It’s therefore perfect for English teachers, parents who homeschool their kids or ESL teachers to use, although can be just as fun when played in other environments like a youth group.

About Homophones

Before we describe how to organize this scavenger hunt, you may be wondering what homophones are. A quick description is that they’re words that sound the same but have different meanings. For a more thorough definition, see this explanation on Homophone List.

For example, dear and deer are homophones, as are bare and bear. Homophone List also have further examples of common homophones here.

So here’s how to organize the game:

Resources

• Scavenger hunt list (see below)
• Pens
• Cameras (optional)

Preparation

None

Teams

If organizing this homophone activity for English homework, this should be played individually.

However, it could also be played in small teams with a youth group or even in a classroom at school if you want to have students helping each other.

Instructions

Give each of the players a copy of the list below and a pen. Explain that the list contains 20 different words, each of which have a homophone that’s an item of food.

Their first task is work out what all the food-themed homophones are and write them down.

Further Tasks

You should then set them another task – which one you choose will depend on what will work best for your group:

1. Item – Players have to find and collect an example of each food item
2. Photo – Players have to find each type of food and take a photo of it (for this option, they’ll obviously need access to a camera – cellphone cameras are fine)

Tip

If choose the first option above and have players physically collect all of the items, set a rule that they can’t bring back any perishable food – that way, food won’t get wasted. The exception would be if you’re playing this at home with your own kids, where you could return food straight to the fridge or freezer.

There are ways that they can get around this. For example, ‘fish’ could be a can of tuna fish, ‘meat’ could be beef jerky, etc. An exception can be made for ‘pea’, as the teams will only need to bring one pea, not a whole bag of frozen peas.

List

Here’s the list of 20 words along with their matching homophones. Beneath this is a link to download a free printable copy of the list – that copy is missing the answers as it’s what you’ll be giving the players.

1. Been / bean
2. Bury / berry
3. Bred / bread
4. Cachou / cashew
5. Karat / carrot
6. Serial / cereal
7. Chilly / chili
8. Phish / fish
9. Flower / flour
10. Gored / gourd
11. Deuce / juice
12. Meet / meat
13. Mince / mints
14. Mustered / mustard
15. Pair / pear
16. Pee / pea
17. Source / sauce
18. Cede / seed
19. Tee / tea
20. Time / thyme

Printable Homophone Scavenger Hunt List

It’s a great way to get unique lasting memories for the bride and groom, while also being a good icebreaker for people sitting at the same table who may never have met each other before.

Here’s how to organize it:

Resources

• Wedding photo scavenger hunt list (see below)
• Pens
• Disposable cameras (optional)

Preparation

Given how busy you’ll be preparing a wedding, there’s thankfully not much preparation needed to organize this scavenger hunt.

All you need to do is ensure that every table at the wedding reception has a copy of the list and a pen. If you want, you could also provide disposable cameras for each table, although that’s not essential as people could use the cameras they already have with them.

Instructions

Advise the wedding guests at the reception that you’ve organized a photo scavenger hunt for them to take part in. This can either be done by the MC or by leaving a note on each table with the other resources.

Explain that there’s a list on each table containing 15 scenes you’d like them to take a picture of. Their task is to take all 15 photos throughout the reception, either using the disposable cameras (if you’ve provided them) or their digital cameras / smartphones.

Photos

If you’ve chosen to use disposable cameras, ask the guests to leave them on their tables at the end of the wedding reception and arrange for someone to collect them and develop the photos.

For digital photos taken by guests using their own cameras, set up either a Flickr group or Facebook group where they can upload their photos. This also has the benefit of guests being able to see each other’s photos, plus it’ll be cheaper than developing pictures from disposables.

Photo List

Here’s a wedding photo scavenger hunt list of 15 different scenes for the guests to take photos of.

Beneath this is a link for a free printable copy of the list – please feel free to print as many copies as you need for your wedding.

1. Bride and groom kissing
2. Flowers
3. Two kids dancing
4. Table centerpiece
5. Bride hugging someone who’s not the groom
6. Groom giving a speech
7. Bride and groom dancing
8. People toasting the married couple
9. Someone laughing
10. The wedding cake being cut
11. Group photo of everyone at your table
12. Couple who have been married the longest
13. Someone crying
14. The official photographer taking a photo
15. Wedding rings

Printable Wedding Photo Scavenger Hunt List

This idea is fun, easy to plan and encourages your kids to think creatively.

Here’s how to play it:

Resources

• Pen (optional)
• Paper (optional)

Preparation

None. See, we told you it was easy to plan!

Rules

It’s quite simple really – explain to your kids that their challenge is to find Santa Claus in as many different types of places as they can.

