Scavenger Hunt for Kids - Operation Sunday School for ages 11 to 14

This hunt is designed to be used with Sunday School Classes or youth groups in grades 6th - 8th, ages 11 to 14 (although with an adult helper on their team, 5th graders could handle this hunt). Author's note: High school kids may also enjoy these hunts because they tend to love team competitions. Even though parts of it would be a little babyish, I think they would enjoy it overall because it is different, and not the same old same old activity. The older kids would just be more creative and independent than the younger ages and they'd particularly like the team projects. You may need to alter some of the details to fit your particular age group.

There are two versions of this bible study scavenger hunt for you to choose from that use the same set of clues and format.

Version 1: Operation Two by Two (The Story of Noah's ark)

Version 2 for the Christmas season: Operation Away in a Manger (The Story of Baby Jesus' Birth)

The general idea in both hunts is for the group to be divided into teams. Each team is given a bag of instructions, a team booklet, a King James version of the Holy Bible (although you can use another version if you so choose), and pencils. The teams will follow clues that lead them to various locations around your church grounds. At each location they will find an envelope with instructions on how to complete a certain page in their team booklet, a small piece of paper with a letter of the alphabet written on it, and a figure that will be used to complete a nativity scene or ark scene (according to which version you choose to do). The hunt works best if you can enlist various church members to assist you, including your pastor, the choir master, etc.

If your time frame is more than an hour, you may decide to add team projects for your youth to complete for additional points. There are 3 suggested project ideas for you to choose from based on your time frame and budget. A word search is provided to occupy the team that finishes early. The teams are given points for the pages that are completed in the team book and for the projects they completed. At the end of the game, the points are tallied up, and the team with the most points wins. That being said there should be no "losers". All teams should get some sort of award (scout your local discount department store or toy store for inexpensive prizes). This hunt includes editable Award Certificates.

AGE GROUP: ages 11 to 14 (although with an adult helper on their team, 5th graders could handle this hunt)

NUMBER OF TEAMS or PARTICIPANTS: Unlimited. We recommend no more than 8 kids per team.

What if you only have a few kids participating in this Bible Study hunt? Instead of dividing them into teams, you can keep them all on one team and have them race against the clock, giving the single team a time limit to complete each section of the hunt, report back to you and bribe you for the next section and so on until the hunt is complete.

LENGTH OF THE HUNT: About 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

PRE-HUNT PREP TIME: For up to 6 teams, you can put our Sunday School scavenger hunt together in about 3 to 6 hours (includes shopping for supplies, reading the scavenger hunt and prepping the materials); as you add teams, you'll need to add time to the pre-hunt prep. You mostly need to print (and perhaps edit) the documents included with the kit, pack the collection bags and you'll need to shop for team prizes as well as other inexpensive supplies like clipboards, project supplies and such. Our facilitator guide provides a supply checklist for you.

THIS SCAVENGER HUNT KIT INCLUDES FRIENDLY, HELPFUL SUPPORT ALONG WITH MASTER COPIES OF:

Operation Sunday School Overview
The 2 versions of the game: Operation Away In A Manger for the Christmas season and Operation Two By Two (Noah's Ark) for all other times of the year.
Facilitator Instructions for both games
Hunt Invitation
Word Search and Solution for both games
Award Certificates
Team ID Table Tents
Team Name Badges
Bribe Labels

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO BUY/PROVIDE: Team collection bags (plastic shopping bags or something fancier - your choice) and other inexpensive items (like arts & crafts supplies, pens, clipboards and prizes). We'll let you know exactly what you need to get in our handy facilitators' guide that comes with this scavenger hunt.