How to run a photo scavenger hunt
A photo scavenger hunt swaps finding things for making things happen. Each prompt on the sheet describes a photo, and the team has to stage it, pose for it or build it. This printable scavenger hunt puts all 30 prompts on one sheet per team. Nobody carries anything back to base and nothing gets lost, so it works in a living room, a backyard or a rented party room.
- 1Make teams and give each one a printed sheet and a pencil. Each team uses one phone for all its photos.
- 2Write the team names and the time limit at the top of every sheet.
- 3Set the bounds: which rooms and outdoor spaces are in, and where everyone meets at the end.
- 4Say go. Teams shoot the prompts in any order and check each box when the photo is done.
- 5At least one team member has to be in every photo. That's the proof it was taken today.
- 6When time is up, everyone meets back. Teams take turns showing their photos on the phone or a TV, and the host scores them.
The show-and-tell at the end is the best part, so leave 15 minutes for it. Half the laughs come from seeing how each team read the same prompt.
Photo scavenger hunt ideas on the list
The 30 prompts mix poses, small builds and little scenes. Your team spelling PARTY with your bodies. Someone greeting a houseplant like a friend. Your tallest tower of paper cups. Your team recreating a famous painting. A few are quick wins and a few take real planning, so teams have to choose.
Every prompt is clean and kind. All the people in the photos are guests at the party, nothing involves strangers, and nothing needs climbing, running or leaving the party. No prompt is about how anyone looks. Guests who would rather stay out of photos can be the team's photographer or director instead.
The human pyramid says kneeling for a reason. Build it on carpet or grass, with the biggest people on the bottom, and keep it to two levels.
Team sizes and timing
Teams of three to five are the right size. Some prompts need a whole team in the shot, and someone has to hold the phone. With 20 guests, make four or five teams. The random team generator splits everyone up in a few seconds, and it breaks up groups of friends who always stick together.
Give teams 30 to 45 minutes. Thirty prompts is a lot, and most teams won't finish, which is the point: they have to decide which photos are worth the time. For a shorter game, set 20 minutes and score only the best ten photos from each team.
Mix the order on every copy. Teams start on different prompts, so you don't get five groups trying to fit on the same couch at once.
Ground rules
- Only people at the party go in the photos, and everyone says yes before they're in one.
- Stay in bounds. If it isn't part of the party space, it isn't part of the hunt.
- No running, and no climbing on furniture, railings or each other beyond the kneeling pyramid.
- Put back anything you move for a photo.
- Don't share anyone's photo online unless everyone in it says yes.
- One photo per prompt. Teams pick their best take before the show-and-tell.
- The host settles every argument, and the decision stands.
Scoring, prizes and variations
The simplest scoring is one point per photo. Add a bonus point for any photo that makes the whole room laugh, and let everyone vote for the best photo of the night, with no voting for your own team. Track points on the scoreboard so the totals are up on a screen. Prizes can be small: first pick of dessert, choosing the music or a trophy made from a paper cup.
Riddle clues
Instead of handing out the whole sheet, read the prompts as riddles one at a time. Teams have to work out what the photo is before they can take it.
Timed relay
Give every team the same prompt. When they show the host the photo, they get the next one. The first team through ten prompts wins.
Video bonus
Allow up to five prompts as short videos of 10 seconds or less, for an extra point each. The fake slow-motion action shot works well as a video.
Retake at the end
After the scoring, the whole party recreates the winning photo together. It makes a good group shot to end the night.
Who a photo scavenger hunt is for
Teens: A photo hunt is a good main event for a teen birthday or a sleepover, because it gets everyone up and talking. For the rest of the night, see our sleepover games and birthday party games.
Grown-ups: It works at a housewarming, a reunion or a team outing, and it mixes people who don't know each other yet. Put one quieter guest on each team as the director.
Families: Make mixed teams of kids and adults, and let the kids hold the phone. For younger kids on their own, the indoor scavenger hunt is a better fit.
Questions
Is this photo scavenger hunt free?
Yes. Print up to 30 copies at a time for free, with no sign-up. You can also save the sheet as a PDF.
Who are these photo scavenger hunt ideas for?
Teens and adults at a party. Families can play too, with kids and grown-ups on the same team.
Do I need an app?
No. Each team uses the camera on one phone and checks off the printed sheet as it goes. Show the photos on the phone at the end.
How many people can play?
Teams of three to five work best. Print one sheet per team, up to 30 copies, so even a big party has enough.
How long does it take?
Plan on 30 to 45 minutes of shooting and 15 minutes to show the photos. For a shorter game, set 20 minutes and score the best ten.
Are the prompts appropriate for a teen party?
Yes. Every prompt is clean, involves only guests at the party and is never about anyone's looks. The human pyramid is a kneeling one.
How do I save it as a PDF?
Press Print, then choose "Save as PDF" as the destination in the print dialog. This works from a phone or a computer.