We all turn on our ‘kid’s play’ mode when we’re challenged to have a fun chase or fetch something out. That’s one of the many reasons why scavenger hunts have the power to grab anybody’s attention. When it comes to remote offices, virtual scavenger hunts provide an energizing way for your colleagues to collaborate, communicate, and connect in a lighthearted setting.
So why not check out our fantastic selection of virtual scavenger hunt ideas for remote employees, along with some helpful platforms to ease your event? Whether you’re looking to improve employee engagement or a simple icebreaker activity, we’re sure that you’ll find the perfect choice right here. Read on.
1. What is a Virtual Scavenger Hunt?
A virtual scavenger hunt adds a modern twist to the classic scavenger hunt game by taking the experience online. Similar to its traditional counterpart, players race against the clock to find specific items via video conferencing platforms or dedicated applications. Participants can scour through their remote workspace, home, surroundings, or the internet to solve clues and crack puzzles to tick off everything on the given list. They can show the item on the screen or share the images or videos through a common platform. You can opt for a hosted activity, where you won’t have to do anything except make a booking and show up for the fun.
2. 10 Best Virtual Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Teams
2.1. Desk Scavenger Hunt
Let’s start our virtual scavenger hunt list with a quick 15-30-minute activity for your team to complete at their desk. We recommend this activity as an engaging icebreaker before the start of a remote team meeting. To play this game, create a list of items everyone can find at home office desks or nearby areas. Participants need to find out all the items on the given list and show them to the camera before time runs out.
Here are some examples of desk scavenger hunt ideas:
- A sticky note with a doodle on it
- A book or magazine related to your industry.
- A funny photo frame
- An item with your company’s logo on it.
- A snack or treat that is hidden in your desk drawer.
- An item that represents your hobby or interest outside of work.
Give this a shot: Take things up a notch with generic prompts rather than being specific. For example, instead of “find a coin,” ask them to “locate something round and valuable.”
2.2. Escape Room Hunt
You might doubt it’s an impossible undertaking, but it’s not. An “Escape Room Hunt” combines elements of both escape rooms and scavenger hunts. Participants will need access to an online platform or a dedicated app for the game. To create an engaging experience, start by crafting a compelling narrative and setting for the escape room hunt.
For example, participants could be tasked with recovering a stolen artifact from a renowned temple before midnight to prevent a curse from being unleashed. You and your team will search for clues, crack codes, and solve brainteasers to escape out of the room with the precious treasure. Some prompts for this escape room virtual scavenger hunt challenges are:
- A simple cipher or code that players need to solve to unlock a clue.
- A jumbled image that they need to rearrange correctly to reveal a hidden message.
- Search through various boxes or drawers to find common items that match the given descriptions.
- Spot differences between nearly identical images to access the next area.
- View videos or listen to audio clips to gather essential clues prior to the game.
Give this a shot: If you have super sleuths on your team, consider hosting an escape room hunt with Hooray Teams The Alchemist Escape Room challenge.
2.3. Movie Scavenger Hunt
Do you have cinephiles on your team? Then, hosting a virtual scavenger hunt based on movies is sure to be a big hit. Share a list of items related to a movie genre or franchise with the team to search for. Give prompts to players so that they can present items physically or symbolically. They might be food, clothes, or any noteworthy items featured in movies.
Here are some fun movie scavenger ideas to consider:
- Show images of iconic movie props like weapons, vehicles, or toys.
- Provide a list of actors and have participants find movies featuring them.
- Share cropped or partially obscured movie posters, and participants must identify the films.
- Challenge participants to find or create snacks based on their favorite films, such as Butterbeer from Harry Potter.
- Describe movie titles using emojis, and participants must guess the titles based on the emoji clues.
Give this a shot: Use technology to enhance the movie scavenger hunt experience, such as augmented reality or QR codes, to unlock clues and challenges.
2.4. Food Scavenger Hunt
For your team’s avid foodies, an online food scavenger hunt is the perfect activity for fun and excitement. Prepare a virtual scavenger hunt list that includes all things food. Start by setting up rounds where team members need to find bowls, pans, knives, and utensils. Next, have them collect ingredients based on the clues you provide. Finally, for extra points, see who can create the best dish using all the ingredients within the time limit.
If cooking isn’t your team’s cup of coffee, prompt some random facts or pun questions related to food from FoodRiddles. For the question “Which is the wealthiest nut?” they have to search and find cashew nuts. It’s going to be interesting and fun.