With older kids, don’t give them much (or any) guidance – have them try to find the different images of Santa for themselves.

Younger kids might need some additional help though, so we have a list of suggestions below.

List

Here are some ideas of different places that your children might be able to find Santa:

1. Christmas tree ornament
2. Mall Santa
3. Christmas card
4. Yard decoration
5. TV advert
6. Coca-Cola bottle
7. Gift labels
8. Christmas party invitation
9. Clothing
10. Book
11. Stocking
12. Candy wrapper
13. Wrapping paper
14. Billboard
15. Dollar store ornament
16. Blanket
17. Stuffed toy
18. Advent calendar

This isn’t a comprehensive list – they’ll hopefully be able to find him in even more places.

Type Of Scavenger Hunt

If you’re splitting the players into teams, it can be played as an item scavenger hunt – this is where teams have to collect the items with Santa on them. This would mean some of the ideas listed above wouldn’t be viable, as they’re unlikely to be able to bring a mall Santa or billboard home with them!

If you’re playing this together as one group (or with just one child), you can still have them collect the items. Alternatively, play it as an observational scavenger hunt, which means that they only need to see the different Santas rather than collect them. This is where a pen and some paper might be useful, so that they can keep track of how many different places they saw him.

Prize

If you want to offer a prize at the end of this Christmas scavenger hunt, see if you can find some candy for your kids that has Santa on the wrapper.

Other Ideas

We have loads more Christmas scavenger hunt ideas, lists, riddles and clues – check out all of them here!

This video scavenger hunt is perfect for using with a church youth group, although could be used with other groups of kids or adults of any age.

There’s also a free printable sheet below with Christmas carol lyrics that you can use – keep reading to get your copy.

Here’s how to organize it:

Resources

• Words to Christmas carols (see below)
• Cameras or phones capable of taking video footage
• Pens

Preparation

None needed.

Teams

This will be most fun when played in small teams of 3-5 people, although can also be played individually or in pairs.

Location

The best place to play this scavenger hunt would be at a mall, due to all the people who will be there.

Alternatively, if you’re planning this for a church youth group, it could be done after a church service – the young people can then try to recruit adults from the main congregation to be part of the videos.

Instructions

Give the players all the resources listed above, or have them use their own phones for recording.

Explain that the sheet has lyrics from 15 different Christmas carols; their task is to find (at least*) 15 different members of the public who are willing to sing a section from one of the carols.

They then need to film the people singing, with each video lasting no longer than 15 seconds.

Set a time limit that they have to be completed by, then send them off to hunt for carolers!

* Teams can have more than 15 people be part of the videos, in case couples, families, friends, etc want to sing together. This rule is simply there to make the game harder, so that teams don’t have just one person singing all 15 carols.

Upload

Once the scavenger hunt has finished, upload the videos to Youtube so that everyone can watch each other’s clips.

Alternatively, use Instagram Video to record as those videos are restricted to being no longer than 15 seconds.

Points

You can award points using the ideas listed below, or you can come up with your own scoring system:

• 1 point for each carol that’s sung (so a maximum of 15 points)
• 2 points for the first team to complete all 15 carols
• Bonus points based on quality of singing voices, if a video was funny, etc
• Deduct half a point for each video that lasts longer than 15 seconds

Christmas Carol Scavenger Hunt List

Here’s a list of 15 sets of lyrics from different Christmas carols for you to use.

Beneath this is a link for a printable sheet containing these same lyrics – please feel free to print off as many copies as you need when playing this.

1. Angels We Have Heard On High

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

2. Away In A Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head

3. Do You Hear What I Hear?

Said the king to the people everywhere
Listen to what I say
Pray for peace people everywhere
Listen to what I say

4. The First Noel

Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel

5. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day

6. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

7. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold

8. Joy To The World

And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing

9. Little Drummer Boy

Come, they told me, pa rum pa pum pum
A newborn King to see, pa rum pa pum pum

10. O Come O Come Emmanuel

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel

11. O Holy Night

O hear the angel voices
O night divine!
O night when Christ was born

12. O Little Town Of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by

13. Silent Night

Silent night, Holy night
All is calm, all is bright

14. We Three Kings

O star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect Light

15. What Child Is This?

Raise, raise a song on high
The virgin sings her lullaby
Joy, joy for Christ is born
The babe, the Son of Mary

Printable Christmas Carol Scavenger Hunt List

Other Ideas

If you liked this festive suggestion, be sure to take a look at all of our other Christmas scavenger hunt ideas – we have loads more free printable lists, riddles and clues for you to use.

