There’s something about a scavenger hunt that never gets old. Whether you’re 8 years old hunting for chocolate eggs or 38 years old racing around a city centre in a superhero cape, it’s the kind of game the brings out everyone’s fun side.
Scavenger hunt games are based on a simple concept where you’re given a list of things to find, tasks to complete, or clues to solve. But the idea taps into something much deeper: our natural instincts to explore, to hunt, to solve problems and to get a little burst of joy when we find something hidden.
Scavenger hunts started being used for entertainment in the early 20th century, popping up at parties, social events and on TV game shows. Since then, they’ve been reinvented in all kinds of ways, from school games to epic city-wide challenges and now, even corporate team building scavenger hunts.
In this blog, we’re diving into the world of corporate scavenger hunts: what makes them effective, the different types, trending ideas and how to plan one.
What Makes Scavenger Hunts Effective for Corporate Team Building?
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They Encourage Natural Collaboration
Scavenger hunts bring out the curious, playful side of people, with everyone working towards a common goal that encourages natural teamwork.
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They Break the Ice
Corporate scavenger hunts mix people up and get them interacting in a fun, relaxed way, perfect for breaking down departmental silos.
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They Boost Energy and Creativity
Often under time pressure and a little bit of healthy competition, teams are on their feet, thinking creatively and solving problems.
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They Build Trust
From relying on each other’s problem-solving skills to cheering each other on, corporate scavenger hunts create a sense of support and camaraderie.
Types of Scavenger Hunts
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Outdoor Scavenger Hunts
In outdoor scavenger hunts, players explore open spaces like parks, nature trails or city centres, following a planned route of clues that lead to specific hotspots. These hunts often use maps or app-based platforms and can include physical challenges, creative photo tasks and on-the-go puzzles.
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Indoor Scavenger Hunts
Taking place indoors, these hunts are great for smaller groups or unpredictable weather. Scavenger hunt clues or items are hidden in specific rooms, and participants uncover them using riddles, puzzles or visual cues. They involve less physical movement but remain fast-paced and mentally engaging.
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Virtual Scavenger Hunts
A fun solution for remote teams where participants join an online game via video call and complete tasks that involve searching for items in their home, solving riddles, snapping creative photos or completing mini challenges.
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Hybrid Scavenger Hunts
Hybrid hunts combine in-person and virtual formats, with some players on-site and others joining remotely. This inclusive setup lets everyone contribute with some members searching for clues while others solve puzzles online and help guide the on-site participants.
8 Fun Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Teams
These ideas can be used on their own or combined into one exciting scavenger hunt. Many of them are part of our popular, fast-paced and tech-driven GPS Scavenger Hunt.
1. Photo Challenges
Take creative selfies or team photos while identifying certain landmarks and objects (try London Black Cab Treasure Hunt), or capturing fun moments (e.g. jumping mid-air). For an extra competitive twist, challenge teams to secretly photograph rival groups without getting caught, just like in the Hunted Team Building Event.
2. Video Challenges
Take a short video of your team dancing in public, getting a stranger involved, eating something spicy or re-enacting a scene from a famous film.
3. Puzzles and Riddles
Each puzzle or riddle solved leads to a new location or item. Use creative scavenger hunt clues like “Where the sun hits the tallest tree” to point teams towards the next location.
4. Trivia Games
Add trivia questions like logo quizzes, fun facts, questions about the area you are in or even personal team stories to get everyone thinking and laughing.
5. Physical Challenges
Get people moving with fun dares or quick games like mini obstacles, balancing challenges or solving something blindfolded. These can be combined with photo or video tasks for extra fun.
6. Item Collection or Trade-Ups
Find items based on colour, category or alphabet letters. For a fun twist, try a trade-up challenge: start with something small (like a paperclip) and trade your way up to something bigger (an apple, a coffee and so on).
7. Escape Room-Style Challenges
Each scavenger hunt clue or item could be part of a final code or solution to “escape” or unlock the final prize. Use QR codes at each stop to add a techy twist.
8. Mystery Roles
Assign teams secret roles like spies or saboteurs. Teams could even resolve a murder mystery on the way, like in the Go Mad in The Country activity.
How To Plan a Successful Scavenger Hunt
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Pick a Theme
Choose a fun and relevant theme to guide your scavenger hunt. This will shape your clues and challenges.
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Plan the Route
Map where the scavenger hunt will take place (indoors, outdoors or virtually) and plot each hotspot or stop along the way.
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Create the Clues and Challenges
Design a mix of puzzles, tasks and activities that fit your theme and encourage engagement. Keep them varied and fun.
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Set the Rules
Before the scavenger hunt begins, explain to everyone how it all works, including the time limit, how to earn points and any boundaries or safety guidelines.
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Run the Hunt
Keep the game on track by monitoring progress, keeping an eye on the time and tracking scores as teams complete challenges and reach each stop.
Book Your Corporate Scavenger Hunt Experience
Chat with one of our team members for ideas, pricing and ways to tailor the scavenger hunt to suit your group.
