Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt for Cousins

Hide the cards before the guests arrive. Preview the hunt free. The PDF is emailed when it is ready.

While the Thanksgiving meal cooks, the kitchen is off limits and the cousins need something to do together. Our hunts are birthday treasure hunts with no Thanksgiving theme, but the trail is the same: ten clue cards lead through the spots you pick to a treasure at the end. The detective hunt turns the trail into a case for Milo the fox to crack. Preview the cards free before you pay.

How the hunt works

• You choose every hiding spot. Enter the rooms the kids can use, leave the kitchen out, and the cards lead there in order, ending at the treasure.
• The hunt is personalized with your child's name, which appears on the cover, the setup sheet and the treasure card. In between are ten clue cards for the spots you pick, and you print it at home on Letter or A4 paper.
• Two reading levels. Explorer uses a picture of each spot and a short rhyme an adult reads aloud, for about ages 4 to 6. Detective adds riddles and small puzzles for about 7 to 10. One set prints at one level: pick Explorer if the youngest hunter is 4 to 6, or Detective if most of the group is 7 to 10, and let an older cousin read for a younger one.
• One adult who is not cooking can run it, with a list of the hiding spots in hand to help a stuck team.

Sample clue flavor

Front door mat

The case begins where coats come in. Open the closet and look within.

Coat closet

Coats and scarves, a cozy row. The couch cushion is where you go.

Couch

Soft and wide, where grown-ups sit. Check the bookshelf, the next clue is in it.

Bookshelf, bottom shelf

Stories here, both short and tall. The treasure waits by the bedroom wall.

Hiding spots that skip the kitchen

Keep the route out of the kitchen while the meal cooks. Skip anything high, sharp, or in a room you do not want opened.

• Front door, low beside the mat
• Coat closet, behind a jacket
• Under one couch cushion
• Bottom shelf, beside a picture book
• Bathroom counter, never inside a cabinet
• Inside one shoe by the stairs
• Toy basket in the playroom
• Bedroom floor by the wall, where the treasure waits

Cousins of different ages

One printed set has one reading level. For a mix of ages, pick Explorer if the youngest hunter is 4 to 6, and ask the older cousins to read each rhyme aloud. Pick Detective if most of the group is 7 to 10, and pair each younger cousin with an older one. Everyone opens the treasure together at the end.

Preview the pirate hunt. Percy the parrot, bandana and eye patch. A voyage through the house that ends at a chest.

Preview the dinosaur hunt. Rex the friendly dinosaur. A dig from room to room for cousins who like dinosaurs.

Read the Thanksgiving scavenger hunt setup

More Thanksgiving and fall guides

Thanksgiving scavenger hunt for kids, Fall scavenger hunt for kids.

Create this hunt. Free preview, then print at home for $29.99.

Want a free printable to try? Get the free printable (five clue cards and a certificate). We email you the download link.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this Thanksgiving-themed?

No. The hunts are birthday treasure hunts with themes like detective, pirate and dinosaur. There is no Thanksgiving theme. The clue trail still fits the day, because you choose the spots and keep the kitchen out of the route.

What ages is it for?

Ages 4 to 10. Explorer, with pictures and rhymes read aloud, suits about 4 to 6. Detective, with riddles and small puzzles, suits about 7 to 10.

Can cousins of different ages share one hunt?

Yes. One set of cards works for a group, at one reading level, with an older cousin reading for a younger one.

How do I keep the kids out of the kitchen?

Leave the kitchen out when you enter the hiding spots, and close the door if it has one. Put the treasure in a room away from the oven and the stove.

What should go in the treasure?

Stickers, a small book, crayons and paper, or a treat. If you use food, check allergies with every parent first. For kids under 3, skip small parts and check age labels. Skip balloons for anyone under 8.

How does the preview and pricing work?

Preview the theme character and two hiding-spot illustrations for free, with sample clue text. The final PDF arranges the artwork along your route. The full hunt, 10 stops plus a cover and a treasure card, is $29.99 and prints as a PDF on Letter or A4 paper.

All hunt themes

• Pirate Birthday Treasure Hunt
• Space Explorer Birthday Treasure Hunt
• Fairy Tale Birthday Treasure Hunt
• Jungle Safari Birthday Treasure Hunt
• Dinosaur Birthday Treasure Hunt
• Mystery Detective Birthday Treasure Hunt
• Under the Sea Birthday Treasure Hunt
• K-Pop Star Birthday Treasure Hunt
• Halloween Birthday Scavenger Hunt
• October Birthday Scavenger Hunt
• Christmas Present Scavenger Hunt
• New Year's Eve Scavenger Hunt for Kids