Give this a shot: Would a food hunt not be enough to unleash your team’s inner chef? Join Hooray Teams Virtual Cupcake Decorating Class for a whole new culinary experience.
2.5. Photo Scavenger Hunt
A hunt for snapping pictures works really well for a virtual scavenger hunt. Participants need to locate items in the given list, such as places, things, buildings, restaurants, or trees, and take photos. Tasks can even include taking selfies with someone or something. Creativity and fun are always welcome. You can set up an online photo album where everyone can upload pics from their devices or camera during the game.
Here are some ideas to inspire your photo scavenger hunt:
- A funny selfie with your pet
- Post in a popular outfit from Metgala
- View from your window
- A close-up shot of a unique pattern or texture
- An action shot imitating a funny emoji or pose
Give this a shot: Consider giving awards like Funniest Selfie, Most Creative Snap, Best Use of Color, or Blooper Shot of the Game.
2.6. Music Scavenger Hunt
If your team shows a deep passion for music, they are sure to love online music scavenger hunts. To set up this virtual scavenger hunt, players are given hints or clues related to search for music-related answers. The prompts could involve musical instruments, the lyrics of a song, or the artist who wrote it. You can even incorporate some fun music trivia questions or music facts as clues for an extra layer of excitement. Teams can play individually or use breakout rooms to play this game.
Some creative music scavenger ideas to try are:
- Find three songs that begin with the word “you.”
- Recite a song parody dramatically.
- Make a 1-minute music composition using kitchen utensils.
- Show participants cropped album covers and have them guess the album title.
- A keychain or keepsake in the shape of a musical instrument.
Give this a shot: You can create a collaborative playlist on Spotify where participants can add songs that fit specific criteria or themes for the scavenger hunt.
2.7. Riddle Scavenger Hunt
This option is great for teams that prefer puzzle-style games or activities that inspire brainstorming. You can facilitate this type of virtual scavenger hunt regularly as part of your company meeting or team building efforts. To play this game, distribute a series of riddles among your colleagues and challenge them to solve each one in order to uncover a physical item.
Here are some scavenger hunt ideas that push your team to think critically:
- I can’t be used until I have been broken, what am I? (Egg)
- You go at red and stop at green, what am I? (Watermelon)
- I become younger the longer I exist (Candle)
- What gets wetter as it dries? (Towel)
- What is full of holes but still holds water? (Sponge)
- What can’t be put in a saucepan? (The Lid)
- I’m the coolest friend you have (Fridge)
Give this a shot: Check out braingle for a variety of riddles and puzzles so you can increase the level of difficulty of the challenges at each stage.
2.8. Nature Scavenger Hunt
Here’s an interesting way to explore outdoor nature without leaving your backyard. Every team member gets a list of prompts inspired by nature to hunt and discover. These might be fallen branches, flowers, and many other delightful natural treasures. Participants can snap a photo of uncovered items and share it on a common platform like Zoom or Meet. This virtual scavenger hunt allows for a great deal of creative freedom, so use your imagination to the fullest.
Encourage teams to find and take pictures of items in nature, such as:
- A unique plant or flower
- Beautiful pine cones or pebbles
- Leaves with an attractive pattern or color
- A specific bird, animal, or bug
- A unique cloud formation
- A spider web
Give this a shot: You can expand your search into nearby parks, beaches, forests, or nature reserves. Remember to reward the most creative or fun snapshots.
2.9. Museum Scavenger Hunt
Step into the world of art, history, and culture with a museum virtual scavenger hunt. Participants navigate through virtual museum spaces using interactive maps, 360-degree images, or guided tours. They can explore and find specific objects, artifacts, artworks, or information based on clues or a list of items provided. You and your team will solve riddles, answer questions, take photos, or complete challenges related to the museum’s themes or collections, individually or in groups.
Here are some ideas for an online museum scavenger hunt:
- A sign that says ‘Do not touch’
- A plaque honoring someone
- A famous landscape painting
- An exhibit dating back centuries
- A man wearing a black hat
Give this a shot: For those missing their globe-trotting moments, arrange a Virtual 3D Tour into China conducted by Hooray Teams.
