Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is a game where teams race to find a list of hidden or hard-to-find items, usually by following clues. You win by finding everything first, or by finding the most before time runs out. Take it into the woods and you get trees, trails and endless hiding places. Grown-up competitiveness does the rest.

The list hunt is the classic. You get a list of things to find and the deep satisfaction of ticking each one off.

The clue trail is for puzzle lovers. Crack a riddle, find the next spot, repeat until your brain hurts in a good way.

The nature hunt sends you looking for things in the wild, like a feather, a pine cone or a very specific leaf.

The photo hunt swaps collecting for snapping, which is handy when the item is a tree. The treasure hunt ends with one glorious prize at the end of the trail.

Your Activity Leader sets out the rules, splits everyone into teams and hands over the list or the first clue. Then you're off. Goodies could be wedged behind a trunk, tucked under a log or dangling from a branch, so look everywhere, including up. Race around, argue over riddles and celebrate every find like you've just won the league.

Oh yes. There's something brilliantly silly about scrambling round a forest looking for hidden things like you're 10 again. It's easy to join in and great for teamwork. It also brings out everyone's inner strategist (and now and then their inner sore loser). No experience needed, just a sharp eye and a willingness to crawl under a bush if the clue says so.

Channel the animals. Scan high and low like a hawk, sneak like a squirrel, refuse to give up like a badger and outwit the rest like a fox. Split up to cover more ground but stay within shouting distance. Read every clue twice before you sprint off in the wrong direction. Ask us how we know.

You might also like Geo Treasure Hunt, Escape & Evade and Orienteering.

See all Camp Wildfire activities