Easy Outdoor Scavenger Hunts For Kids With Riddles and Clues (With Indoor Treasure Hunts too!)

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If you are looking for an easy activity for bored kids, then planning a scavenger hunt might just be what you need! This guide has printable outdoor scavenger hunt clues, so you can set these treasure hunt riddles up in minutes! (I’ve included some indoor scavenger hunts too, in case going outside is not an option.) For more outdoor activity ideas for kids see this bumper guide and our nature walk activities for kids too!

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Easy Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Riddles For Kids

These rhyming treasure hunt riddles can also be re-used in case you want to host a kids scavenger hunt party or hold an Easter treasure hunt.

There are 20 outdoor scavenger hunt riddles for kids, which contain the most popular items found in back yards and gardens. You can use the clues for bigger events like a birthday party scavenger hunt, or easily set it up if you have one child who is looking for a fun game to play as they are bored inside.

Further below are another 20 ‘Find it’ clues which can also be used as an outdoor or indoor treasure hunt, a Spring scavenger hunt, an indoor treasure hunt plus a maths scavenger hunt.

What is a scavenger hunt?

A scavenger hunt or treasure hunt is a fun game where you follow clues or riddles and either collect small prizes (eg Easter eggs) or a larger prize at the end of the hunt. For an Easter scavenger hunt, you can even use plastic eggs to hold the clues in. I’ve more theming ideas down below.

It’s a very versatile game which can be played indoors or outdoors, making it a great way to get the kids outside, or to keep them busy on a rainy day. You can use outdoor or indoor scavenger hunt riddles which are just a sentence, or clues for your treasure hunt that rhyme, and even picture clues for younger ones.

Below the list is a link for you to download this list of scavenger hunt clues for kids so you can easily print them and cut to size.

How to Make a Riddle Scavenger Hunt

If you want to make your own outdoor scavenger hunt clues or scavenger hunt games, it is pretty quick and easy to do whether you are just trying to keep one child busy and occupied or throwing a larger themed birthday party or traditional Easter egg hunt. You can turn all the above scavenger hunt riddles into whatever theme you like or use on a family camping trip!

If you are wanting a quick way to occupy your child once they are on a school break, you can raid the dressing up box and toys for some props, or simply ‘age’ treasure clues with a wet tea-bag and use some pennies as real treasure.

if you have a bit more time to organise, then you can easily go to town with a theme, like some of the suggestions below:

Kids’ Scavenger Hunt Ideas & Theming

Hosting a scavenger hunt party for kids is easy: all you need are clues and either some small prizes along the way or a big prize to be shared for the end. Some theming ideas for a scavenger hunt at home including an outdoor treasure hunt or an indoor scavenger hunt are below:

2. A Nature Detective Treasure Hunt Game

• Give each kid an adventurers hat (they can even decorate it later as part of their party favor) and toy magnifying glass before they begin their adventure.
• Kids can pick up toy bugs or themed animal erasers, pencils next to the clue.
• Alternatively, each item found must be something in the garden like a leaf, stone, something soft, something hard etc. This nature detectives Go Find It card game is brilliant and all the hard work is done for you.
• Below is a free Spring checklist scavenger hunt which is printable and ideal for those with younger children.

#2 Free Printable Scavenger Hunts for Kids – Spring Checklist

3. Pirate Treasure Scavenger Hunt

• Age the clues by dabbing them with a tea bag and let them dry.
• Leave pirate coins and gems during the trail or at the end in a treasure chest.
• Kids can wear a pirate hat or eye patch.

4. Traditional Easter Egg Hunt

• Plastic eggs to hide little gifts in or even the clues.
• Use some Easter egg hunt signs or arrows.
• Decorate the trail with hanging eggs and other decorations.
• And don’t forget the Easter egg baskets.

