Have a bored toddler? Make your own indoor scavenger hunt with things you already have at home and have it set up in minutes!

I’m sharing 17 exciting scavenger hunt ideas (both for learning and for fun), tips for creating scavenger hunts, and ideas for new ways to do a traditional scavenger hunt.

Little girl doing a scavenger hunt at home

With so many different ways to play, you’ll feel that naptime came too soon!

A scavenger hunt can develop problem-solving skills, teach print directionality (reading left to right) by using a simple two-column list, boost observation skills, and most importantly, get kids moving!

What are you waiting for? It’s time to make an indoor scavenger hunt to entertain your toddler!

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How to Make Your Own Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Toddlers

If you’re wondering what a scavenger hunt is, it’s a game where players look for certain objects given on a list.

The key to making an indoor scavenger hunt for toddlers to use pictures, keep the list short, and pick a theme that they’ll be interested in.

Silhouette scavenger hunt list is shown on a clipboard; it has outlines of different food toys and those food toys are placed next to the silhouette scavenger hunt list

Most toddlers can’t read, so making a traditional written list won’t work for this age group. Use pictures, whether clip art, photos, or simple line drawings, instead.

Don’t fret if you can’t draw. Some of the ideas below don’t require drawing, or even written lists!

Keep the list short, and make sure the items are easy to find.

Setting your expectations low the first time you try a scavenger hunt will keep everyone from getting frustrated if the game doesn’t turn out as planned.

Organizing a scavenger hunt around a theme is the best way to go.

Do your kids like animals? Are they learning letters? Are they interested in shapes?

Pick a theme that appeals to your kids’ current interests.

Photo of a page of kids' scavenger hunt list with a Doc McStuffins tea party theme

For example, I made a scavenger hunt list for my two-year-old’s Doc McStuffins themed birthday party. She loves Doc McStuffins, and she was so excited to find all these things on the list. She was especially thrilled to see that she made it on the scavenger hunt list too!

Setting Up a Scavenger Hunt

Set up can be as easy or as complicated as you have time for.

For instance, if you’re setting up the night before, you could hide scavenger hunt items all over the house.

If you only have five minutes, place the objects in different places in a single room or scatter them all over the floor.

Don’t forget about tiny rooms like a pantry, closet, or even the inside of a large cupboard. There’s plenty for little eyes to look for in a confined space.

Plus you won’t have to hide any items; just make a list of things in the closet and you’re done!

Use a clipboard or tape the list to a sturdy piece of cardboard so kids can carry the list around with them.

A scavenger hunt list on a clipboard with hand-drawn colorful shapes; pencil is tied to the clipboard with string

Attach a pencil or crayon with ribbon or string to keep it from getting lost.

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Alphabet & Numbers Scavenger Hunt Ideas

Traditional Hunt: Write a list of letters for kids to find. Scatter foam or magnetic letters on the floor, stick them on the wall, or hide them.

You could also do this with numbers. Alphabet letters or numbers can be in order for a stationary scavenger hunt.

colorful alphabet letters on a black background

Capitals and Lowercase Matching Hunt: Have kids look for lowercase letters and match them to the capital letters on their list.

Post-It Note Hunt: Write numbers or letters on self-stick notes and post them everywhere. Have kids match the notes to the characters in their lists.

On a wall, blue post-it notes with letters A or E written on them

Dots and Numbers Hunt: Create a list of dots for kids to match to written numbers posted around a room.

Color Scavenger Hunt Ideas

Choose Your Color Hunt: Put colored popsicle sticks or pom poms of different colors in a bag. Have kids pick out a stick or pom pom and find an object that matches the color.

Drawing Hunt: Make a list of colors. Have kids find objects of that color and draw the object that they find. Bonus points for matching the crayon color to the object color!

Clothing Hunt: Make getting dressed fun by calling out colors and/or types of clothing (red pants, blue socks, etc.) for your toddler to bring to you. Once they’ve brought all the clothes, have them get dressed!

Other Scavenger Hunt Ideas

Indoor Nature Hunt: Help toddlers learn the difference between nature and man-made objects by hiding natural objects for them to find.

Counting Hunt: Hide multiples of objects, such as paper squares and circles, and have kids count the number of items they can find.

Nesting Cup Hunt: Hide each cup from a set of nesting cups. Can kids find them in order from largest to smallest? You could also hide the top halves of a Russian doll set and have kids search for them to match them to the bottoms.

Treasure Hunt: Hide treasures, such as gold coins, all over the house. See how long it takes for kids to fill up a little pot full of treasure!

Silhouette Hunt: Trace the objects in the hunt on butcher paper. Have the kids find the objects that match the silhouettes.

A child placing a food toy on a silhouette scavenger hunt list where objects are outlined on an sheet of paper and kids have to find the object that matches the outline or silhouette

Glow-in-the-Dark Hunt: Place glow sticks in plastic eggs. They will give off a subtle glow. Turn off the lights and look for the eggs in the dark.

Real World Shapes Hunt: Draw a list of simple line shapes that your kids know. They will look for objects that match the shapes (i.e. door is a rectangle). How many of each shape can you find?

Away From Home Scavenger Hunt Ideas

Grocery Store Hunt: Create a scavenger hunt list for your next shopping trip. Finding everything on my grocery list sometimes feels like a scavenger hunt anyway!

Pet Store Hunt: Visit the free zoo, a.k.a. local pet store, and see how many different pets you can find on your scavenger hunt list.

Overnight Toy Hunt: Hide the kids’ toys wherever you are spending the night and have them find all the toys. Make sure you have a list of all the toys you’ve hidden so none get lost!

Other Ways to Do a Scavenger Hunt

Let kids take pictures of the scavenger hunt items with a kid-friendly camera.
Tie yarn to an object to find. Weave the yarn around furiture and make a maze for kids to follow using the yarn. Attach other scavenger items to the string for kids to find along the way, or use a different color yarn for each object.
Make a photo book of objects or even people to find! Use the photo book as your scavenger hunt list.
Turn the hunt into a race. Time each round and see if you can keep beating your personal best!
Use clues instead of naming objects. Describe an object without saying its name. Bonus points if your clues rhyme!
Tape scavenger hunt items on the wall with painter’s tape. Kids will need to take the items down in order to complete the hunt.

Which scavenger hunt will you try today? Comment below!