How to Plan a Teenage Scavenger Hunt Party
During a scavenger hunt, players work together in teams searching for specific items or performing certain tasks that are written on a predetermined list. In some scavenger hunts, a points value is assigned to each item on the list, and the team with the most points at the end of the hunt -- points earned by performing the tasks or finding items on the list -- wins. In some scavenger hunts, the winning team is the one that has crossed the most items of its list by completing tasks or finding listed items. Though scavenger hunts require advance planning, they can be fun additions to teen birthday parties, class parties or teen group parties. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Consider how many teens will be attending the party and make a list of kids to invite.
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Choose a location for the scavenger hunt. When doing so, consider the safety of the teens, how they will be chaperoned, and how they will be transported from one location to another if multiple locations are involved. The scavenger hunt can also take place in one location, like a shopping mall, your home or a school. Choose a specific meeting point to begin the scavenger hunt and a rendezvous point where everyone will meet at a designated ending time.
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Determine the type of scavenger hunt the teens will be doing. Some scavenger hunts involve driving around town taking pictures of items on the list; some involve collecting physical items around a house or neighborhood, like a paper clip, an apple, etc. There are also service scavenger hunts, where teams go door to door in a neighborhood doing a list of service tasks -- sweeping someone's floor, raking leaves, etc. Teens can also be given a list of silly tasks to perform; for this type of scavenger hunt, a shopping mall can be an ideal location. Examples of the tasks could be serenading a store clerk, performing a group tap dance in the food court, etc.
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Compile a list of activities to be completed -- or items to be collected -- for the scavenger hunt, depending on which type of hunt the teens will be participating in. If you wish to, you can assign a points value to each item, awarding higher points for the more difficult tasks; at the end of the hunt, the team with the most points wins. In lieu of awarding points for tasks completed, the winning team can also be the team that has completed the most tasks within the given time frame.
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Send out invitations that include pertinent information regarding the party time, date and location. Invitations should also provide information for the teens' parents regarding what the teens will be doing, if they will be moving from one location to another, how they will be transported and chaperoned, etc.
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Divide the teens into teams. Provide each team with a list of the things they will be looking for or tasks they will be performing, a pen, and a digital camera or cell phone for picture taking, if needed. Many teens have cell phones, so if photos are needed you can ask one member of each team, who has a phone, to be in charge of photos. Go over the rules with each team regarding the rendezvous point, ending time and boundaries for the scavenger hunt.
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Enlist the help of some of the party guests' parents to aid in leading the groups, chaperoning and driving team members from one location to another if multiple locations will be involved.
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Provide the teens with refreshments after the scavenger hunt has concluded. If your scavenger hunt location is in a public place, like a mall, make arrangements for a nearby vendor to host your party. For a birthday party, you can serve birthday cake after the hunt concludes.
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Tips & Warnings
Purchase small prizes to award each member of the winning team. Gift cards in small denominations, small pocket or travel games, sunglasses, hats or key chains are some possible prizes.
If the scavenger hunt involves driving from one location to another, advise the parents if teens will be doing the driving.
References
- Photo Credit checklist of the public health service image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com
