How To Plan An Epic Scavenger Hunt For Teens

How To Plan An Epic Scavenger Hunt For Teens truly is so much fun for everyone!

This post will provide numerous ideas on how to plan your own party.

How To Plan An Epic Scavenger Hunt For Teens

1. Select A Theme

2. Choose A Date And Time Then Create Invitations

3. Plan A Menu If Serving Food

4. Contact Your Neighbors To Participate

5. Create A List Of Questions And Answers

6. Select Prizes That Correlate With Your Theme Or Questions

7. Deliver The Questions, Answers, and Prizes To Neighbors Early

8. Set The Rules, Pass Out The Lanyards, Have Fun

1. Select A Theme

You can select any theme that you love.

Sweet Guy selected a movie themed party for his 16th birthday party. I found an entire section of movie and Hollywood theme party supplies at Party City.

Keeping in mind this party was for a primarily male teen audience a color palette of black, red and white was selected.

The plates and napkins looked liked a directors clapboard.

The cups, utensils, candy, and tickets for the centerpiece all came from the Dollar Tree.

2. Choose A Date And Time Then Create Invitations

I had mentioned in last weeks Favorite Movie Party Ideas post that we selected a free printable for our invitations. We mailed/handed them out two weeks prior to the event.

3. Plan A Menu If Serving Food

We served theater style food such as hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, and hot wings. To round things out there was also potato salad and a veggie and fruit tray.

But the big hit of the night was the popcorn, candy, and drinks.

A big batch of old-fashioned popcorn was popped on the stove. Snack cups were provided so that guests could create fun concoctions.

Theater sized candy, keeping with the color palette, was lined up.

4. Contact Your Neighbors To Participate

A simple letter was created for our neighbors in Microsoft Word inviting them to act as a home host on the neighborhood scavenger hunt. It read:

Hello from your neighbors, Eric and Laura Gunn, at ***our address***. You may better recognize us as the couple who regularly walks our red dachshund, Rudi. 

Our son will be turning 16 on Saturday, September 30th. To celebrate we are hosting a movie themed party for approximately 10 of his friends. 

We would love to plan a 16 stop movie themed scavenger hunt throughout the neighborhood. Would you like to participate by having a group of teens (accompanied by an adult) knock on your door and ask you a movie-themed question? We will provide all of the questions, answers, and prizes necessary.

If you would like to be one of the 16 stops on the scavenger hunt please call/text ***phone number*** or email us at *** email address***.

We hope you enjoy the popcorn!

We selected popcorn as it fit the theme and 16 stops since the guest of honor celebrating that birthday but you can customize it to whatever you would like.

I used the following graphic at the top.

The letter was simply wrapped around a package of movie style microwave popcorn.

5. Create A List Of Questions And Answers

Sixteen movie-themed questions and answers were created. Feel free to use the same questions below or be inspired to write your own.

Question 1: Name the 1972 John Wayne film in which he hires boys to drive his herd of cattle.

The Answer: The Cowboys

Question 2: In the 1982 Disney cult classic Tron how does character Kevin Flynn become trapped inside the video game?

The Answer: An experimental laser.  

Question 3: In 1977 the star of Smokey and the Bandit, Burt Reynolds, inspired what type of facial hair craze?

The Answer: The mustache.   

Question 4: Doc drove a DeLorean in Back To The Future but what was Marty’s main mode of transportation?

The Answer: A skateboard. 

Question 5: What city in California is famous for the movie star walk of fame?

The Answer: Hollywood

Question 6: In the closing scene of The Breakfast Club bad boy John Bender (played by Judd Nelson) does what as he crosses the football field?

The Answer: Pumps fist in the air.  

Question 7: Who directed the 1993 blockbuster hit, Jurassic Park? 

The Answer: Steven Spielberg   

Create A List Of Questions And Answers Continued

Question 8: “How do you like them apples?” is a famous quote from Goodwill Hunting. Who said it?

The Answer: Will Hunting AKA Matt Damon 

Question 9: What is the number one snack eaten at movie theaters?

The Answer: Popcorn 

Question 10: What was the Marx Brothers’ most successful film in 1930?

The Answer: Animal Crackers 

Question 11: What was the birthday boy favorite Pixar movie in 2006?

The Answer: Cars    

Question 12: What 1986 film featured characters with names such as Maverick, Goose, and Iceman?

The Answer: Top Gun 

Question 13: Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael stared in what 1990 movie?

The Answer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles   

Question 15: In the 1995 movie, Toy Story who is sent out on a mission to spy on Andy’s birthday presents so that the other toys can prepare for their arrival?

The Answer: The Green Army Men 

Question 14: In the movie, The Notebook Noah wrote a letter to Allie every single day for a year. Who played the part of Noah?

The Answer: Ryan Gosling

Question 16: In the 1984 John Hughes classic comedy Sixteen Candles what is the name of the foreign exchange student?

The Answer: Long Duk Dong

6. Select Prizes That Correlate With Your Theme Or Questions

Most of the prizes selected came from the dollar store. They generally tied into the answer of each question. The teens were told the prizes would be cheesy. The fun was in the hunt. One question (#10) was very difficult and $20 was offered if one person could answer it or the money would be divided if answered as a group.

Special thanks to Aunt Tracy who works in the movie industry in L.A. and sent production company pens, lanyards, and cute magnets.

You can find similar items HERE and HERE.

7. Deliver The Questions, Answers, and Prizes To Neighbors Early

Place the prize for the question inside a gift bag that can easily hang on the inside of the host’s door. Attach the question and answer to the bag. Label the question number so that you can keep track during deliveries.

As a bonus prepare a sweet treat for your neighbors as a “thank you: for hosting. In keeping with the theme, I made mini caramel popcorn cupcakes.

8. Set The Rules, Pass Out The Lanyards, Have Fun

The group of teens was informed they would be participating in a scavenger hunt. Clues to where each home was located were printed out and clipped to a lanyard. Upon coming to the home the person that had that particular homes clue would try to answer the question by themselves. If they were unable to answer they could confer with the group. If the group did not know the answer they could use their smartphones.

It’s good to remind the group to keep on the sidewalks and be respectful of the host homes.

Questions 8 and 16 had a new DVD as a prize. At the end of the hunt, the group returned to our home and watched a John Hughes double feature.

The Wonderful Volunteers

A huge “Thank You!” to our wonderful neighbors for volunteering. Truth be told I think they had as much fun as the group.

This guy said he had a great time! Notice his customized movie themed shirt.

Have an epic day!

Laura