Along with escape rooms, scavenger hunts are enjoying a real boost in popularity – and even more so recently, as unlike escape rooms a scavenger hunt can take place outdoors, with only people in your household or bubble and therefore they’re easily adaptable to Covid precautionary times.

If you’re interested in a London scavenger hunt for your friends or a countryside clue trail as a family day out, it’s worth looking at the different kinds that are available and asking how scavenger hunts work.

Matchbox Scavenger Hunts

One of the simplest versions of the idea, the matchbox scavenger is an activity we may all remember from our childhoods. You simply fill a matchbox (or another handy small receptacle like a yoghurt pot or even a takeaway container!) with items from a list devised by an adult, or most simply, something starting with every letter of the alphabet from A-Z.

This is a good idea to keep kids occupied for an hour or two, but if you’re interested in a more special ‘event’ it may be a little simplistic.

On Wheels

Scavenger hunts are also a traditional way to pass a long car journey. Come up with a list of things to spot out the window on your journey – potentially with extra prizes for being the first to spot certain things, like notable landmarks on the sea, your destination or the sea!

You can make a generic list, or plan in advance and tailor it to the journey you’re taking to make it a little more special. You could even use a scavenger hunt to break the news to kids that they’re off for a really special summer holiday!

Scavenger hunts like this are also a good fit for train journeys, even planes, if you have a window seat.

The Modern Scavenger Hunt

Mobile phones have made scavenger hunts a bit more interesting and responsive. If you want to explore a new area or see your home city through new eyes, you can find plenty of companies offering scavenger hunts themed in lots of different ways. Whether you’re more interested in local history, a compelling story or comedy, you’ll find something to suit.

Clues might be delivered all at once as a download, or sent to your phone as you solve each previous one – and find each item on the scavenger hunt. This means they can get more complicated and ambitious with branching paths and clues and hints to help you on your way.