Give a small person a list that includes a chair and suddenly your kitchen looks full of clues. Start with things everyone can see. The real fun comes when the kids take over and you have to solve their slightly mysterious riddles.
What is National Scavenger Hunt Day?
National Scavenger Hunt Day is May 24. It celebrates the fun of searching, noticing, and following clues—skills that can turn a familiar room or backyard into somewhere worth exploring again.
From society parties to family games
The Wiener Museum traces the popularity of modern party scavenger hunts to Elsa Maxwell’s gatherings in the 1930s. Guests searched for objects from lists, turning a party into an adventure. Museums and families now adapt that idea with picture clues, riddles, and observation challenges that suit their own spaces. Wiener Museum’s history of scavenger hunts.
A simple way to enjoy the day
Start with five things everyone can safely see or find. Then swap roles and let the children write clues for the adults. A wonderfully vague riddle can become the funniest part of the afternoon.
Holiday dates for planning
| Observance | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Scavenger Hunt Day | Sunday, May 24, 2026 | Monday, May 24, 2027 | Wednesday, May 24, 2028 | Thursday, May 24, 2029 | Friday, May 24, 2030 |
National Scavenger Hunt Day date reference
Start with pictures
Choose one room. Look for the six shapes and objects on the picture sheet together. Pointing counts, so the lamp and the window can stay where they belong. If the last object is missing, let the finder draw a substitute and explain the match.
Take the riddles outside
Read a card aloud before anyone runs off. Set a boundary that keeps everyone in sight. Several answers can fit the same clue: a fence and a tree can both cast stripes across the grass. Give the solver the chance to make their case.
Hand over the clues
Give each new host a blank card. Pick an answer first, write two things about it, and hide the answer on the back. Younger hosts can whisper to a helper. Trade cards, then play one last round with the grown-ups doing the hunting.
Get the free printable set
Ready Set Find It Hunt Pack includes three US Letter pages. Find it indoors. Backyard riddle hunt. Be the clue writer.