Indoor scavenger hunts are an option for players where nighttime safety is a concern.
Nighttime scavenger hunts can be even the more engaging and challenging than day hunts. In a scavenger hunt, players collect items from a list and whoever collects the most items wins. The darkness doesn't mean you have to call off the hunt, but it does change what is on the list and where you have the hunt. Set up a time limit to prevent the game from dragging on too long and a meeting place at the end of the hunt to share stories and determine the winner.
Pub Crawl Hunt
Start hunts involving smart phone pictures earlier in the evening for better light.
A scavenger hunt pumps life into a plain old pub crawl or ladies night out. Divide players into teams. Ideally the hunt should be located where several bars or clubs are within walking distance. Instead of collecting items, players "collect" photos, audio bites or video of hunt items using smart phones. Some list ideas might include: someone in costume, a martini, a bachelorette party and bathroom graffiti. Smart phones are also beneficial for providing maps and Internet help.
Graveyard Hunt
The larger and older the cemetary, the better the hunt items.
Nothing is spookier than hanging out in a graveyard at night. The object isn't to locate ghosts, but to find names, birth dates and death dates. Make sure all players have flashlights. To "collect" the items, players can either take pictures of the tombstone data or make rubbings with paper and crayon. Some hunt items include the last name of one of the teammates, a birth date before 1800, or someone famous.
Kids' Glow-in-the-Dark Hunt
Dollar stores and party outlets typically carry a range of glow-in-the-dark items.
Give kids a flashlight to read the list and a bag to collect the items. To be on the safe side confine the scavenger hunt to a specific area --- a fenced-in but busily landscaped backyard is ideal. Place glow-in-the-dark trinkets like small animals or cups around the yard. Use glow-in-the-dark paint on non-glowing items like plastic rings or wrapped candy. If the children are older, the difficulty can be increased by turning the list items into riddles. For example, the clue for "spider" might be "eight legs" or "arachnid."
Camping Hunts
Turn packing for a camping trip into a scavenger hunt to motivate lazy or reluctant kids.
The forest comes alive at night, so try a sound hunt. Each team gets a small voice recorder and has to locate nocturnal sounds. Sounds to collect include an owl hooting, feet crunching the ground, cicadas and trickling water. If the camping trip is a large party and comprised of the not-easily-embarrassed, the hunt could involve scavenging through other campers' tents for items such as aspirin, wool socks, candy bars or underwear. For safety mark out the parameters of the search during the day. Stay near paths. Mark trees with glow-in-the-dark paint to use as landmarks.
Tags: collect items, hunt items, scavenger hunt, camping trip, glow-in-the-dark paint, items players, players collect