On the Hunt for Gnomes, Fairies or other fun characters.
You have landed here because you are looking for a scavenger hunt. In partnership with Little Free Libraries, we have held LFL Scavenger Hunts in 60 cities with organized hunts and clues with people participating across North America and Great Britain. You can plan your own Scavenger Hunt to celebrate the National Day of Unplugging (or any time!) using these tips below whether you have an LFL, a business with just one location or several. We have many ideas to inspire you to unplug and have some fun!
What is a scavenger hunt?
A scavenger hunt is a game, typically played in an extensive outdoor area, in which participants collect a number of miscellaneous objects or look for clues/trivia pertaining to a particular theme. A scavenger hunt is a great way to engage a group of people (students, volunteers, employees, family members) while they leave their screens behind.
Different types of scavenger hunts
There can be several types of scavenger hunts and the details are left up to the organizer(s) and their creativity. Here are some options we like to suggest:
Hide items in one location (example: a garden center or museum-think easter egg hunt style)
Indoors searching for clues around the house or your backyard
Multiple stops with posted clues (example: businesses or Little Free Libraries located in a community)
Considerations when choosing the best kind of scavenger hunt for your community
What is your purpose? Is it community building or a fun activity for an existing group?
Do you have the resources you need or will you need assistance (ie. Computer skills)?
Do you have a network already in existence or are you starting from scratch?
Focus on the positive benefits of unplugging and having fun. Stay away from preaching, lecturing or shaming people about their tech habits.
READY? Great! Here are steps to plan a scavenger hunt
1. Choose the type of scavenger hunt. Pick one of the following (rated by time invested):
Single Location Hunt (easy) - Choose from down-loadables:
> Nature Scavenger Hunt (or PDF version HERE) 1 pg
> Dragon Trivia worksheet or Fairy and Gnome Trivia worksheet - 2 pgs
> Fairy & Gnome Trivia - 1 location - 6 station questions
Multi-stop Scavenger Hunt (more complicated) - people look for a clue taped to each LFL. Choose your theme of Fairies, Gnomes, Nocturnal Creatures or the NEW DRAGON CLUES. Here is a guide to using Canva Templates so you can edit documents. Full disclosure, this takes more time but if you like organizing and bringing your community together this may be for you. Get ideas from last year’s DIY Coordinators Guide.
2. Add decorations if you like, to go along with your theme (ideas in the Coordinator’s Guide above).
3. Identify the location(s) to be featured as stops or places to hunt.
4. Promote it!- via Social Media, community boards and local media. Here is a Media Alert you can adapt.
5. Want prizes or raffle items? Ask local businesses if they will donate items or gift certificates.
