Scavenger hunts are a tried-and-tested activity to get teams racing for objects hidden in plain sight. They’re perfect for bringing teams closer together and collaborating while bringing a dose of fun to the workday.
We’ve gathered 15 exciting themed scavenger hunts, each designed to turn your workspace or remote platform into a hunting ground.
Ready to start hunting? Let the games begin!
How to carry out an indoor scavenger hunt
A little preparation goes a long way, and indoor team-building activities like scavenger hunts can quickly get everyone engaged when you prepare well.
Start by setting clear rules: decide if teams will collect items physically or snap photos. Photos can make a better choice for remote teams as they can quickly upload their snaps to a shared folder.
Then pick a theme from our list that gels with your team. Use our list of adult-friendly ideas to keep things relevant and enjoyable. Stick a timer on the event for a healthy splash of competition.
When the hunt is done, gather everyone to share their finds and funniest moments. A quick shoutout or prize for the winning team wraps up the activity on a high note. Simple, effective team-building fun awaits!
15 themed lists for your next indoor scavenger hunt
So here’s our collection of 15 themes complete with item lists for your hunters. Carry them out in the office space or your remote meeting platform today!
1. Globetrotting hunt
Place the focus of the hunt on different locations around the world with an internationally inspired scavenger hunt. Each person is placed on a search for items connected to different countries and cultures, satisfying workplace wanderlust (no passport required!).
List of objects to hunt:
- A map or atlas.
- A globe.
- A postcard of a famous landmark.
- A travel guide or brochure.
- Snacks from a different culture
- An item with a travel-related logo (like a luggage tag).
- A beach accessory (sunglasses, flip-flops).
- An airline ticket or boarding pass
It’s an excellent opportunity to create interest in new traditions, landmarks, and travel stories while elevating bonds in your teams. Even if your travel period isn’t til next season, this hunt ensures the fun is sky-high!
2. Pop culture hunt
Bring entertainment into the spotlight with a pop culture-themed scavenger hunt. Each member searches for items tied to movies, TV shows, music, and iconic trends. Use the entertainment of today or from years gone by. Whatever element of pop culture dominates your workplace, infuse it into scavenger hunting to make a fan-favorite.
List of objects to hunt:
- A superhero-themed item
- A retro gadget (like a cassette tape or Polaroid camera).
- Lyrics from a popular song written on paper.
- A pop culture-inspired T-shirt or accessory.
- A gaming-related item (e.g., joystick or game cover).
- Any nostalgic items from the ’80s or ’90s.
This hunt taps into workplace nostalgia and hobbies, giving participants a chance to showcase their past and present fandoms. Marvel-ous fun.
3. Sustainability hunt
Eco-focused scavenger hunts can feel a sense of harmony and a connection to the planet. Have your teams search for items promoting greener habits and get them thinking about the ways we can all help.
List of objects to hunt:
- Plants and eco-friendly desk accessories at the office
- Tote bags or reusable shopping bags
- A biodegradable item (bamboo pen, paper straws)
- Any solar-powered gadgets you have (like calculators or lamps)
- Compostable snack wrappers
By making green and sustainable items the focus of the hunt, you’ll be promoting some eco-consciousness in your teams and reinforcing the importance of small, sustainable actions. This is great for growing teams focused on their environmental footprint.
4. Riddle quest
Take a step outside the box and devise some enticing riddles for your teams to crack. This hunt combines critical thinking with teamwork, making it a hit with problem-solving enthusiasts. If you’re feeling a bit mean, finish the list off with one of our extra-puzzling workplace riddles.
Riddles to use (and items to hunt)
- “I hold your thoughts but never speak. What am I?” (Notebook)
- “I help you carry your brew and help you start the day. What am I?” (Coffee mug)
- “I’m sharp but safe to touch, just don’t run while holding me! What am I?” (Scissors)
- “I track your hours but never tick. What am I?” (Digital clock)
- “I organize your week and you probably put me on the wall. What am I?” (Wall planner)
Every solved riddle reveals a new item, keeping the excitement alive as the team works toward the finish line. Use riddles to keep everyone guessing on your next scavenger hunt.
