Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt for Kids (Free Printables)

A Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt for Kids can be a fun distraction for kids, getting them out of the house and exploring nature, or making good use of time stuck inside when weather dictates.

Download these indoor and outdoor versions of a Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt and let the kids run wild – ish.

indoor scavenger hunt list on clipboard with items collected arrayed around it.

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Thanksgiving Day can be a wonderful occasion for getting together with family and friends. I have fond memories of us kids riding rough and wild all over the house while the adults talked and the roast turkey cooked.

It seemed like the ultimate holiday!

It can also be a day when kids may be out of their element, visiting family they rarely see, or spending the day in a home that’s not their own. For some kids that can feel utterly dismal.

Having a Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt ready for the kids can be a great way to break up the day.

Why a Scavenger Hunt?

Scavenger hunts have long been a fun activity to do with friends and family. It’s basically like a treasure hunt only there aren’t any clues besides your imagination and intellect.

You can do an indoor or outdoor hunt as a fun Thanksgiving activity. It’s a good one to add to your Fall bucket list and a great idea to use when you’re doing Thanksgiving on a Budget.

Get the Free Printable Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunts

outdoor scavenger hunt checklist on clipboard laying in wood chips.

We’ve put together two different versions: an outdoor nature-themed scavenger hunt as well as one that you can play indoors in case of inclement weather.

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How to Stage the Games

Download the two versions of the printable Thanksgiving Scavenger hunts and then print one or both, making enough copies to go around.
Cut each sheet apart so that you have two copies from each page.
You can break into teams for more camaraderie. Include all ages to make it more fun.

girl watching steer in a field with blue skies above.

Tips for Success

Determine clear boundaries where kids can hunt for their Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt, especially if some of the children aren’t familiar with your location. If certain rooms are off limits, make this clear.
Plant several copies of the items to collect, at least indoors. You don’t want fist fights breaking out over who found the lone mini pumpkin. Obviously, you won’t likely have more than one turkey wishbone, but you could plant some pictures or drawings of one here and there.
Always make sure children are accompanied by an adult in unknown locations and especially outdoors. Our girl (pictured above) was accompanied by her grandfather and several cowboys to observe the cattle.
Note that the outdoor Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt features items to collect as well as things to observe. If you are scavenging in a park or preserve that asks you not to collect things, please respect the guidelines and instruct kids to observe the items on both lists. If each team has a phone, they can instead take pictures of the items on the list.

FAQs

What is a scavenger hunt?

A scavenger hunt is a game that can be played indoors or outdoors where participants are given a list of items to hunt for.

How do you keep a scavenger hunt safe for kids?

In earlier times, one might have gone door-to-door in the neighborhood, asking for the items on the list, but nowadays, for child safety, we recommend hunting in a park or preserve for nature-themed items or sticking to one’s own home or yard.

Should you hide items for a scavenger hunt?

Ideally, your list will include regular household items (for indoor hunts) and easily observed items in nature. If your list of items includes difficult-to-find items, then by all means plant a few of each item. This also reduces competition which can be a good thing, depending on the age and personality of the participants.

When the children have collected all the items on the free printables, you can settle them down with other Thanksgiving activities such as a Thanksgiving Crossword Puzzle & Word Search or even bust out the Thanksgiving Read Alouds.

There are plenty of ways to keep the folks at the Kids Table happy on a day that might be out of the ordinary. If there’s time before the feast, be sure to make Cinnamon Roll Turkeys together.

Have you ever done a Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt? What worked best for you? Tell us about your experience in the comments.