Creative Ways to Incorporate Tech in Scavenger Hunts for Grandkids

Guest post by Belanina Sumner

Need a fun activity to get your tech-obsessed grandchildren outdoors? Consider having a scavenger hunt in your backyard!

Scavenger hunts are a great way to keep your grandchildren entertained, but did you know that they can also enhance your grandchild's development? Children aged 4 years and younger may benefit the most from scavenger hunts, which improve their problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills. What's more, looking for clues or “hidden treasures” outdoors enables kids to connect with nature and get some sunlight and fresh air, all of which are essential to their wellbeing. 

To make your scavenger hunt more interesting, incorporate some tech elements into the game. Encourage your grandchildren to join in on the fun while using a phone or tablet in a creative way. Here are some creative ways to incorporate technology in scavenger hunts for children.

Photography Scavenger Hunt

Children have different learning styles, and they learn at different paces. Most children, particularly those who are very young, are visual learners, which means that they learn best through images. To promote visual learning, boost your child's visual memory by letting them take pictures as part of a scavenger hunt game.

Visual memory is the ability to remember what the eye has seen, and enhancing this ability can be helpful for a child's academic performance. Taking pictures can boost visual memory and help people remember the details of their experiences. Grab a digital camera or a smartphone, and allow your grandchild to use it for your game. Create a list of things that they need to find outside. Upon finding the items, your grandchild should take a picture of them. Once they have completed their digital scavenger hunt, reward them with a framed photo of their favorite shot.

This can also be a good game at family reunions. If the little ones need an interactive activity to overcome feelings of boredom, a photo scavenger hunt is the answer. Instead of handing them a list of random objects though, make a list that contains the names of your relatives. Then, instruct the grandkids to snap pictures of the people on the list. It's a great way to get the children acquainted with older family members, especially if it's their first time to meet them.

Want to make the game more challenging? Tell the kids to ask your relatives if they want to participate in a video challenge with them for the scavenger hunt. It can be as simple as waving in unison at the camera, doing an easy dance move, or singing a line from a particular song together.

Go Hunting for QR Codes

For your next scavenger hunt, consider letting the kids search for QR codes in your backyard. You can make QR codes using free QR generators on Canva or Adobe, print them out, then place them in strategic areas in your outdoor space. Let the kids scan a code at a designated starting position. The code should contain a question, and if they answer the question correctly, they can move on to the next code. This game can be played individually, but it also works as a group game.

Scavenging for Sounds

Need a new twist on a classic scavenger hunt? Ask the kids to be on the lookout for certain sounds and record them on their devices. Make a list of common sounds that they can hear in nature, such as the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves on a tree, the sound of flowing water, or a barking dog. If you have more than one grandchild, have them work together to complete the listed sounds. The final item could be a simple song they know to sing together and record. Bonus points if they add makeshift instruments to their performance! 

Scavenger hunts are perfect to keep your grandchildren busy while enhancing their overall health and development. With a little creativity, those phones and tablets can actually help keep kids engaged and playing outdoors. 

Looking for more ideas for keeping your young grandchildren busy? Read How Do I Keep My Grandkids Entertained?

Belanina S. is a retired teacher with a zest for learning, who loves exploring new topics. When she’s not writing, she’s experimenting with recipes in the kitchen, catching up on classic films, or taking a refreshing dip in the pool.