It’s a great ‘Getting To Know You‘ activity that’s perfect for using with friends, at an office Christmas party or as a festive team building game.

It also includes a free printable list of 20 questions for you to use – keep reading to get your copy.

Here’s how to play it:

Resources

• Questions list (see below)
• Pens

Preparation

None needed.

Teams

This is a game played individually, although it still works well as a team building scavenger hunt as players have a chance to get to know each other better by asking all the questions.

Instructions

Give each person a copy of the questions and a pen. Explain that their task is to go around the room and try to find different people who can answer ‘Yes’ to each of the questions.

When they find someone, they should write their name down in the right-hand column (both first and last name) and then find someone else who can answer ‘Yes’ to a different question.

Players aren’t allowed to write down their own name on their sheet.

Set a time limit that everyone needs to be completed by, then send them off hunting for people!

Points

There are a few different ways that points can be earned and lost – make sure that these are all explained to players before you start:

• Players earn one point for each question that they’re able to match against someone else in the room
• The first person to match up people for all 20 questions earns two bonus points
• Subtract one point each time a person’s name appears twice or more on the same list – this is to encourage players to speak to as many different people at the Christmas party as possible

The person with the highest score once all these points have been taken into account is the winner.

Scavenger Hunt Questions

Here’s the list of 20 different questions that people will have to ask each other.

Beneath this list is a link for a free printable sheet containing these same questions – please feel free to print as many copies as you need when organizing this Christmas party game.

1. Were you at least 1 week overdue when you were born?
2. Do you have an older sister?
3. Have you ever been on TV?
4. Can you touch your nose with your tongue?
5. Have you had at least 10 different jobs?
6. Can you speak at least two other languages?
7. Have you visited at least 15 different countries?
8. Do you own a purple car?
9. Have you ever gone bungee jumping?
10. Do you have a Z in your middle name?
11. Are you allergic to dogs?
12. Do you have more than 10 keys with you?
13. Can you play the piano?
14. Do you have on socks that don’t match?
15. Have you run a marathon?
16. Did you not pass your driving test the first time?
17. Do you have green eyes?
18. Do you own at least 5 pets?
19. Do you have a photo of your partner in your wallet?
20. Have you never watched Star Wars?

Printable Christmas Party Scavenger Hunt Questions

Other Christmas Games

If you liked this idea, make sure you take a look at all of our other ideas for Christmas scavenger hunts.

We’ve provided some ideas below for how to use them, plus we’ve produced a free printable sheet containing these riddles to make it easier for you to organize – keep reading to get your copy.

If you like these ideas, we have loads more Christmas scavenger hunt riddles here and here, plus you can find many other Christmas riddles at our sister site Riddles For Kids.

We’ve mentioned that these are great for using with kids, but they could just as easily be used with adults – why should children have all the fun?!

Here’s how to organize the scavenger hunt:

Resources

• Riddles (see below)
• Scissors
• 10 ornaments (optional – see below for the list)
• 10 pictures (optional – see below for the list)

Instructions

There are a number of different ways that you can use these scavenger hunt riddles – here are some ideas:

1. Find The Ornaments

For this idea you’ll need 10 different Christmas ornaments, one for each of the riddle answers below. Hang them in random places around the house – perhaps two in five different rooms.

Give your kids the riddles and have them work out all the answers. Once they’ve done that, send them off to hunt for all the different ornaments.

If you want to make it a little harder, hang up many other different types of ornaments around the house – that way, the correct ornaments won’t be found so easily.

If you want to use this option, the answers in the list of riddles below have links to the different Christmas ornaments on Amazon.

2. Get Your Gifts

To prepare for this option, hide your kids’ gifts in different places around the house, making sure you note down where you put each of them.

When you’re ready to play the scavenger hunt, give your kids the first riddle. When they guess correctly, let them know where their first gift is hidden. Once they’ve found it, give them the second riddle and continue until they’ve found all 10 gifts.

If you haven’t bought them as many as 10 gifts, you could either use fewer riddles or hide some candy instead.

To double up on this scavenger hunt idea, use this suggestion with our Christmas clues.

3. Picture This

Print off pictures of all 10 items listed below and put them up in different places indoors. Have your kids answer the riddles, then send them off hunting for images of the items.

To make it harder, organize it in a similar way to the ornament idea above by sticking up many other different Christmas images around the house. That way, the pictures they need to look for won’t be so immediately obvious.

Christmas Scavenger Hunt Riddles

Here’s the list of 10 different riddles for you to use with one of the ideas above, or an idea of your own.

Beneath this list is a link for a free printable sheet containing all these riddles – that way, you can simply cut them up and have them ready to go.

