26 Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids To Kick Boredom to the Curb This Summer

If you're on the hunt for some ideas to entertain your children either on rainy days or to add something new and exciting to their typical daily routine this summer, why not send your kids on a scavenger hunt? These 26 scavenger hunt ideas for kids will pique their curiosity and creativity.

Look for specific shapes outdoors, count the number of certain items you have in your home, make a custom treasure map, get the entire neighborhood involved—the possibilities are endless!

Whether you're looking for an educational activity to keep your kiddos' brains engaged over the summer months, or you just want a super fun way to break up the monotony of the day, these scavenger hunt ideas will definitely do the trick!

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Related: 50 Interesting & Creative Scavenger Hunt Clues That'll Make Your Game 10x More Fun

Hapinest Find and Seek Scavenger Hunt Outdoor Indoor Card Game for Kids

Kids Scavenger Hunt - Children's Game - Ages 6+ - Indoor and Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Game - Develops Gross Motor Skills - For 2 or More Players Individually or Team Play

26 Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids

1. Neighborhood Teddy Bear Scavenger Hunt

Get in touch with your neighbors and see if your block can put teddy bears in windows for kids to find while walking, biking or driving by!

Related: Here Are the 50 Best Indoor and Outdoor Toys

2. Stay-at-Home Scavenger Hunt

Your kiddos don't have to leave your home to enjoy this stay-at-home scavenger hunt. The clues are left up to interpretation (i.e., "something you can see through"), so your kids are free to get creative.

Related: 100 Kid Crafts 

3. Outdoor Backyard Nature Scavenger Hunt

This free printable backyard nature scavenger hunt has stuff your kids can find within the safety of your own yard (or even just the sidewalk areas outside), like small rocks and crawling bugs.

4. Glow in the Dark Scavenger Hunt

Great for older kids and team efforts, this free glow-in-the-dark scavenger hunt has the added bonuses of a secret code and puzzles.

5. Spring Backyard Scavenger Hunt

Perfect for this time of year, this free, printable spring-themed backyard scavenger hunt features things like "a purple flower" (great if you've got crocuses blooming!), birds, puddles and ants.

6. Bug Alphabet Scavenger Hunt

Have little ones still learning their letters? This free bug-themed alphabet scavenger hunt will help them learn their upper- and lowercase letters.

7. A Few of My Favorite Things Scavenger Hunt

This sweet scavenger hunt is designed to help your kids find things they particularly love. This can be a great activity to do with them to restore gratitude and get centered.On the Hunt for Things I Love Printable Scavenger Hunt, $2.50, Etsy

8. Indoor Items Scavenger Hunt

This set of scavenger hunts will encourage your kids to find things around the house, including some of their toys—which may come in handy when begging them to put them away or aiding them in rediscovering toys they forgot about. Printable Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids, $3.99, Etsy

9. Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt

Explore your neighborhood with this neighborhood scavenger hunt, which can also inspire you to scope out new favorite places to visit. Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt and Summer Bingo, $4.50, Etsy

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10. Custom Treasure Hunt

Create a customizable scavenger hunt option for birthdays—or any other day you all need a pick-me-up and a prize.

11. Color and Pattern Scavenger Hunt

Challenge your kids to find items in various colors and patterns (white dots, anyone?) around the house. Printable Scavenger Hunt Games for Kids, $4.48, Etsy

12. How Many Scavenger Hunt

Keep your kids busy and get some insight into your own inventory of items with this scavenger hunt, which has your children count how many of each item listed you have in your home. Printable Scavenger Hunt Games for Kids, $4.48, Etsy

13. Leaf Scavenger Hunt

Get in touch with nature and discover what sorts of trees are in your neighborhood with this leaf scavenger hunt. Printable Leaf Scavenger Hunt Worksheets, $3.95, Etsy

14. Frozen Scavenger Hunt

A great option for kids who are obsessed with Anna, Elsa and Olaf (and honestly, who isn't?!). Frozen Printable Scavenger Hunt Game, $4.99, Etsy

15. Virtual Scavenger Hunt

Host a virtual at-home scavenger hunt with friends using this template. Virtual Scavenger Hunt Game, $7.62, Etsy

16. Trail of the Wolfman Treasure Hunt

This printable game is great for older kids and horror fans, featuring logic games, puzzles and more. Trail of the Wolfman Treasure Hunt, $5.95, Etsy

17. Sight Words Scavenger Hunt

This free DIY scavenger hunt is great for kids learning vocabulary and sight words. Print or draw a floor plan of your home and hide letters for them to put together into their words.

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18. Outdoor Sketching Scavenger Hunt

This free printable outdoor scavenger hunt from Buggy and Buddy comes with a fun twist: Your kids can draw what they find.

19. DIY Color Scavenger Hunt

This fun DIY scavenger hunt from I Heart Crafty Things will keep you all busy for a bit! Get some white paper lunch bags. Color some swatches on the front with markers, crayons or colored pencils, then send your kids out into the yard (or around the house!) to fill the bags with an item of each color.

20. Outdoor Sensory Scavenger Hunt

This free printable scavenger hunt from The Inspired Treehouse helps kids explore their senses while getting fresh air.

21. Shape Scavenger Hunt

A great option for preschoolers, this shape scavenger hunt is free to print from The Many Little Joys and is great for indoors and outdoors.

22. Reading Scavenger Hunt

This free scavenger hunt has an added bonus: It gets your kids reading! This free printable reading scavenger hunt map from Modern Parents Messy Kids will keep your children's heads in books even during summer vacation.

23. Nature Mandala Scavenger Hunt

This printable guide to making a muffin tin mandala scavenger hunt can help teach kids not just about art and nature, but also geometry. Muffin Tin Nature Scavenger Hunt and Mandala Makers, $3.00, Teachers Pay Teachers

24. Rhyming Riddle Scavenger Hunt

Your kids will get a dose of poetry with this scavenger hunt, which uses stuff already in your home—and is free to print from Celebrate Every Day With Me.

25. Flashlight Scavenger Hunt

This free printable guide from Life Is Sweeter By Design lets your kids embark on a flashlight scavenger hunt in your home or yard at night.

26. Word Family Egg Hunt

Chances are you still have some plastic eggs around leftover from Easter, right? Fill each with plastic letters and number each egg. Hide the eggs, then use this free printable from Sweet Sounds of Kindergarten and follow the instructions to keep your kids occupied for quite a while.

Kids want a binge-watching day? Here are 20 of the best family movies to watch on Netflix.