virtual scavenger hunt

A virtual scavenger hunt is an online competition where players compete to complete tasks within a set duration. 

Virtual scavenger hunts are ideal team-building activities for remote teams since they help team employees engage and connect.

“Online scavenger hunts” or “remote scavenger hunts” are other names for virtual scavenger hunts.

Virtual Scavenger Hunt

Virtual Scavenger Hunts are a gaming exercise where you prepare a list of objects and ask participants to find them within a duration. For instance, a player might have to take pictures of various objects or collect their favorite tumbler to progress in the game.

The employees have a nice time participating in these events, and they get to interact with other members of the team.

Scavenger hunts, both real and virtual, are excellent activities for team building. It challenges the participants’ intelligence while encouraging them to work together. An activity that can be used to establish a stronger team is a virtual scavenger hunt.

The objective of a virtual scavenger hunt could be as simple as collecting objects or as complex as locating hidden ones via hints.

The use of synergy is required when participating in online scavenger hunts. It fosters a feeling of connection among the team members and assists them in working cohesively. These days, companies conduct their business on virtual platforms, giving employees the impression that they are more linked to the company.

How to Plan a Virtual Scavenger Hunt

Use the following steps to create a virtual scavenger hunt.

#1. Decide the Theme and the Duration of the Virtual Scavenger Hunt

Pick a theme for the scavenger hunt, then determine how long the game will last. For example, you can choose unique objects for your players in their locality and decide the duration of the scavenger hunt.

You could, for instance, provide one clue per working day and extend the scavenger hunt over seven days. Don’t make it too long, or else people will get bored and lose interest in the game if it’s too drawn out.

#2. Compile a List of Items and Challenges

The objects that the players must collect are necessary for a successful virtual scavenger hunt. When compiling the list of items, it is important to consider whether any team members already have those items in their houses. Young and unmarried employees will have different possessions than married couples and couples with kids.

Include simple tasks like snapping pictures with a pet and creating handmade ornaments. The most appropriate activities for a virtual scavenger hunt are ones that are both enjoyable and simple to finish.

Here is a list of objects for taking pictures:

  • Your workstation
  • The view from your door or window
  • Your breakfast/lunch
  • A mug of your choosing
  • A selfie
  • Your favorite notebook or pen
  • Your personal computer

You can also have your team members solve puzzles as a part of the game.

#3. Gather Your Players

Contact the staff, go over the ground rules with them, and then go over the assignment.

You can lighten the load by automating some processes; for instance, you can program emails with hints to be sent at the proper time and send them on a schedule. Thanks to this, you no longer have to worry about sending out the clues daily.

Determine the criteria for awarding points, the method for choosing a winner, and the prize for the victor.

#4. Let the Hunt Begin

After the team has received the list of items to find, the virtual scavenger hunt will then begin. To keep track of the time, start the countdown timer. If team members are located in different locations, they can communicate via video. Players should have easy and quick access to you.

The team members can “check off” an item on the list once they have completed the activity and taken a picture or video of it. After the competition, each player must hand in their entries.

#5. Identify the Winner

Don’t allow submission after the time ends. Examine players’ submissions and assign scores. The team member with the highest score is the winner. If it is a tie, use a tiebreaker to find the winner and announce him/her to the team.

You can offer the winner a virtual reward, such as

  • An electronic gift card for online purchasing.
  • A gift voucher for food delivery.
  • Access to on-demand movies.

#6. Celebrate

Encourage celebration of the successful game completion. Encourage the team to share funny scavenger hunt stories or their experiences with the game. 

Virtual Scavenger Hunt Rules

All participants should have a common understanding of the virtual scavenger hunt exercises. 

You can set up rules for the virtual scavenger hunt, such as:

  1. All the objects must be available nearby.
  2. An object can only be used once.
  3. No photos from the internet.
  4. Participants must submit all pictures at once.
  5. No submission after the deadline.
  6. No illegal or unsafe tasks.

These rules help ensure a fair and safe game.

Scavenger Hunt for the Workplace

To break up the monotony of the daily grind, you may provide some relief for your local workers by organizing a scavenger hunt for them.

Scavenger hunts are simple to put together and inexpensive to participate in. This is a financially responsible yet entertaining approach to boost the team’s morale.

You shouldn’t make your employees participate in the scavenger hunt against their will. Participation in a coercive activity does not strengthen the bonds within a team and can have the opposite effect. This activity could not be very motivating for some team members, while others might find it an excellent way to get to know the other team members better.

