The Thrill of the Hunt
Scavenger hunts are fun because they introduce the exciting elements of mystery, exploration, and problem solving. Most adults don’t have enough of that in their lives, at least not in a fun way. So when you make a scavenger hunt for adults, you’re offering everyone the best kind of challenge: a fun one. And what’s better than a scavenger hunt? A scavenger hunt party. A scavenger hunt party is all about the main activity: the hunt. It basically takes a fun scavenger hunt and turns it into a party where everyone also hangs out and socializes during/afterwards. If this sounds like a good time to you, let’s cover some ideas and start planning!
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How to Throw a Scavenger Hunt Party
1. Plan the Hunt
The primary part of your party planning will naturally be planning the scavenger hunt. You want to first decide what things you’ll hide, as well as where. Then you decide what to use as clues and where to put them. There is plenty of flexibility here – the idea is that you choose whatever treasures you think would be most fun, and which hiding spots and clues make the most sense. So while we’ll cover a basic blueprint here, modify things according to your style!
Ideas to use for hidden treasures:
- Miniature liquor bottles
- Pink cowboy hat bottle stopper
- Mini bottles of Tabasco sauce (you can never have too much!)
- Wall decal of a mouse reading a book in a mouse hole
- Candies (good ones, obviously – no Tootsie rolls or leftover Halloween candy from last year)
- Marbles
- A locket necklace with a tiny portrait of Jeff Goldblum inside
- Gift cards to fun local shops, restaurants, or services
- Turkish carpet drink coasters
- Intriguing costume jewelry from a thrift store
- An empty bottle corked with a rolled-up message inside reading positive affirmations
- Crystals and interesting rocks or fun fluorescent hyalite opal
- Bermuda rum cake candle
Places to hide treasures:
- In dresser drawers under clothes you don’t mind people touching
- Under the bathroom rug
- Nestled in a houseplant
- In the oven or toaster (just don’t turn it on!)
- In the pocket of a coat
- In a glove, hat, or other such article of clothing
- Inside of a shoe
- In a pillowcase on the bed or inside a throw pillow cover
- In a cereal box (but not inside the bag containing the actual cereal)
- Inside of a (clean!) diaper that’s fastened/bundled up
- In a guitar (it would have to be very small, of course)
What to use as clues:
- A note with the clue written on it (typed, handwritten, or magazine-letter-collage)
- A sketched map with an approximate location indicating where to find the next clue/treasure
- A drawing of where to find the next clue/treasure (such as a drawing of a specific drawer)
- A cryptic song lyric hinting at where to find the next clue or treasure (i.e. ‘If you like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain’ for something hidden in the stem of a pineapple next to the blender)
Each clue should lead to another until, finally, one leads to the final hidden treasure. How many iterations for clues you have is up to you – it could be just two for each hidden treasure, or maybe you go more extensive and have several. Have one with it, and don’t make it too complicated!
2. Decorate
Decorations aren’t really necessary for a scavenger hunt party, but they definitely help create a festive party atmosphere! And since you can always find inexpensive party supplies at any dollar store, it’s easy to throw up some classic colourful party décor like crepe paper streamers or confetti. Whether you favor balloons, fringe backdrops, or centerpieces, you can be as creative or minimal as you prefer.
3. Prepare Party Refreshments
Don’t forget about food and make your guests go hunting for that, too! Serve plenty of easy finger foods they can enjoy while exploring and/or before and after the hunt. Basics like tortilla chips and salsa, pita chips and hummus, crackers and pimiento cheese, a veggie platter, cheese board, and fruit salad are easy party staples. To drink, offer tasty hydrating beverages like flavoured sparkling waters, juice, tea, etc. You could also offer basic drinks like beer, wine, or whatever you and your friends most enjoy.
It’s easy to spend a lot on food but if you want to keep it thrifty, it’s best to prepare your own dishes rather than buy pre-made party platters. This means you need to plan your menu and set aside time to cook/prepare food in advance (included in your time block to-do list further below). While that takes a little more effort and preparation on your part, it also gives you more freedom over specific ingredients you provide. This is important, say, if someone is gluten free. Of course, you can always budget by inviting guests to BYOB and/or bring edible items to share. Most people are happy to contribute. But either way, be aware of any invited guests’ dietary restrictions and provide at least a couple of decent food/drink options for them as well.
4. Play Fun Party Music
Background music plays a big part in a party’s vibe. There is no one-size-fits-all – your audio choice depends on your taste and what sort of atmosphere you want to help create. Since a scavenger hunt is a competitive adventure, playing action/adventure movie-style music is a fun way to enhance that vibe. Or simply choose your favourite tunes and plan a fun playlist! As with any party, just keep it upbeat and palatable.
