Last year we wanted to do something special for the kids that wasn’t the traditional trick or treating since we didn’t know if they’d even be able to trick-or-treat (ahem 2020). We decided to create a scavenger hunt that was age appropriate for each kid and something we could all do together. We created clues and prizes with an epic finale. The kids LOVED it and I think it could be a fun idea to use in the future if Halloween happens to fall on a weird week day or you want to switch things up for your kiddos!
We started by writing down each kid’s name (oldest to youngest) and decided we would map out locations near our home (about a 5 mile radius and 10 mile loop which we would drive – not walk). We would pick locations that were “hard or easy” to describe and make clues for each location. We had a series of three clues ranging from vague descriptions to practically giving the location away. Each kid wanted all three clues because they thought they were so fun and they definitely were able to guess the place by the final clue.
The first location was the nearby graveyard. The second location was the soccer field and the third location was the local grocery store. The list goes on! At each location we would go to the trunk and get the “token” (a painted rock) for the location and a candy or toy that was already pre-planned out.
For example: the graveyard – the rock had an RIP headstone painted on it and we gave them each glow stick bracelets. The soccer field – the rock had a soccer ball painted on it and the kids got candy bars. The grocery store was the logo painted on the rock and they got more glowsticks to make necklaces. The other locations around town were the community garden, playground, library, firestation, park, and our neighbors house.
We did nine locations total (3 per kid) with the final location at our neighbor’s house who had large goodie bags and toys for the kids and snacks/food set up like a party. It was a fun way to end the scavenger hunt and something the kids will remember forever. They each kept their rocks and talked about how fun the scavenger hunt was for months. The other day I saw one of the rocks in their room and they said, “that was so fun!”
I am definitely not saying don’t trick-or-treat but I hope I can inspire you to do something fun or unique if Halloween falls on a weekday or seems to lack the usual spark. Scavenger hunts are also fun for kids that get “too old” for the traditional trick-or-treating. So I encourage you to think outside the box and make fun memories with your family whenever you can.
Happy Halloween!
The Salty Exchange 