Although this is a great team-building exercise, it alone will not solve all team challenges. A virtual scavenger hunt is a fun and interesting method to engage the whole team, but you’ll need to employ different strategies if you’re trying to motivate a consistently negative coworker.

Virtual Scavenger Hunt at Home

A virtual scavenger hunt is a fantastic way to connect with your family and friends at home. You might have a good time online with your loved ones and friends. Because of this, the time you spend at home will be more enjoyable.

You can have virtual treasure hunts with different people. It makes for a fun, sociable method to unwind while at home and develops new memories simultaneously. People who are physically separated can become better acquainted through a digital scavenger hunt.

Virtual Scavenger Hunt Ideas

You can customize the virtual scavenger hunt with your hints. You can take ideas from the list below or use your ideas.

#1. Photo and Video Ideas

  • Take a picture of cleaning products in your house. 
  • Participants can send a video or photo of them doing their least favorite chore.
  • Find and submit the funniest cat on the internet.
  • Share the image that pops to mind when you hear a certain word or phrase. 
  • Make a video of yourself humorously singing a popular song.
  • Make a 10-second video of the current weather outside and show it to the team.
  • If the scavenger hunt falls over the holidays, you might ask participants to contribute photos of their Christmas decorations.
  • Take a picture of you brushing your teeth.
  • Take a photo of a first-aid kit or a bandage box.
  • Take a snapshot of everything that is within your arm’s reach.
  • Take a picture of a car charger and post it on social media.

#2. Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Home

  • Share a picture of your favorite mug.
  • Demonstrate your intelligence: Show a book from your collection with a minimum of 300 pages.
  • Team members should “show and tell” anything fascinating to other team members.
  • Showcase a picture of your living area’s worst “junk drawer.”
  • Recreate a photo from your past.
  • Make a replica of a well-known piece of artwork or artwork inside your own house.
  • Send a photograph of your workspace. You’ll get bonus points if you have work-related information on the computer (it should be non-confidential).
  • If you have a customized or otherwise unique mask, show it off.
  • As more pets become “office” mates for their humans, pet selfies are becoming popular. Take a selfie of your pet.
  • Look for something from the previous decades in your home.

#3. Ideas of Things to Look for Online 

  • Have participants search for objects that reflect particular words or phrases in a word-themed hunt.
  • Look for one of the worst selfies on Google Images and show your results.
  • Find a certain organization’s social media presence and all its pages for bonus points.
  • Participants must find items that begin with certain letters of the alphabet.
  • Find a screenshot on your laptop, desktop, or mobile and share it. It should be shared with everyone. The more experience you have, the better.
  • Share what you know: Look up your job title on the internet. Find the job description and distribute it to the group. 
  • Look for a popular Instagram hashtag. 
  • Find the funniest meme related to a specific word, phrase, or celebrity.
  • Assign participants to search the web for specific details, buzzwords, or articles. The more pages you have, the merrier.
  • Find three hilarious TikTok videos and share them with the rest of the team.

#4. Ideas of Random Objects to Find 

You can build a list with random items. Here is a list of random things you can include:

  • A package of unopened toilet paper,
  • A pizza from the freezer,
  • Baby wipes,
  • A piece of exercise gear,
  • Peanut butter in a jar,
  • A candle,
  • A shopping bag that may be used again and again,
  • A decorative cushion,
  • A board game, 
  • A coffee cup with a motivational slogan on it,
  • A package of bandages,
  • A 4th-generation iPhone,
  • A musical instrument,
  • A phone charger for an automobile,
  • A memento from a previous vacation,
  • A lampshade and
  • A pet of any size or breed.

#5. Virtual Team Building Ideas

  • Bingo on a conference call.
  • Make a map of your city.
  • Have lunch with your friends while on camera.
  • Sending each other modest gifts.
  • Make a playlist for your squad.
  • Create a countdown calendar to indicate the time until a major event. 
  • Share training/fun items every day for a specific period.
  • Create a daily quiz question based on a specific topic.
  • Show photographs of products that are related to your project.

Scoring for Virtual Scavenger Hunts

Based on audience and game, you can choose a scoring model. If you are playing the scavenger hunt with children, go for a simple scavenger hunt rather than a competition. 

In such a scenario, you may skip the score altogether.

Let’s now review some scoring options.

Option 1: One Point for Each Round

This method awards one point to the participant who submits the item first and “wins” the round. Participants are responsible for keeping track of their accomplishments, and the scavenger hunt winner is the individual who accumulated the greatest number of points. This is a wonderful alternative for larger teams to use to keep track of the scores.

