Inside: A great party idea for teenagers or families with older kids, a video scavenger hunt! Here is how to do a video scavenger hunt party, you can always adjust it for other other themes as well. St. Patrick’s Day is just a great opportunity to host a teen party, as there are no family obligations attached to this holiday. Just an opportunity for making memories and having a good laugh with each other.
St. Patrick’s Day Video Scavenger Hunt
One of my all time favorite memory’s from my teens was attending a video scavenger hunt at a youth group. I didn’t know anyone else in my group, but by the end of the night we were all laughing and had a blast. It was good, clean fun and we all went home with memories that would last a lifetime.
After that event I decided to host an annual St. Patrick’s Day Video Scavenger Hunt for my friends for the following years of high school…and even into University. It became a fun, annual tradition that everyone enjoyed.
So, years later I have decided to share it with others so that other teens can have something fun to do on St. Patrick’s Day.
What is Video Scavenger Hunt?
A video scavenger hunt is an activity where you have a list of “tasks” to do, and while these tasks are being performed a team member films it. Quite similar to a photo scavenger hunt, just more animated.
Why film it you ask?
It’s most fun when you split into teams. At the end of the allotted time to complete the tasks, both teams come together and watch the video’s together and have a good laugh.
How to get started with Video Scavenger Hunt?
There is a list of tasks you can download and print out, feel free to add to it!
You will need enough people to make at least 2 teams. Minimum of 6 people for the best results, but you could do two teams of two.
Having two vehicles to get participants to different locations works best, as it allows for more creativity. We had a parent drive each vehicle in the early years, the later years we had participants who were old enough to be the drivers. Whatever makes parent’s most comfortable, it’s about being silly, fun, and safe.
A video camera for each team to film with.
It is best filmed with an old school camcorder or proper video taking device. Phone’s are not great for this, as it isn’t as easy to connect them to a tv and watch together at the end.
Once you’ve gathered your teams, your clues and your video equipment, each team takes off in their cars (with a responsible driver) and attempts to complete as many of the tasks as they can. When you get back to the party place, you all watch the videos while enjoying some snacks.
List of Items You Need for Video Scavenger Hunt:
- Scavenger Hunt List per team
- Video Camera per team
- Aux cord to play it on TV later
- Cars (optional)
- Fun People to Play!
General Rules for Video Scavenger Hunt
- Have a set return time. Don’t wanna be waiting forever on 1 team.
- Each person should do at least 1 task
- Video’s do NOT go online afterwards. Be mindful of consent.
Idea List for Video Scavenger Hunt
- Find someone Irish to sign your foot
- Get 2 strangers to memorize 4 St. Patricks Day facts
- On a Four leaf clover each leaf stands for following:
- 1st is Hope
- 2nd is Faith
- 3rd is Love
- 4th is Luck
- On a Four leaf clover each leaf stands for following:
- Find people to help you make a human pyramid.
- Have a faux kung-fu battle in a parking lot
- Have the tallest member of group go to total stranger and say “I’m a wee little leprechaun looking for gold!”
- Have one person in elevator shake hands w/ everyone and tell them they call you Lucky the Leprechaun, when it comes to stop run out yelling “They’re after me Lucky Charms!”
- Create obstacle on sidewalk and act as Olympic judges rating how well people navigate it
- Play “Duck, Duck, Goose” at the park, bonus: get others to join
- Stay in front of a restaurant window and pretend to eat a bite every time customer does
- Have whole group climb a tree
- Have someone the team serenade a stranger/friend in Irish accent
- Start a dance class in parking lot and get 2 strangers to join
- In a store all of group get on hands and knees pretending to search for lost contact lens
- Get a worker to eat something from their store (cookie, doughnut, pizza, etc…)
- Whole group (except filmer) get in a bathtub and sing “Rubber Ducky” song
- Find a rainbow of some kind and sing “Somewhere over the rainbow”
- Whole group do an Irish Jig in a public place
- Have stranger give you piggy back ride
- Have 1 member go up to stranger and recite a part of “Charlie the Unicorn”
- Jump over waist high poles singing “Jack be nimble, jack be quick”
- Find a fish tank and have group kneel in front an sing “Under the Sea”
- Find someone drinking a green beer
- Have someone give you a guided tour of their freezer
Tips for Success for Video Scavenger Hunt
Get dressed up! Be silly! Wear green everything!
It is what you make it to be, so tell guests to dress up!
This also makes asking others for participation a bit easier, as they see it’s for fun.
When filming, make sure to take give a few seconds before completing task, and after completing task. It makes watching it later less “choppy”.
Add things to the list that are local to your area. Get creative and make tasks unique to your teens an their friends.
Use your family and friends as people teens can go to to help complete some of these tasks (such as rubber ducky song in a bathtub). Getting more people involved just spreads the joy and laughs. Everyone could always use a good laugh.
Common Questions/FAQ About Video Scavenger Hunt
Can teens walk instead?
Of course! Do what you are comfortable with. Though I will say, they will get more creative and have more fun if 2 parents are willing to be drivers so they can get to a grocery store for some tasks, and then to the park without it taking ages.
What if we don’t have video cameras?
You can easily turn it into a photo scavenger hunt! Just take a funny photo with a team member doing each task and show the photo’s off later in evening instead!
How long do you usually do tasks for?
I found 2 hours is a good minimum time frame. It gives teams enough time to do tasks and get to/from locations.
Who wins?
This is up to you. I used to put points listed next to each task depending on diffculty, and who ever completed tasks that ended up with the most points won. You could also just have whichever team completed the most tasks be the winner.
Really, we never cared who “won”. It was more about having fun and making memories.
The Last Thing You Need to Know
HAVE FUN!
The biggest part of doing a video scavenger hunt is to have a night of fun. Get the teens out of the house and out of their comfort zones to be a bit silly.
This kind of party is exactly what teenagers should be doing. Clean fun that tests their boundaries, and gets them outside for a bit. As a parent get involved and have fun with it too! Show them your silly side!
This holiday doesn’t have any family obligations with it, so use it to make fun bonding night with your kids and their friends.
Save for Later!
