Chances are you landed here looking for a fun way to make the holiday season more special. What better way to bring in the holiday spirit than with a Christmas scavenger hunt for kids? This is a perfect way to keep young kids entertained, especially during their winter break, or an easy screen-free activity they can do on Christmas Eve to pass the time.
An indoor hunt is also a great option if it’s cold outside, and it’s a fun game where you watch all the kids search for Christmas items. If you’re playing with just a few people or the whole family, this scavenger hunt will bring everyone lots of fun and excitement this Christmas season.
The best part is that you really don’t need to do much besides printing the Christmas scavenger hunt at the bottom of the post. It’s that simple.
That’s one thing I love about scavenger hunts. They can be done anywhere for really any occasion. They can be used in the classroom, at a virtual Christmas party, or as a new family tradition.
What is a Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt is a game where people try to find certain items. In this case, everything is Christmas-themed. You are looking for things such as a Christmas tree, candy cane, a nativity scene, or Christmas lights just to name a few.
The goal is to find all the items on the list first or the fastest. You can also do a photo scavenger hunt, where your kids look for clues in different locations and take photos of items they find. Of course, this is more suitable for kids with cell phones.
Sometimes, the clues are rhyming clues that lead you to your next clue. You do that until you come to the last clue, which can lead you to Christmas presents or any place you really want. In this scavenger hunt, I’ve kept it simple, and all you have to do is search for the list of Christmas-themed items.
That is another great way to do a holiday scavenger hunt. Scavenger hunts are fun activities you can do inside or outside, which makes them great for parties or family gatherings.
The best part is that everyone, not just kids, can play and have a blast searching for the items. It’s a perfect way to get everyone involved and have fun together. A little friendly competition never hurt anyone.
How to Play with the Christmas Scavenger Hunt
First, decide if the themed scavenger hunt will be inside, outside, or a mix of both. Whichever way you choose to do this depends on you and your location. There is no right or wrong way of doing this.
If you live where it snows a lot, it would be best to do this indoors; otherwise, doing the Christmas scavenger hunt outdoors wouldn’t be a bad idea. This way, the kids can go outside and hunt for the list of Christmas-related items.
Decide whether the kids will be in groups or playing by themselves. If they are playing in groups, have older kids paired up with younger kids to make this more fair for all. This is up to you. Some scavenger hunts include a time limit. If that is the case with this, let the kids know ahead of time. Otherwise, playing by themselves is a good way to keep the kids busy before the holiday fun begins.
The first person or group to find all of the Christmas-related items or the most wins! If you want to make this a little more fun, include small Christmas gifts for the team or the first person who finds the most items. While not necessary, it would be a fun thing to include for the kids.
Things such as non-candy treats, maybe stickers, temporary tattoos, or even money, depending on the age of the kids playing.
The entire family will have so much fun playing this.
Supplies Needed for the Scavenger Hunt
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see my full disclosure for further information.
The supplies needed for the scavenger hunt are simple. All you really need is the free printable Christmas scavenger hunt, which I have provided down below. There are three different scavenger hunts for every age group. So, no kids will feel left out. Here is what you’ll need for the scavenger hunt:
- The printable Christmas scavenger hunt, which I have provided below.
- Pens or pencils
- Optional dry-erase makers
- Optional dry-erase pocket sleeves
- Optional laminating machine
You can also laminate these yourself at home if you have a laminating machine available. The best part of doing that is that you can reuse this printable multiple times, saving you money. If that is the case, make sure to have some dry-erase makers on hand.
TIP: If you decide to laminate this printable, you can hole punch it and add it to a binder with other fun activities for kids.
Here are a few printable activities to consider adding to the binder.
Related post you might find helpful:
The Best Road Trip Scavenger Hunt for Kids of All Ages
Fun and Easy Fall Outdoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids
The Ultimate Halloween Scavenger Hunt for Kids
Download the Christmas Scavenger Hunt
I have made three scavenger hunt printables for this holiday season, which are great for young and older children. One includes images, which is best for younger kids who might not know how to read; the other is a checklist that includes images and words, and the last one is more suitable for older kids.
You can do all three or pick and choose whichever you prefer. Click the link below to download the printable scavenger hunt. Print as many as you like, and let the fun begin!
As a reminder, this is for personal use only! Get your copy of the Christmas scavenger hunt.
The best way to share this scavenger hunt with others is to send them the link to this post instead of the link to the printable.
Leave a Reply