A GPS hunt keeps a class moving and busy without a teacher directing every step. Below you find eight tasks you can copy directly, plus answers to the practical questions that come up when planning.
A school trip usually means a large group, a new location and a limited number of adults. A GPS scavenger hunt gives each small group a route and a job to do, so children are busy and helpers know where everyone should be. You need a phone per group, a list of waypoints at the location, and a set of tasks that can be done with what is already there. Pick waypoints that are fixed and easy to recognise, such as an entrance gate, a statue or a signpost. Keep the total route short, because walking with children takes longer than you expect.
| Group size | Groups of 4-6, one adult each |
|---|---|
| Duration | 60-90 minutes |
| Age | 6-12 years |
| Where | Park, zoo, forest or town centre |
| Preparation | 30-45 minutes |
| No. | Task | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Count and enter | At the waypoint the group counts something fixed, such as benches around a pond or steps on a staircase, and enters the number as the answer. Only the correct count unlocks the next waypoint. |
| 2 | Everyone touching | The group takes a photo in which every member is touching the same object, for example a tree, a lamppost or a fence. The helper checks that nobody is missing from the picture. |
| 3 | Find five | Within three minutes the group finds five things from a list: something red, something round, a feather, a leaf with jagged edges and something smooth. They lay them on the ground and photograph them, then put them back. |
| 4 | One minute of silence | The group stands still and stays quiet for sixty seconds, then writes down three sounds they heard. Works well halfway through the route to calm things down. |
| 5 | Measure in steps | The group estimates the distance between two visible points, then one child walks it and counts steps. The answer is the step count; compare between groups at the end. |
| 6 | Read the sign | Send the group to an information board or plaque and ask a question that can only be answered by reading it, such as a year or a name. Check the board yourself beforehand. |
| 7 | Human statue | The group recreates a statue, building or animal they see at the waypoint using only their bodies, and takes a photo. Give them two minutes so it stays quick. |
| 8 | Headcount check | The group lines up, counts off out loud and the helper takes a photo of the whole group. Enter the number of children as the answer. Place this task at the midpoint and at the end. |