5. Hunting by physical properties
Why not make your players a little more curious about the objects they’re searching for? Use descriptions of the physical aspects and properties of the items, and let them have at it. They’ll be scouring every corner of the office looking for items that match the adjectives you supply. Here’s a couple of categories to try:
Properties of items to search for:
- Something heavy
- Something light
- A shiny object
- A dull object
- Something colorful
- Something muted
- A soft item
- A rough-textured item
- An item with a pointed edge
- A curvy object
- An item brought in from home
- An item from abroad
You might be leading toward some hilarious results as Dave from IT brings his half-eaten prawn sandwich to you because it’s “fragrant.” Cheers, Dave…
6. Office Trivia Hunt
How tightly-knit is your team at the office? If you make office trivia the name of the game, you could be getting into office in-jokes, traditions, and quirks that only they know. This can mean a lot for bringing teams closer together. Get them to celebrate shared memories and trivia over the company culture with this one.
Items to hunt:
- The oldest item in the office
- A framed certificate or award
- A sticky note with a funny or inspirational quote
- A photo from a team-building event
- A piece of outdated tech everybody hates (like an old mouse or floppy disk)
- An object connected to an inside joke
- A book or document about the company’s history
- An item with the company’s primary color
This hunt might lead to uncovering forgotten gems that mean a lot to your teams, like company trophies or forgotten objects. You’ll be blending nostalgia with hilarity, keeping spirits high and the laughs rolling.
7. Cipher hunt
Challenge your team’s problem-solving skills with a scavenger hunt that uses cipher codes! Each clue is encoded, and each member has to use a cipher wheel to decode messages that guide them to the next item. Feel free to make your coded cipher tricky enough to have Sherlock scratching his head. You’ll be blending the hunt with team puzzle solving, perfect for enthusiasts!
You can easily create a cipher wheel using cardboard or an online tool like this one. Each decoded message unveils a clue to an object, so it’s both mentally stimulating and engaging.
List of objects to hunt
- A green notebook.
- A travel mug with the company logo.
- A desk plant.
- A calendar or planner.
- A stapler or office gadget.
With every clue cracked, excitement builds, making this hunt perfect for injecting a bit of excitement into the hunt.
8. Themed-day hunt
Spice up the indoor scavenger hunt with a unifying theme! Depending on the time of year, you might be near a popular holiday, so use this to your advantage. Creating a theme for Spirit Week can elevate the closeness felt during the celebration, so choose a motif and run with it! We’ll make an example list of items from our favorite office holiday…
Items to hunt (for a Halloween theme example)
- A pumpkin
- A spooky costume accessory (witch’s hat or fake fangs)
- A candle with a fall scent
- A black cat decoration or photo
- A sweet treat like candy corn
- An orange or black piece of clothing
- A “haunted” office object (something that’s mysteriously unused)
- A bat or ghost-themed sticker
Match the theme-day idea to whatever is most relevant for your workforce. Tropical luau, winter wonderland, or throwback decade theme, this hunt lets everyone showcase their festive side.
9. Digital scavenger hunt
If you’re organizing a scavenger hunt for your remote teams, fear not, we’ve got you. This scavenger hunt sends every person on a virtual hunt and can be easily carried out by gathering screenshots and uploading them to a shared folder. This one’s a great team-building activity with no materials needed!
List of digital items to be screenshotted
- A screenshot of your desktop background
- A file saved over a year ago
- An email with the word “meeting” in the subject line
- A browser tab open to something unrelated to work (like shopping or news)
- A team selfie from a virtual meeting
- An emoji frequently used in chat messages
- A GIF of an animal wearing clothes
- A funny typo from a previous chat conversation
- A bookmarked website from your browser
- A shared calendar event with at least three attendees
This hunt works great for remote teams, encouraging them to share digital pics. Try it out with your remote teams today.
10. Photo hunt
Have your teams get to grips with their inner photographer with a photo-based scavenger hunt. Spend some time before the hunt asking your teams to capture images of things from your list. Once done, print a sample of the photos they’ve snapped and have them hunt for them around the office. A simple and quick office game full of potential, try using these photos:
Photos to capture before the hunt
- The most colourful item in the office
- A unique desk setup or workspace
- A silly item in the breakroom
- A reflection in a shiny surface
- Something that looks like it belongs in a museum
- A motivational poster or wall art
- An item that looks out of place
The results can be surprising and even artistic. This hunt can boost morale and leave you with a gallery of cool pics to share or display!
