Game Studio · With Tek
How to make a scavenger hunt for kids
To make a scavenger hunt for kids, pick a reason to search, choose a few small things to hide, map the rooms, hide each thing in a spot a player can reach, and add one twist, like a locked door that needs a key. In this course your kid builds a scavenger hunt game in House Hunt, room by room, and does the same hunt at home with real objects, a paper map, a paper key, and a family member playing the sneaky cat. Tek hosts six short films for kids 6 to 13. Plan about 5 minutes of films and 45–60 minutes of building, hiding, and playing. Kubrio's Game Studio is where the house becomes a game your kid launches for the family, and the at-home version needs only paper and a few things from around the house.
How to make a scavenger hunt for kids is part of Kubrio Learn: short courses that inspire kids to make things. Learn more
Watch all 6 lessons in the appWhat your kid makes
Your kid ends with two scavenger hunts: a House Hunt game in the Game Studio, with three houses to search, four hidden things in each, a locked door, and a sneaky cat, which the family can play; and a real one at home, with a hand-drawn map, a paper key, and a locked sign.
- Ages
- 6 to 13
- Time
- 6 films, about 5 minutes, then 45–60 minutes of building, hiding, and playing
- You need
- Three small things to hide, like a sock, a toy car, and a spoon, paper and crayons for the house map and a paper key, a sticky note for a locked sign, a family member to play the sneaky cat, a computer or tablet for the Game Studio
- Host
- Tek
The 6 lessons
Lesson 1. Why is your hero searching?
Every hunt starts with a reason, like lost toys before bedtime or a party to get ready for.
- Name the game
- Write why the hero is searching
- At home, write the reason on a card and read it out
Where: Game Studio and at home
Lesson 2. Draw the hero and three things
A hunt needs someone who searches and a few small things to find. The key is the fourth thing.
- Draw the hero and three things to hide
- Add a sneaky cat if you like
- At home, pick three small things and someone to play the cat
Where: Game Studio and at home
In the app
Lesson 3. Build the house room by room
Rooms join with doors, and more rooms mean more places to search. A house holds up to eight.
- Pick a room and tap a + next to the house
- Build four rooms or more
- At home, draw a map with one box per room and a gap per door
Where: Game Studio and at home
In the app
Lesson 4. Furniture makes hiding spots
Furniture marked "Hides things" is where the hunt happens. Doorways stay clear so the hero can walk through.
- Place furniture and tap a piece to turn it
- Put a hiding spot in every room
- At home, mark safe hiding spots on the map with a grown-up
Where: Game Studio and at home
In the app
Lesson 5. Hide, lock, and let the cat walk
Hide the things and a key, lock one door, and let the cat walk one room. If it catches the hero, the last find goes back.
- Hide all four things in the furniture
- Lock one door and keep the key outside it
- At home, use a paper key and a locked sign on one door
Where: Game Studio and at home
In the app
Lesson 6. Play it, then share it
Play your own hunt first and fix what's too easy or too hard. Add houses: when the hero finds everything, they walk out the front door into the next one. A game needs three houses to launch.
- Find everything in Playtest
- Tap + New house until the game has three houses
- Pick the music and launch
- At home, swap places: your family hunts, then hides
Where: Game Studio and at home
In the app
Lesson 1 transcript: Why is your hero searching?
Hi, I'm Tek! Today you make a scavenger hunt game. A whole house, full of hidden things!
Every hunt starts with a reason. Why is your hero searching?
Open Game Design. Name your game, then write the reason. Tap an idea, or make up your own.
Lost toys before bedtime. Getting ready for a party. Looking for a surprise!
At home, it works the same way. Write the reason on a card, and read it out before the hunt starts.
Your turn. Name your game, and write why your hero is searching. Then press Next.
Free guides to practise with
Questions parents ask
How do you make a scavenger hunt for kids at home?
Pick a reason to search, choose three small things to hide, and draw a simple map of your home with one box per room. Mark safe hiding spots, hide the things and a paper key, and put a "locked" sign on one door that only opens with the key. A family member can walk one room as the sneaky cat: if they tag the hunter, the last thing found goes back.
Where does the game version happen?
In House Hunt, a game type in Kubrio's Game Studio. Your kid draws the hero and the things, builds the house room by room, hides everything in the furniture, adds houses until the game has three, and plays it in Playtest before launching it for the family. Every lesson's Try it button opens the matching room.
What age is this for?
Kids 6 to 13. Younger kids may want help drawing the map and choosing safe hiding spots. Older kids can add more rooms, lock the room with the hardest hiding spot, and time their family's hunt.