the winner, and smaller treats for the losers.
How To Wind Down This Halloween Activity
No matter what time of day you have your scavenger hunt, you can end it with dinner and a movie.
Once again, it is usually cold by Halloween where we live so we choose to have something warm to eat. Our favorite is Corn and Sausage Chowder with biscuits.
In my opinion, the best Halloween movie is It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. It is the ultimate classic.
I have been watching this movie every year, multiple times a year since I can remember.
My kids love it so much too!
You can warm up with some hot chocolate and popcorn, or whatever your favorite movie snack is.
Snuggling up close with your kids after such a fun Halloween activity is the best.
I hope you have a great time with this Halloween scavenger hunt.
Always take time to build memories with your kids. It is irreplaceable!
Happy Halloween
This post was all about the best Halloween scavenger hunt to do with your kids.
Leave me a comment below on what you like to do with your kids during Halloween.
It is so fun to try new festive ideas!
I look forward to hearing from you and thanks for stopping by.