11. Color-coded hunt
Keep your indoor scavenger hunt simple by asking everyone to hunt for color-coded objects. All you need to do is ask them to find objects related to the colors in your list. It’s super simple and can be carried out quickly by your teams. Start with easy criteria to make it a quick team-building game. Something green, something blue, something red, and so on. You can add a few of these trickier items to the list to increase the challenge:
Color-coded items to hunt
- A multicolored item (like a calendar or art piece)
- An item in your team’s brand color
- A black-and-white patterned object
- Something transparent (like glass or plastic)
- An item with metallic tones
- An object with pastel shades
Simple yet versatile this hunt keeps the focus on quickly finding everyday items. Try it out with your teams on your next indoor scavenger hunt.
12. Hunting alphabetically
Another indoor scavenger hunt that’s easy to organize and carry out is asking your teams to hunt for items alphabetically. Your hunters should search for items corresponding to your alphabetical list, or take photos of an item if they can’t retrieve it (as they probably shouldn’t peel Exit signs off the wall!).
An alphabetical list of examples
- Android phone
- Bathroom soap dispenser
- Clock
- Desk calendar
- Exit sign
- First-aid kit
- Gizmo or gadget
- Headphones
- Index cards
- Journal
- Keys
- Leadership book
- Messenger bag
- Notebook
- Office chair
- Paperclip
- Quartz crystal
- Rubber band
- Stationery set
- Telephone
- Umbrella
- Vase
- Whiteboard marker
- X-ray print
- Yellow pencil
- Zipper pouch
Feel free to switch in alphabetical items that better relate to your workspace. With a timer, you indoor scavenger hunters can get into the competitive spirit. Try it out today!
13. Fitness hunt
Get your team moving with a scavenger hunt focused on fitness items. This activity can be done in the office, or with your remote teams if they’re into home workouts. It’s also a great way to raise the team spirit and show the importance of wellness in a fun, lighthearted environment.
Fitness items for hunting:
- A pair of running shoes
- A yoga mat
- A fitness-related app on a phone (take a photo)
- A resistance band or dumbbell
- A healthy snack (fruit or nuts will do)
- A photo demonstrating a workout move (like jumping jacks)
- A step tracker or smartwatch
- A motivational poster or quote related to fitness
Pairing this activity with some fitness exercises or an employee wellness program will promote some holistic care for your teams. It’s a great way to energize the group. Just make sure you can keep up with any fitness exercises you choose to include!
14. Vacational-themed hunt
Dreaming of sandy beaches or snowy mountaintops? A vacation-themed scavenger hunt brings those holiday vibes straight into the office or remote setting. This hunt is great for getting people thinking about their next holiday destination (which hopefully happens soon).
Holiday items for hunting:
- A pair of sunglasses
- A travel brochure or map
- A beach towel
- A photo of a scenic location
- A suitcase or backpack
- A passport cover or travel tag
- A souvenir from a past trip
- A pair of flip-flops
- A book or magazine about travel
With this hunt, your team can escape the office (at least mentally) and they might start bonding over shared travel dreams. Promote a sense of adventure and get travel plans ready with a scavenger hunt for holiday items.
15. Time capsule hunt
Take a trip down memory lane with a reflective scavenger hunt focused on items from the past. Each team will search for items that represent milestones, memories, or goals, forging a meaningful experience. It’s a great reminder that celebrates achievements and brings teams closer together.
Items to hunt for
- A photo from a past team event
- A souvenir or keepsake from a work celebration
- A handwritten note or card
- A project document from the previous year
- An item symbolizing a team achievement
- An office gadget no longer in use
- A favorite book or notebook used by a team member
- A “futuristic” item that represents aspirations
As the team collects these items, they’ll rediscover shared moments and create new ones. Include some items that represent future aspirations. That might be team vision boards or dream location photos for your next company retreat! Something to really think about to elevate your teams to new heights!
Get scavenger hunting on a fabulous company retreat!
Looking to take your teams to the next level? Carrying out a scavenger hunt while on a team-building retreat is the ultimate way of bringing everyone closer together. Scavenger hunts in an idyllic location will create unforgettable memories for your teams.
Here’s what we offer:
- Stress-free transfers? We got you! ✅
- Quality-assured accommodations? Check! ✅
- Engaging team-building activities? Our speciality ✅
- Restaurant reservations? That's on us! ✅
- Expert retreat planning assistance? Of course, we have this covered! ✅
- Onsite support, tailored to your needs? Absolutely ✅
Imagine your team solving clues and hunting for treasures through the cobblestone streets of Lisbon, uncovering hidden gems, and bonding as they go!
Give your teams the once-in-a-lifetime experience they deserve. Spaces fill up quickly, so reach out to us today!
