Shout out to all those teens out there – this post is for you! I’m sure all of you know someone who has a cell phone which makes this party idea so easily accessible. And, because you’re using phones for the main party activity, there’s no need for paper, writing utensils, or props which leaves you with a little extra money for decorations/food/party favors if you so desire. This cell phone scavenger hunt is fun for everyone because the party planner gets to hide all the objects while party goers get to explore and race to find them all! FREE + FUN = FANTASTIC.

What you’ll need –

• Cell phones – fully charged for picture taking.
• Random objects – crayons and balls of yarn are a couple examples of objects I hid in the park.

To the host: You will need to think of a place to have the party. Does the birthday person have a favorite park, trail, or beach they like to go to? Or would they rather just stay at home? Before the party starts, go to the birthday location with 10 different objects. Hide them in tricky spots and take pictures of them. You can make the pictures you take as obvious or as difficult as you’d like depending on the age range of the birthday crowd.

Now that the objects are hidden, it’s time to party! Divide the party goers into teams of 3-4 people. Make sure every team has one cell phone, and release them into the area where the 10 objects are hidden. Once they are there, send all the picture clues to each team’s cell phone. Whichever team finds all 10 objects (by proof of them taking a photograph of them) and gets back to home base the fastest WINS!

A few tips to keep in mind when placing objects around –

• Be sure to set clear boundaries for the area you are placing the objects in.
• Make picture taking fun – the more ambiguous the pictures are the more challenging it will be to find the objects.
• Place objects in places with low traffic, and do so right before the party so that passersby don’t take them.

Yes, I do believe this birthday activity is perfect for teenagers, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be modified to fit all age groups. I invite you to be creative and mix up my rules depending on your own birthday crowd. All in all, this scavenger hunt is proof that birthday parties can be enjoyed at NO COST. And what makes it a really great party is that you are with people you love and who love you right back. Makes for a pretty memorable party I’d say!