Vacation Reveal Scavenger Hunt Clue Generator

Printable clue cards that lead around the house and end with the big reveal.

Mixed ages in the house? Print this hunt twice at two different reading levels and split the cards between your kids. The youngest gets picture clues, the oldest gets riddles, and everybody is actually solving something.

Clue 1 of 101

Something big is hiding in this house. Follow every clue to find it out. All your playthings rest in here. Dig on down, the end is near.

Clue 2 of 102

I go on trips and hold your clothes. Open me up, the ending grows.

Clue 3 of 103

I hum all night and I keep things chilled. Open my door where the milk is filled.

Clue 4 of 104

At the end of the day this is where you rest. Lift up the soft thing you like the best.

Clue 5 of 105

Look right here and you will find a face that copies every kind.

Clue 6 of 106

I fill with water but never drink. I am bigger than a bathroom sink.

Clue 7 of 107

Every night the family meets. Gather here and take your seats.

Clue 8 of 108

I am glass and I let in light. Look through me for an outside sight.

Clue 9 of 109

Lost coins hide inside of me. I am soft and I face the TV.

Clue 10 of 1010

When it is cold you put me on. Check my pockets before I am gone.

The last clue
everyone, start packing.
We are going to
San Francisco

Put this card with something they can hold: a boarding pass, a wrapped activity book, or a packed suitcase.

Free vacation reveal makers at sunlightkids.com/vacation-reveals

Parent sheet — hide these in reverse

Start at the bottom of this list and work up. Each card tells them where the next card is, so the last card has to be hidden first. Give them card 1 by hand to start the hunt.

  1. Card 1Hand it to them. Do not hide it.
  2. Card 2Hide at a toy box
  3. Card 3Hide at a suitcase
  4. Card 4Hide at the refrigerator
  5. Card 5Hide at under a pillow
  6. Card 6Hide at the bathroom mirror
  7. Card 7Hide at the bathtub
  8. Card 8Hide at the kitchen table
  9. Card 9Hide at a window
  10. Card 10Hide at the sofa cushions
  11. RevealPut the big card at a coat pocket, with the gift.

Why a hunt beats an announcement

A scavenger hunt turns the reveal into something a child does rather than something that happens at them. That matters more than it sounds: kids who work out the answer themselves get the delight of figuring it out, and the moment lasts twenty minutes instead of five seconds.

It is also the most forgiving format if you have more than one child, because everyone has a job.

How to set it up

Pick a reading level and tap 5, 10, 15 or 20 clues. Print the cards, then hide them in the order shown on the parent sheet — each card names the place where the next one is waiting.

Hide them in reverse, starting with the last. Put the final card somewhere with room for the payoff: a wrapped activity book, a boarding pass, or a packed suitcase.

Reading levels, and mixed-age families

Early readers get picture-led clues with three or four words. Middle gets rhyming couplets. Strong readers get riddles that take a second to work out.

With several children of different ages, print the same hunt at two different levels and give each child the clues that fit them. Everyone contributes, and nobody is bored or lost.

Questions parents ask

How many clues should I use?
Ten is right for most families. Five is a good length for a toddler or a school morning; twenty turns it into a proper afternoon event for older kids.
Where do the clues get hidden?
Ordinary places every home has — the fridge, a shoe, the bathtub, under a pillow. We deliberately avoid anything that assumes a particular house.
What should the last clue lead to?
Something they can hold. A boarding pass, a wrapped activity book about the destination, or a packed suitcase all work far better than a printed itinerary.
Can several kids do it together?
Yes, and it is the best format for it. Print two reading levels and split the clues so the youngest gets picture clues while an older sibling gets the riddles.

More free reveal makers

Boarding Pass

A real-looking pass with their name on it. The classic reveal, and the easiest one to pull off tonight.

Countdown Chain

The anticipation half of the reveal. One link a day, and every link teaches them something about the destination.

Luggage Tags

Pairs with the boarding pass, and unlike most reveal props it keeps working after you land.

Cut-Apart Puzzle

Nine, sixteen or twenty-five pieces. The reveal happens when the last piece goes down.

Secret Code

A cipher they crack one letter at a time. The slowest reveal here, and the most satisfying.

Adventure Passport

The reveal that becomes a keepsake. Blank stamp pages get filled during the trip and come home.

San Francisco Activity Book for Kids cover

Going to San Francisco? There is a book for that.

An activity book about where you are going: it announces the trip, fills the waiting, and covers the flight.

“Perfect to help the flight go smoother”— Julia R. · Verified Amazon Purchase

Paperback$10.99Download & Print$7.99

In a rush? Print and staple at home!