2.10. Social Media Scavenger Hunt
Treat your team to a trip down memory lane with a social media virtual scavenger hunt. It typically involves creating a list of tasks or challenges related to past social media posts, profiles, or content. Participants may need to scroll through timelines, search using keywords or hashtags, or explore different profiles to find the required picture or information. Each participant has five to ten minutes to download photos related to the given list. The winner is the one who shares all their downloaded photos within the allotted time.
Here are some ideas for a social media scavenger hunt:
- Find a picture of someone with a pet.
- Locate a post where someone is wearing a reflective Jacket.
- Identify a post from a particular location or venue.
- Identify a post with a certain number of likes or comments.
- The first picture you ever posted on Facebook.
- Find out a post where someone is celebrating an achievement.
Give this a shot: In the end, compile all the collected content to create a collaborative digital archive using Google Drive or Dropbox for future reminiscing.
3. Virtual Scavenger Hunt Apps for Teams
3.1. Hooray Teams Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Hooray Teams team-building platform has created a fun and interactive virtual scavenger hunt activity for teams of all sizes. During the game, you and your team will be given a list of items through a shared platform or a dedicated online app. Your task is to locate each item on the list by solving a series of clues and puzzles within a set time frame. An expert host will be present to provide hints and guidance throughout the activity. The game is designed for your team to laugh out loud and create some friendly competition.
Number of participants: 10-1000
Pricing: Available upon request
3.2. Scavify
Scavify is the ultimate virtual scavenger hunt app that offers a blend of excitement, exploration, and camaraderie. Thanks to its ease of use and user-friendly interface, participants can join the scavenger hunt whenever and wherever they choose. The app enables users to snap photos, take videos, answer multiple-choice questions, fill out forms, scan QR codes, and provide feedback. You can also use Scavify’s real-time leaderboard to drive an extra layer of excitement and healthy competition.
Number of participants: 600+
Pricing: Available upon request.
3.3. Actionbound
Originally designed as an educational tool, Actionbound has evolved into a virtual scavenger hunt provider for individuals, businesses, and educational institutions. The hunts, also known as bounds, are tailored to specific locations, and the team must share a device. The free option is perfect for organizations on a budget or those seeking to trial remote scavenger hunts before making a full commitment to the platform. Advanced versions of Actionbound offer entertaining elements such as countdowns, tournaments, missions, and surveys.
Number of participants: Customizable
Pricing: Free trial available, Customizable pricing options for the advanced version
3.4. Goosechase
This is an online platform that helps you create an interactive virtual scavenger hunt experience for team building or onboarding activities. Participants can download and play the GooseChase experience for free across desktop, iOS, and Android apps. Multiple team members can share access to an account, enabling them to collaborate on crafting a scavenger hunt together. The platform also facilitates personalizing your experience by adding logos, photos, and descriptions to emphasize your company’s identity. The live leaderboard and activity feed also help you keep track of scores while keeping everyone engaged.
Number of participants: Up to 3 teams (free)
Pricing: Free, Customizable pricing options for the advanced version
3.5. Camera Hunt
The fun virtual scavenger hunt app Camera Hunt is one of many entertaining games made by web developer Robbie Elias. It’s extremely simple to set up and use. You can use CameraHunt as a quick icebreaker game or as a simple warm-up for a virtual team meeting. There are only a few simple rules: you have 60 seconds to capture as many images of objects as possible. All the items in your house should be there, but if not, feel free to leave out a few. The platform uses machine learning algorithms to identify and distinguish clues and award points to players accordingly.
Number of participants: Customizable
Pricing: Free
4. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
4.1. What are some of the best virtual scavenger hunt themes?
Some of the best virtual scavenger hunt themes include nature, trivia, memory lane, the outdoors, the office, the museum, movies, music, and puzzles. Teams compete to fetch items or snap creative pictures based on specific prompts. Virtual holiday scavenger hunts are also popular, where participants might search for festive decors, holiday-themed recipes, or seasonal traditions.
4.2. How To Host a virtual scavenger hunt for work?
- Choose a virtual platform like Zoom or a scavenger hunt app to host the game.
- Fix a date and time convenient for every participant.
- Send invites to teams with the date, time, and guidelines for participating in the game.
- Assign a moderator to oversee the game’s progress. Alternatively, you can opt for a professional host such as Hooray Teams for a seamless experience.
4.3. Is there a free scavenger hunt app?
Yes, there are free scavenger hunt apps available for download. Apps like Goosechase, Camera Hunt, and Adventure Lab offer fun and interactive experiences for users without any cost.