1. Snowflake

Dropping from the sky
More beautiful than rain
There are no two pieces
That’ll ever look the same

2. Santa Claus

When he gets on his vehicle
He tells his animals to go go go
And he’s a jolly old fellow
As he is always going ho ho ho

3. Penguin

My wings are used as flippers
So in water I can flow
Sometimes when on land I slide
On my belly in the snow

4. Stocking

These oversized socks are hung
Up above the fireplace
Where they’re stuffed with lots of gifts
To put a smile on your face

5. Snowman

You have to make him quickly
Not much time to have some fun
He won’t stick around for long
Once he’s been out in the sun

6. Candy Cane

I’m usually seen at Christmas
But I’m not a stocking or a bell
I am red and white in color
And shaped a bit like the letter L

7. Bells

If you hear these jingling around
The night just before Christmas Day
You had better try to get to sleep
As you are hearing Santa’s sleigh

8. Gingerbread House

You might make this at Christmas
So that you can stuff your face
A cake, icing and candy
An edible dwelling place

9. Snow Globe

If you take a look inside me
What is it that can be seen?
At rest there is a whitened ground
When shaken, a wintry scene

10. Reindeer

When going around the world
This animal can find the way
It goes to every country
While helping pull Santa’s sleigh

Printable Christmas Scavenger Hunt Riddles

Other Ideas

If you liked these suggestions and riddles, be sure to check out all our other Christmas scavenger hunt ideas.

It continues on from the first of our ideas with this theme, but has a new set of clues and a new free printable worksheet – it’s still perfect for either using in the classroom or for handing out as a piece of science homework.

Here’s a quick recap for how to organize this activity:

Resources

• Worksheet (see below)
• Periodic table
• Pens

Preparation

There’s no preparation needed for this periodic table activity.

Instructions

Give your kids a copy of the worksheet which has 10 sets of different elements.

Explain to them that their task is to find each of the elements on the periodic table and then write down their symbols in the same order.

When read together, each set of symbols will spell out a word – in this case, each word is a type of food.

Chemistry Scavenger Hunt Worksheet

As mentioned above, here’s a list of 10 sets of elements for you to use, as well as the answers for each one.

Beneath this list is a link for the free printable worksheet – please feel free to print as many copies as you need for each of the kids in your classroom.

1. Praline

Praseodymium, aluminum, iodine, neon

2. Honey

Holmium, neon, yttrium

3. Stew

Sulfur, tellurium, tungsten

4. Onion

Oxygen, nickel, oxygen, nitrogen

5. Raisins

Radium, iodine, silicon, nitrogen, sulfur

6. Yams

Yttrium, americium, sulfur

7. Olives

Oxygen, lithium, vanadium, einsteinium

8. Herbs

Helium, rubidium, sulfur

9. Snickers

Tin, iodine, carbon, potassium, erbium, sulfur

10. Pasta

Phosphorus, arsenic, tantalum

Printable Chemistry Scavenger Hunt Worksheet – Food Elements Part 2

It’s a great way to have some fun outdoors and can be used with kids, youth groups or adults.

This is how to organize it:

Resources

• Scavenger hunt list (see below)
• Pens
• Cameras (optional)

Preparation

None needed.

Location

Your neighborhood, or a nearby one that has a lot of houses with outdoor Christmas lights and decorations.

Teams

This can be played as one group if used as a family activity, in smaller teams with youth groups or pairs if playing with adults.

Instructions

Give each team / player a copy of the list below and a pen. Explain that their task is to walk around the neighborhood to see how many outdoor Christmas yard decorations they can find that are on the list.

If playing with more than one team, set a time limit that they have to return by – if possible, have some hot apple cider ready for when they get back.

Team Option

If playing this with two or more teams, it might be worth organizing this as a photo scavenger hunt. To do this, ensure each team / player has a camera – cell phone cameras are fine.

They then have to take photos of each Christmas yard decoration as proof that they’ve seen each one.

At the end, display all the photos on your TV or a large computer monitor for everyone to see each other’s photos.

List

Here’s a list of 20 different outdoor decorations for the players to find.

Beneath this is a free printable scavenger hunt list containing the same items – please feel free to print as many copies as you need when organizing this game.

1. Snoopy
2. Rudolph with a glowing nose
3. Santa in a sleigh
4. Inflatable snow globe
5. Strings of lights with at least 300 light bulbs
6. Nativity scene
7. Toy soldier
8. Penguin
9. Candy cane
10. Snowman
11. Snowflake
12. Angel
13. Star
14. Polar bear
15. Gingerbread man
16. Train
17. Grinch
18. Bells
19. Elf
20. Mickey Mouse

Printable Neighborhood Christmas Scavenger Hunt List

Other Ideas

If you liked this suggestion, be sure to check out all our other ideas for Christmas scavenger hunts here.