Option 2: One Point Per Person

Here, you announce that those who submit the object within a specified time will receive one point. The level of competition is significantly lower here compared to the first scoring choice. When employing this way of scoring, there is also a great possibility of a tie. 

Option 3: First, Second, Last

In this situation, the first person to submit the object will receive five points, the second person will receive three points, and the participant who submits the object will receive one point. This choice is suitable for smaller teams, as maintaining records for each member of a larger team would require a lot of time and effort.

The best thing about this scoring method is that you cannot guess the winner. Completing one round and earning five points is a significant accomplishment that can push you from last to first in a single round. With this option, have a scorecard in an open area and ensure every team member can see it. 

Virtual Scavenger Hunt Examples

We will discuss the following virtual scavenger hunts:

  • Virtual Scavenger Hunt for Team Building Activities
  • Virtual Scavenger Hunt for College Students
  • Virtual Scavenger Hunt for Employees at Work
  • Virtual Scavenger Hunt for Tourist Destinations

Virtual Scavenger Hunt for Team Building Activities

You can help virtual scavenger hunt for team building at any place with a computer and an internet connection. It is the most effective method for increasing coordination and building relationships among virtual team members. 

Example of Objects for Team Building Activities
  • Take a photo of two employees gossiping
  • Provide the funniest employee’s name
  • Sing a song and record the video or audio

Virtual Scavenger Hunt for College Students

It is good exercise for new students or new class to know each other and make friends. This exercise does not require much physical effort or time and is adventurous to complete.

Example Virtual Scavenger Hunt List for College Students on Campus
  • Take a photo of the canteen when it is full or empty
  • Provide the name of the best student in class or school
  • Record a video of your school’s team playing the soccer game

Virtual Scavenger Hunt for Employees at Work

Employees get bored with monotonous work routines, and a virtual scavenger hunt can motivate and energize them to perform better.

Example Virtual Scavenger Hunt List for the Office
  • Provide a photo of the desk to three employees
  • Record a video of your work achievement
  • Submit the funniest mistakes you made at work

Virtual Scavenger Hunt for Tourist Destinations

When you go to a tourist attraction with a large group of people or a large family, participating in a virtual treasure hunt might increase the amount of fun you have there. It contributes to an increase in participation as well as enjoyment.

Example Virtual Scavenger Hunt List for Tourist Destination
  • Submit five selfies with different places
  • Record a self-video explaining the historical importance of tourist place
  • Submit names of three tourist places you failed to visit

Benefits of a Virtual Scavenger Hunt for Team Building

The key benefit of the virtual scavenger hunt is that anyone can play it anywhere.

Playing online scavenger hunts is a great way to provide employees or gamers with much-needed rest while providing them with an exciting new experience.

In addition to being a lot of fun, it also helps members of the team bond with one another and raises morale. This is an essential expenditure of time and effort that fosters optimistic ways of thinking.

A virtual scavenger hunt can be used as an icebreaker before a new meeting or group event where no one knows each other.

FAQs on Virtual Scavenger Hunt

#1. How to Create Virtual Scavenger Hunt?

It is easy to create a virtual scavenger hunt game. Compile the list of players, prepare a list of objects they need to capture and provide them with an email ID or forum access for submission.

Define a scoring model, and you are done.

#2. How Does Virtual Scavenger Hunt Work?

During the activity, participants are instructed to search for various objects, take a picture of them, and then email it to the moderator. After then, they start looking for the next item on the list and continue until they find it.

After the submission period has ended, the moderator will record all of the entries, evaluate each one, and then reveal who the winner is.

#3. What are Examples of Good Scavenger Hunt Clues?

Good scavenger hunt clues are moderately tough and encourage participants to use their intellect. For example, search five objects you use once a week.

Conclusion

Team members can come closer to one another through a virtual scavenger hunt for team development.

This exercise in establishing teams requires participants to have access to the internet and a task list. Start the hunt after sending the activity list to team members through email, text, or video call. In the end, the submissions will be evaluated, and the winners will be announced. It is not easy to create and retain trust within a virtual team, yet, virtual scavenger hunts and other types of virtual team-building challenges have the potential to accomplish cohesiveness within a team.

Fahad Usmani, PMP

I am Mohammad Fahad Usmani, B.E. PMP, PMI-RMP. I have been blogging on project management topics since 2011. To date, thousands of professionals have passed the PMP exam using my resources.