When it is clear what your theme is and whether you are holding an outdoor or indoor treasure hunt, you can decide on the treasure hunt clues. Some options are:

• Indoor or outdoor picture cards – find the item on the card, which means everyone can play, even small kids. You can also quickly draw an object or cut out of a magazine and stick it as the item to be found. More details are below if you want to make your own find things treasure hunt.

• Rhyming treasure hunt riddles. There are some great online resources to help you make your own up, and it doesn’t take as long as you think! I really like this rhyme calculator too.

Prize ideas for a scavenger hunt

• Gold medals
• A golden egg
• Mini Trophies
• Pirate coins
• Treasure chest keys
• Jewels or gems
• Gold bar party favour box filled with chocolate coins and sweets/candy
• A treasure chest filled to the brim with treats so the kids can share the booty. (Make sure you have 1 of each item, per child!)

How to Make Your Own ‘Find Things’ Treasure Hunt

If you don’t want to buy treasure hunt cards or cards with scavenger hunt items like the brilliant Go Find It game, then you can make you own scavenger hunt clues for kids or visual treasure hunt questions.

This can be done by cutting out magazine or newspaper pictures and sticking to a sheet, and then kids can run around hunting for the treasure hunt items on the list. This also works perfectly for scavenger hunt clues for around the house.

Or for kids that can read, scavenger hunt clue ideas can include a simple list the items, or write down a subject, eg something that grows or something you wear, and they have to find an item that matches that criteria. Alternatively, for older kids, you can make more elaborate riddles, or rhyming riddles for them to solve.

Scavenger Hunt Supplies List

• Pre-printed lists or paper & magazines pictures, bought treasure hunt cards
• Pen or pencil to cross off the list items
• Bags or a basket for the items
• Timer
• Decorations (if for a party)
• Themed treasure gifts and prizes

Here is a printable list of treasure hunt ideas which is universal and can be used for an outdoor or indoor scavenger hunt game. You might want to add some rules like don’t bring anything back that is alive like a worm, a pet or a growing plant or flower!

#3 Free Printable Scavenger Hunts for Kids: Find Things Indoor or Outdoor Treasure Hunt List – click on the image to print

#4 Free Printable Scavenger Hunts for Kids: Find Things Indoor Treasure Hunt List – click on the image to print

#5 Free Printable Scavenger Hunts for Kids: Indoor Scavenger Hunt With CLues and Answers List – click on the image to print

#6 Free Printable Scavenger Hunts for Kids: Maths Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Pre-schooler, Kindergarten, Reception aged children – click on the image to print

Brilliant Activity Books for Scavenger Hunts and Walks

Lonely Planet 101 Things to do on a Walk

This book is jam-packed with a range of fun activities to do on a walk. Older kids aged 9-12 can do the activities themselves, but younger ones can help out too with a grown up reading the instructions.

I-SPY Woods – Kids will have fun collecting points outdoors with more than 140 things to find. From fungi to flowers, birds to badgers, they’ll learn all about nature along the way. And once they’ve scored 1000 points, super-spotters can claim their official i-SPY certificate and badge.

Lonely Planet 101 Things to do on a Walk

I-Spy Garden Birds – Kids will have fun collecting points with more than 140 bird-related things to find. From robins to blackbirds, seagulls to finches, they’ll learn all about birds on their doorstep.

I-Spy in the Countryside – Packed with puzzles, photos and things to spot in the countryside for hours of entertainment.

I-Spy on a Walk – From plants and animals to building a den.

Don’t forget:

• Make sure you have enough pencils or pens and spares plus a sharpener to hand.
• Always have some back up prizes in case something doesn’t work out as you planned.
• Make sure the rules are clear before you start to stop any arguments or cries of “that’s not fair!”
• Think about the ages of the kids involved. You may want to consider teams, or matching up a child that can read with the younger one as a partner helping to look. Or use pictures if the scavenger hunt is for pre-schoolers.
• Keep an eye on the weather, have a back up plan in case you need to bring the treasure hunt game inside.

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