Start a line with an emoji (🌳 Tree) to show a picture on the card.
Making the PDF…
About the scavenger hunt maker
A scavenger hunt is a game where players get a list of things to find, and the first team to find them all wins. It works at home on a rainy day, in the park, at a birthday party or on a walk around the block.
This maker prints the hunt for you. Type your own list, or start from one of six ready lists, and you get a card for each team with its name at the top. Each card can show the items in its own order, so teams do not just follow each other. For little kids who cannot read yet, choose Big pictures: each item gets a large picture to look for and to colour in.
Want a treasure hunt? Add clue cards. Each clue is printed on its own numbered card to cut out and hide — the first clue leads to the second, and so on.
Features
- Your list or a ready one — indoor, outdoor nature walk, picture hunt for little kids, party, neighborhood walk, Christmas
- A card for each team — the team name printed at the top, up to 30 teams
- Mixed order per team — each team gets the same items in a different order
- Picture hunt — start a line with an emoji and it shows as a big black-and-white picture
- Clue cards — 8 numbered cards per page with cut lines, for a treasure hunt
- Start and finish time lines and an optional points box for each item
- 5 styles — Classic, Minimal (black and white), Adventure with a compass, Bold and Playful
- Close-ups and PNGs of one team card and one clue card; US Letter or A4
The six ready lists
| List | Best for | Items |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor (at home) | Rainy days, ages 4 to 10 | 15 things around the house, like a spoon or something round |
| Outdoor (nature walk) | Parks, camping, school trips | 14 things in nature, like a pine cone or a Y-shaped stick |
| Picture hunt | Kids who cannot read yet | 12 pictures: tree, flower, bird, ladybug… |
| Party | Teens and grown-ups | 12 fun tasks, like a team photo where everyone jumps |
| Neighborhood walk | A walk around the block | 14 things on the street, like a red door or a cat in a window |
| Christmas picture hunt | Holiday parties | 12 pictures: tree, star, bell, present… |
Every list can be changed. Delete lines you do not want and add your own.
How to make clue cards for a treasure hunt
- Think of 5 to 10 hiding places, for example the fridge, a shoe, the mailbox.
- Write one clue per line. Clue 1 points to the place of clue 2, and so on. The last clue leads to the treasure.
- Print, cut out the cards and hide them in order. Keep clue 1 to give to the players.
Example clues for kids: *"I am cold inside and keep the milk"* (the fridge), *"You put your feet in me before you go out"* (a shoe), *"Letters come to me every day"* (the mailbox).
Five styles
- Classic — a colour frame and a clean list
- Minimal — black and white, saves ink
- Adventure — old map paper, a dashed trail border and a compass, for a treasure hunt feeling
- Bold — a strong colour band with the title
- Playful — stars to tick and confetti, for kids' parties
Tips for a great hunt
- Set a time limit — 20 to 30 minutes works for most groups. Use the start and finish lines.
- Mix the order per team so the teams spread out.
- Little kids: use the picture hunt with 6 to 12 items, and let them colour each picture when they find it.
- Safety first: set clear limits for where players may go, and send small kids with a grown-up.
- Photo hunts: for teens, ask for a photo of each item instead of the item itself.
Frequently asked questions
How many items should a scavenger hunt have?
For young kids, 6 to 12. For older kids and adults, 12 to 25. The card switches to two columns when the list is long.
Can I make a picture scavenger hunt?
Yes. Choose Picture hunt for little kids, or start each line with an emoji, like "🐞 Ladybug", and pick Big pictures. The pictures print in black and white, so kids can colour them in.
Can each team get its own card?
Yes. Type the team names, one per line. Each team gets a card with its name. Leave the box empty for one card with a blank team line.
Can I print two cards on one page?
Yes. Choose 2 (cut in half) in Team cards per page. This saves paper for big groups.
Does it work for a birthday or a holiday party?
Yes. Use the party list, the Christmas picture hunt, or your own list with a theme — and pick the Playful style.
Related tools
- Spin the Wheel — pick the teams or the first player at random
- Timer — a countdown for the hunt
- Printable Checklist — any list with tick boxes
- Bingo Card Generator — bingo cards with your own words for the party
- Certificate Generator — a prize certificate for the winning team
How to use it
- Pick a ready list, or type your own things to find, one per line
- Give the hunt a title
- Type the team names, one per line, for a card for each team
- Add clue cards if you want a treasure hunt
- Choose the Card layout — Checklist or Big pictures
- Choose the cards per page, the Style, the Colours and the Heading style
- Press Download PDF or Print, cut the cards and start the hunt
