Children’s Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt: For All Ages!
Put on a Children’s Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt while everyone’s waiting for dinner. Fun for all ages, provided one older person keeps things moving.
Make this Thanksgiving memorable for the littles!
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Children’s Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt
Just follow the directions on the printable.
One thing you want to keep track of: mark each clue in order, so you don’t put the kitchen clue in the bedroom, or the bedroom clue in the library.
For really young children you might want to have prizes at every clue to keep their interest up, but school age children will likely have enough fun with the clues that one bigger prize for each of them at the end will be enough.
Ideas for prizes:
- Packets of fruit snacks or fruit roll-ups
- Matchbox toys*
- Coloring pages
- Crayons
- Washable markers*
- Chocolate or candy (if parents allow)
- Little juice packets
- Stickers* and/or sticker books
- Any party favors
(Items with asterisks are affiliate links.)
Helpful Scavenger Hunt tips:
- Explain the parameters of the hunt. One of the clues takes the children to the mailbox. If this is in an unsafe place, make sure they know the rules before the hunt begins. Then tell them to stay near the adult at all times when outdoors/by the mailbox. Of course, the adult is responsible for safety for all the clues.
- Conceal the clues somewhat, but not so hard to find that the children in your hunt can’t find them. Try to place them so they won’t find a clue out of turn. E.g. Find clue 5 before clue 3. That will end the hunt too quickly.
Scavenger Hunt Benefits
This scavenger hunt is especially beneficial, as it can entertain the children while they wait for dinner.
A scavenger hunt is doable on any budget. They include all the children in a group, and encourage social interaction for children with other children who aren’t super familiar.
Scavenger, or treasure, hunts can be done in any weather. Bad weather? The hunt can happen indoors. House too full and the weather is nice? Take the hunt to the yard.
