Inside: Best Neighborhood scavenger hunt ideas to fun in the sun.
I think that there are so many unused scavenger hunt ideas out there, and this is an absolute shame. The truth is, you can make a scavenger hunt for any occasion, even something as simple as getting to know your neighborhood.
If you have any little kids in your house, it can be very helpful for them to know their way around your neighborhood. Obviously, in an ideal world, they wouldn’t find themselves lost and unsupervised, but we all know how talented kids can be at doing the exact things that we tell them not to. So today, I am going to go over neighborhood scavenger hunt ideas.
These will help your kids learn their way around your neighborhood in a fun and informational way that doesn’t feel like a bore. Kids will retain information more if it is presented to them in a fun way, so this will be great.
Table of Contents
Printable Neighborhood scavenger hunt ideas
First things first, I thought I would start out with some great printable options for your neighborhood scavenger hunt. These are some of the cutest options out there, and they are full of some great staples that you will be able to find around your neighborhood. Check these out!
1. Big Neighborhood Hunt Idea – This first one on the list is one of my favorites because they put so much thought into it. I find that scavenger hunts like these work best for kids ages 7-10. That is because they are able to read along and have fun with this style of game.
2. Cute Photo Scavenger Hunt – When it comes to little kids, I think having a scavenger hunt that has photos of the items they are supposed to find is a must. This is because they might have a hard time reading, and the photos will make it easier for them.
3. Neighborhood Scavenger Game – Neighborhood scavenger hunts can look different for each person. So if you don’t connect with any on this list, don’t worry. I have created a list of great ideas down below that you can use if you are planning on DIYing your own.
4. Perfect Scavenger Hunt Idea – I love the little cartoon images of the things your kids are supposed to find. This person used really artistic photos and I think it improves the overall look of this scavenger hunt.
5. Simple Photo Scavenger Hunt – And lastly, I thought I would finish us off with a simpler option. You don’t need your scavenger hunt to be all decked out in order to have fun when you are on it. So check this idea out.
How to make your own scavenger hunt
Next up, we have my list of ideas for those of you who want to make your own scavenger hunt rather than print one. But before we get into the ideas, I thought I should briefly cover how to make your own scavenger hunt.
Step one
You are going to want to decide whether you want to make little scavenger hunt cards or if you want a checklist on paper. Personally, for this style of game, I think it works best with a checklist paper. The little cue cards are best if you are hiding things for them to find, but with a neighborhood scavenger hunt, the things you are finding are already there.
Step Two
Now you get to make your checklist. You can do this by hand, or you can do it on a computer. I recommend the ladder that way you can print out more than one, and you can save yourself some hand aches.
Take a look at the lists below to get ideas of what you can add. Try and think if there is anything specific and personal you can add to yours that your child would get a kick out of finding. Really make it your own.
Step Three
Lastly, pick a nice day to go out, and then get out there. All you really need are some pens and your list. Then you can walk around with your family and watch as your kids check things off their list and get to know their area a little better!
Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt Ideas
Now for all of you DIY lovers out there, this is your time to shine. I have a whole list of different things that you can add into your scavenger hunt that you can pick through until you are left with the perfect list of things you know your kids can find in your neighborhood. This is going to be so much fun!
6. Find a Bike
7. Find a yellow Flower
8. Find a welcome sign
9. Find a brown house
10. Find a purple sign
11. Find a stop sign
12. Find your house numbers
13. Find a basketball hoop
14. Find a basketball
15. Find a scooter
Fun Things to Find in Your Neighborhood
Next up, I have a list of some fun things to find in your neighborhood. I like the idea of having scavenger hunts that don’t exist just for people to find presents, but rather they exist to help people become more present. So cool, right? I hope you love these ideas. I kept them simple but cute!
16. Find a red car
17. Find a green truck
18. Find a trash can
19. Find a flower garden
20. Find a dog in a yard
21. Find a White Fence
22. Find a mailbox
23. Find a Wreath
24. Find a wind chime
25. Find a birdhouse
26. Find a Grill
27. Find a long hose
28. Find a sprinkler
29. Find a lawn decoration
30. Find a little gnome
Helpful Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt Ideas
And lastly, here I have put some things that you can add to your list that would help your little one with finding their way home if they were to ever get lost. These are things that they will be able to identify, and they can lead them back home if something were to happen where they were separated.
31. Find a no parking zone
32. Find a fire hydrant
33. Find your neighbor’s house
34. Find a street sign
35. Find a cat
36. Find a big tree
37. Find a street lamp
38. Find a no soliciting sign
39. Find a street drain
40. Find a daisy
41. Find a flag
I hope you loved these neighborhood scavenger hunt ideas that you can do with your child to help them remember their way back home. This is also a wonderful way to get to know your neighborhood if you are new to the area.
Moving somewhere new can be fun but also scary. Getting to know your area is the best way to help you feel more at home. If you loved this scavenger hunt idea, I think you would also get a kick out of some of our other scavenger hunt ideas! There are plenty, so you’ll never be bored again.
The important part about this scavenger hunt, whether you are using it to teach your child to be aware of their surroundings or if you are doing it just to do it, is to have fun.