Christmas Scavenger Hunt — 4 Free Printable Hunts with Clues
Four free Christmas scavenger hunts to print: a rhyming clue hunt that leads around the house to a hidden present, a picture hunt for little kids, a Christmas lights hunt for the drive home, and a photo scavenger hunt for teens and parties. Each one prints on plain paper in US Letter or A4.
The clue hunt is the classic Christmas morning treasure hunt: twelve short riddles, each one pointing to where the next card is hidden, and a final card that sends the kids to their surprise.
12 rhyming clue cards
A treasure hunt around the house: under the tree, in the fridge, inside a stocking and nine more spots. Includes blank cards, a final clue and a grown-up answer key.
Kids picture hunt
Twenty pictures to find around the home — a star, a bell, a stocking, something red. No reading needed, so it works for preschoolers.
Christmas lights hunt
Take it on a drive or an evening walk: blow-up snowmen, reindeer, candy cane lights, a roof outlined in lights. 24 to spot.
Photo scavenger hunt
Twenty photo challenges with points, from an ugly-sweater shot to a human Christmas tree. Great for teens, youth groups and office parties.
Everything in one file
All four hunts plus the blank clue cards and answer key — seven pages in a single PDF.
Where the 12 clues lead
The clues are written to work in most homes. Skip any that don’t suit yours — the answer key shows which card to hide where, and the blank cards let you add your own spots.
How to set up the clue hunt
- Print and cut. Print the clue pages at Actual size and cut along the dashed lines. Keep the answer key somewhere the kids won’t see it.
- Hide the cards in order. Each card goes at the answer of the card before it: clue 2 under the tree, clue 3 in the fridge, and so on. The answer key has a tick box for each one.
- Hide the prize. Write where the present is on the final clue card and leave that card by the front door.
- Hand over clue 1. Read it aloud for younger children. Most families finish in 15 to 30 minutes.
Ideas for each hunt
- Christmas morning: use the clue cards to lead to one big present, or tuck a small treat beside every card.
- Classroom party: give each table the kids picture hunt and hide paper stars, bells and snowflakes around the room.
- Christmas Eve drive: print the lights hunt on a clipboard for each child and give a prize for the best house.
- Teens and offices: split into teams for the photo hunt, set a 45-minute limit and share the photos at the end.
Questions
What age is the Christmas scavenger hunt for?
The picture hunt suits children from about three, since there is nothing to read. The rhyming clues work from about five with a grown-up reading, and on their own from seven or eight. The photo hunt is for teens and adults.
How long does it take?
The 12-clue hunt takes 15 to 30 minutes. For little ones, use only the first six clues and send them straight to the final card.
Can I write my own clues?
Yes. The third page has five blank clue cards and a final card with a line for where the prize is hidden.
Do I need a colour printer?
No. Everything reads clearly in black and white; the pictures just look nicer in colour.
Is there an answer key?
Yes — the fourth page of the clue set lists every answer and where to hide each card, with a box to tick as you go.
More Christmas printables
- Christmas bingo — 30 picture cards plus junior cards.
- Christmas crosswords — nine puzzles with answer keys.
- Christmas mazes — tree, snowflake and reindeer-shaped mazes.
- Letter to Santa templates — 12 designs to fill in.
- Printable Christmas tags — 24 watercolor gift tags.
