Pre Easter Party Scavenger Hunt and BBQ

by Natalie
(Coolidge, AZ)

19 years ago we started getting together the day before Easter to have all the kids color eggs and make one mess instead of a mess at each house. Since we were all together anyway we turned it into a bbq and the tradition has grown over the years. 75-100 people now.

We added a scavenger hunt 15 years ago and it has grown into an unbelievable competition. It's as much fun watching each team scramble to get all they can and get it back here in a pile before time runs out as it is to participate in it.

The scavenger hunt list starts out with simple everyday items such as a flyswatter, band-aid, plunger ect for one point each. Usually around 80 items. Then come the bonus items for 3 or 5 points each.

Every year I tweak the list and think "no way is anyone getting this one" but they surprise me each year. A cop with a donut I thought would never happen, but two teams came back with one. Who has a rotary phone any more? Every team had one. A 5.5 floppy disk? They found it!!

Our friends have been wonderfully creative over the years so we did have to add a few rules. No toy or photo substitutes of any items and a 1 point deduction for every minute you are late.

I have a friend that won't clean out her junk drawer for fear she will throw away something that might be on the list this year. Although I think that's really just an excuse not to clean it out.

Here is a sample of our scavenger hunt lists. I have saved them all from every year.


One Pointers:

shingle, butterfly, Preparation H, pepperoni, walker, gourd, Starbucks cup, red wagon, paint brush, long underwear, gas can, funnel, lug wrench, red shoelace, rabbits foot, life jacket, pitch fork, hospital gown, toe ring, trash can, Easter grass, mason jar, blue bra, traffic ticket, bale of hay, dog bone, paper bag, scale,
thumbtack, red rubber band, clear band aid, calendar, water wings, wig, tackle box, cue stick, pecan, globe, wheelchair, ear plugs, lighter fluid, pen light, tweezers, gravy boat, pasta fork, bed pan, hockey stick, pizza cutter, Popsicle stick

3 & 5 Pointers:

bee, Christmas ornament, potty chair, breast pump, jack hammer, tow truck, wind-up clock, model airplane, antlers, monopoly hotel, mosquito, camper shell, lobster claws, 3-d glasses mile marker, surf board, dentures, earthworm, shopping cart, he-man action figure, fortune cookie, velvet Elvis, wagon wheel, butch wax

Just a small sampling and every item listed was brought in by at least one team. Very seldom is there something on the scavenger hunt list that at least one team doesn't get. Have a great time with this and be creative.