These rhyming clues will lead your kids to different places around the house, helping create even more excitement before they get to open their presents.

We’ve also provided a free printable sheet to make it even easier to organize – keep reading to get your copy.

Here’s how to plan it:

Resources

• Scavenger hunt clues (see below)
• Sticky tape
• 10 Christmas gifts for your kids
• Scissors

Preparation

Print off the sheet of clues below and cut them into 10 pieces. Alternatively, you could write them out on post-it notes which will make it easier to stick to the gifts.

Next, decide which presents you want to hide in each of the locations listed below, particularly taking into account the size of them. It’s also best if the main gift (if there is one) is placed under the Christmas tree for the final clue.

When you’re hiding the gifts, stick the clues to them – the second clue should be attached to the first gift, the third clue to the second gift, etc. That way, once you’ve given your kids the first clue, they can find their way around the house to all of the hidden presents.

If you’re not planning on giving your children 10 gifts, use candy for the rest of the clues so that they still have 10 things to find.

Rules

Explain to your kids that this year, you’ve hidden (or Santa’s hidden) their gifts around the house.

You have some good news for them though – there are some rhyming clues to help them find all the gifts.

Give them the first clue and have them work out where the first item has been placed. This item will then have the clue for the second item attached.

Their challenge is to find all of their presents.

Christmas Scavenger Hunt Clues

Here’s the list of 10 clues for you to use – they also state where you should hide each item.

Beneath this list is a link for the free printable sheet containing these same clues.

1. Under Pillow

Your first item
That you get to keep
Is under where
Your head rests to sleep

2. Fridge

You need to read this clue
If you want to be told
Where your next item is
It’s where food is kept cold

3. Behind The TV

The next hiding place
You need to know
Is behind what plays
Your favorite show

4. Oven

If you can find your next gift
You’ll be in a good mood
So go and take a good look
Somewhere that you can cook food

5. Washing Machine

For your fifth of your Christmas clues
And to make your gift pile grow
This scavenger hunt’s taking you
Where clothes are washed as white as snow

6. Sink

The last hiding place fills with water
And this next one can do so too
There are several around the house
Where washing hands is what you do

7. Closet

You’re doing really well at this
You’re giving it a good try
The next thing that you’re looking for
Is where clothes get hung when dry

8. Behind Curtains / Blinds

This is the eighth of your clues
So the end is in sight
Now go look behind some things
That help keep out the light

9. Dining Chair

Are you feeling tired?
Do you need to take a seat?
Check the place where you sit
When you have something to eat

10. Christmas Tree

For your tenth and final Christmas clue
The place that you need to go
Is beneath something that has needles
Even though it doesn’t sew

Printable Christmas Scavenger Hunt Clues

Even More Clues

If you liked these ideas, check out this idea from last Christmas that has similar rhyming clues for even more places around the house to hide your gifts.

It comes complete with a free printable worksheet and is ideal for using in the classroom at school or for handing out as a homework assignment to help your students learn the elements on the periodic table.

Here’s how to organize it:

Resources

• Periodic table
• Pens
• Worksheet (see below)

Preparation

None needed (always the best kind of activities for teachers!)

Instructions

Give each of your kids a copy of the worksheet that contains a list of different elements found on the periodic table.

Their task is to find each of the elements and write down their symbols in the same order.

These symbols will then spell out different words, all of which are types of food.

Chemistry Scavenger Hunt Worksheet

Here’s a list of 10 different sets of elements whose symbols spell out different types of food, as well as the answers for each one.

Beneath this list is a link for a worksheet that contains the same clues – please feel free to print this as many times as you need for your students.

1. Lasagna

Lanthanum, sulfur, silver, sodium

2. Cashews

Calcium, sulfur, helium, tungsten, sulfur

3. Bacon

Boron, actinium, oxygen, nitrogen

4. Cupcakes

Copper, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, einsteinium

5. Cereal

Cerium, rhenium, aluminum

6. Chocolate

Carbon, holmium, carbon, oxygen, lanthanum, tellurium

7. Almonds

Aluminum, molybdenum, neodymium, sulfur

8. Bananas

Barium, sodium, sodium, sulfur

9. Cinnamon

Carbon, indium, sodium, molybdenum, nitrogen

10. Tacos

Tantalum, cobalt, sulfur

Printable Chemistry Scavenger Hunt Worksheet – Food Elements Part 1

Other Ideas

If you liked this idea, check out all our other chemistry scavenger hunt ideas.