5. Establish Guest Participation
Guest participation is optional and involves how you’d like your guests to participate or contribute to your party. For example, you could make it a scavenger hunt potluck and ask everyone to bring a dish to share, and/or BYOB. Whatever you choose, make sure you clearly communicate such information when you initially invite people.
Always choose your guests mindfully and with their interests in mind. Prioritize friends who you know would most love a scavenger hunt. But don’t shy away from others who’ve maybe never done one. That doesn’t mean they won’t love it!
Checklist of Items You Need
Now that we’ve covered what you’ll need to do to plan and prepare for a scavenger hunt party, here is a list of all the tangible items to acquire for it:
- Scavenger hunt treasures (have at least as many as there are guests)
- Scavenger hunt clues (have fun and get creative with making these!)
- Basic party decorations (optional but encouraged)
- Party refreshments
- Music/speakers
Preparation Checklist for Your Scavenger Hunt Party
Most of these steps for party preparation apply to any type of party you host. So while we covered scavenger hunt-specific details and ideas above, below are basic party planning guidelines to neatly order each step of the process (you can find more thorough details in the Best Party Practices posts):
1. First, confirm that people can come on any chosen date
- Choose party date/time, and preferably alternative date(s) as well
- Choose guest list and establish minimum number of guests you’d like (to make it worth your effort)
- Six weeks out, confirm guests’ interest in the party and availability on chosen party date(s). The only details you’ll need to share at this time include what type of party it will be (scavenger hunt); any requested participation; party date and general time of day; and your address (or other location if elsewhere)
- This first step is just to get people to confirm that, barring unforeseen circumstances, they are able and willing to attend and will save the date to do so. If your preferred minimum number of guests confirm interest and availability, have them secure the calendar date for your awesome scavenger hunt!
2. Then, proceed with the fun planning
Out of all themes on Party Themes Galore, this one might be the most unconventional. It requires some extra creativity, thought, and effort on your part. That doesn’t mean it has to be overly complicated or take a ton of time, but you do need to be strategic. Otherwise, it won’t be much of a scavenger hunt! And while your friends will likely just appreciate a fun party nonetheless, you want to deliver – especially if this is something they’re excited about. So if you’re hosting a scavenger hunt, make it a good scavenger hunt! At least, put in your best effort and laugh it off later if it bombs.
So once you have your party date established, you first need to get out your calendar and map out when you plan to do every step of preparation. This means you schedule time for planning the scavenger hunt and every other preparation activity. If you don’t schedule time on your calendar early enough, you’ll have to scrounge at the last minute for less-than-exciting treasures and clue generation. And that won’t be nearly as amazing as what you’re capable of when you give yourself a chance to properly prepare. (For general clarification on what you can do to be a confident and prepared host, check out the How to Be a Good Party Host post).
Here’s a general overview of what you can expect to do leading up to the party:
- First, sit down and schedule time on your calendar for each step of party prep as listed below
- Create invitations with all the details and send them out 4 weeks before the party
- Order any party supplies (i.e. treasures, etc.) and decorations 3 weeks out (so they arrive in time to set up)
- Shop for any party supplies/treasures/decorations that you don’t order online, as well as any non-perishable food/drinks
- Hide your treasures (and write down where they are so that you don’t forget!)
- Make your clues (for expediency, these can be verbal clues that are typed)
- Acquire perishable food/drinks early enough in advance to prepare in time
- Set up decorations
- Prepare food/drinks (depending on how long things keep)
3. Day of Party
It’s very important to get as much party prep done far enough in advance that you have some time to yourself to relax come party day, especially if you’ve been busy. So be sure to plan your day-of-party preparations early enough to have that time and space to yourself as well. Within those amply planned/set-aside time slots, you can expect to do these preparations during the day of your party:
- Complete any last-minute food/drink prep that are too fresh to do any earlier
- Set up any quick/last-minute clues as needed, and party decorations (if not up already)
- Prepare music
- Get dressed in your favourite party outfit
- Once everything’s ready, take time for any preferred self-care activities that get you in a good headspace if you aren’t already. This is in your own and everybody else’s best interest (they’ll pick up on your contagiously good vibe)! You want to be a relaxed, energized, and happy host 😊
All Set to Host a Fun Scavenger Hunt Party
Ready…set…hunt! When you put intentional thought and care into planning a great scavenger hunt, your efforts will pay off and everyone will have a good time – which is most rewarding. Party planning should be enjoyable, which is why it’s so important to plan early enough in advance to give yourself plenty of time to prepare at your leisure. Unless someone else is paying your bills, you’re likely busy with your job and other responsibilities during most of the week. So start your scavenger hunt party planning early enough that you aren’t rushed and can really have fun with it. And always remember, at the end of the day, the goal is for you and your guests to have an awesome time – regardless of how everything turns out. So do your best, keep a flexible mindset, and have a fantastic scavenger hunt!