Rain, a birthday in winter or just a long afternoon: a hunt through the house works with things you already own. These tasks use the hallway, kitchen, bathroom and living room as the playing field.
A scavenger hunt indoors takes away the two things that usually cause problems: weather and traffic. Everything happens in your own house, so you know exactly where the kids are and what they can reach. You need a phone or tablet per team, a handful of sticky notes and pen, and whatever is already in your kitchen, hallway and bathroom. Because GPS is unreliable inside, each checkpoint unlocks with a code the kids find or work out on the spot. Before you start, decide which rooms are in play, move anything fragile out of reach, and walk the route once yourself to check that every code actually appears where you think it does.
| Group size | 2-8 children |
|---|---|
| Duration | 30-60 minutes |
| Age | 4-12 years |
| Where | living room, kitchen, hallway, bathroom |
| Preparation | 15 minutes |
| No. | Task | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shoe count in the hallway | The team gathers all the shoes from the hallway and lines them up from smallest to largest. The total number of shoes with laces is the code for the next checkpoint. |
| 2 | Bookshelf code | The clue names a book title and a page number. On that page, the first word of the first line is the answer they type in. Choose a book you know is on the shelf. |
| 3 | Kitchen scale challenge | Using the kitchen scale, the team must find three items from the fruit bowl or pantry that together weigh between 480 and 520 grams. When they show you the result, you hand over the next code. |
| 4 | Sock pairs | Before the hunt, hide one sock from each of six pairs around the living room. The team finds them and matches them to the partners in a basket. The number of complete pairs is the code. |
| 5 | Mirror message | Write the clue backwards on a sticky note and put it on the bathroom mirror frame. The kids hold it up to the mirror to read where the next code is hidden. |
| 6 | Torch search | Close the curtains in one room and give the team a torch or phone light. A sticky note with the code is placed high up, for example on top of a door frame or bookcase. |
| 7 | Sounds behind the door | One parent stands behind a closed door and makes three sounds with household items: a spoon on a pan, keys jingling, a zipper. The team names all three to receive the code. |
| 8 | Floor is lava route | Lay cushions, a rug and a chair in a line across the living room. The team must reach the code on the far side without touching the floor. Anyone who steps down goes back to the start. |