Scavenger Adventure -11yr- Lots of Challenges

I threw this party for my son's 11th Birthday Party, but it can be for any age with some adjustment.  Instead of a scavenger hunt around the neighborhood, all the activities were in the house or our yard. 

INVITATIONS: We attached a pack of Pop Rocks" to each invitation saying "pop over for a birthday party….a mix of The Amazing Race and a Scavenger Hunt!....You'll MOVE fast we had snacks available like crackers Licorice Pretzels etc. 

ACTIVITIES & GAMES: The idea of the Scavenger Adventure was to find the activity perform the task and get points.  An adult/judge followed each team around to assign the points and to set up the task for another team.  The kids had 45 minutes to do as many tasks as they could to earn points.  Each child had a sheet of paper with a list of the activities and a place to write their points if they wanted to do so.  The tasks were made up by using things I had around the house.  We have a pool and outdoor equipment but you can use whatever you have. Use your imagination!  Here's our Scavenger Adventure: 

1. Fishing Game: Using the "Fishing Pole" by the pool each team member needs to fish one ring from the pool. 

2. Ping Pong Bounce: Each team member must bounce the ping pong ball on the paddle 5 times without dropping the ball.  If the ball drops start counting again. 

3. Bean Bag Toss: Each team member must get a 3 bean bags in different holes (you could use trashcans buckets etc if you don't have a beanbag toss game). 

4. Coin Toss: Each team member must get 3 coins into the bowls (using fairly flat rimmed bowls makes it harder!). 

5. Sand Castle Building: Using the sample picture (we made the sand castle and took a photo) build the exact same sand castle as on the picture. 

6. Buried Treasure: Find 6 blue coins in the treasure bin without knocking a lot of sand from the bin (put 6-12" of sand in a flat bin/bucket and bury coins of any kind--could be "find 3 quarters" etc.). 

7. Jump Rope: Each team member needs to jump 10 times without missing a step. 

8. Monkey Bars: Each team member must go across the monkey bars twice start at the wood ladder on the left then go across the monkey bars through the fort and down the green slide (or use your own swingset for a fun activity).

9. Boat Race: Each team member must drive the remote control boat across the pool around the buoy and back to the starting point. 

10. Trampoline: Each team member must jump 20 times on the trampoline one at a time.  Other team members must wait outside the trampoline for their turn.  Jump only on your feet no twists turns flips touching the side etc. 

11. Egg Hunt: Find the rubber chicken.  Take the rubber chicken around the yard as you search for 3 of her pink eggs (plastic easter eggs). 

12. Nuts & Bolts: Find a bin of nuts and bolts.  Screw 20 nuts onto 20 bolts. 

13. Water Relay: Get in a line behind the bucket of water.  Each team member must take a spoonful of water trying not to spill any water over to the cup.  Fill the cup to the top. 

14. Cup Stacking: Find a bunch of plastic cups.  Stack them in a pyramid shape with the most on the bottom and gradually till there is only one on top (like a triangle). 

15.Lego Tower: Find a LEGO bin and make a tower that is 2 feet tall.  Tower must stand on it's own for 10 seconds.    

Scaventure Rules:
1.Each team member must help complete the scaventure task. 

2. You may only do each scaventure task once--i.e. you can't do bean bag toss more then one time. Your team cannot be at the same station as another team i.e. no more then 1 team at the pool or in the sandbox. 

3. Your judge has the final decision in all activities.  Points will be taken off if the scaventure task isn't done as listed.

4. Leave the station items as you found them or as it says to do in the scaventure task description.

5. If your team finishes all the scaventure tasks before the time is up you will receive 1 point for every minute you are done early.

6. If you cannot complete the scaventure task you can take partial credit or come back to it later if there's time.  If one person cannot complete the task your team can get some points but not all 10 points for that scaventure task.

FAVORS: The Winning Team got $100 Grand bar and the 2nd place team got a Payday candy bar.  They also went home with a goody bag with little prizes. 

CAKE: Kids had cupcakes and punch after the birthday boy opened gifts. 

THANK YOUs: We printed up a one page collage of pictures taken during the party and delivered to each boy with "hope you had a ball" (bouncy ball)Thank You note. Hints: All the stations were set up ahead of time all around the house and yard. We had our children try the activity once or twice before the party to make sure it was do-able.  The teams had to find the right station and perform the task.  The judge/adult didn't give any hints or help. 

For younger kids you could have easier tasks.  Use things you have--other ideas might be to draw a grid (chalk or on poster board) and have the kids toss pennies to hit a target; do an activity with hula hoops (jump through them throw a football through one etc.); do anything with balls--bounce them toss to each other etc. This is a great party if you are on a budget and use your imagination!  The boys want to do it again this year! "