Christmas Tree Scavenger Hunt for Kids

A Christmas tree scavenger hunt turns your decorated tree into a game that keeps kids busy for ten minutes or more. You copy the hunt list onto a piece of paper, set a timer, and let them race to find ornaments and details they have walked past a hundred times.

How Do You Set Up the Hunt?

Grab paper and a pencil or crayons for each hunter. Copy the list below onto the paper in your own handwriting or let an older kid be the copy captain. Set a phone timer for 10 minutes. Players check off each item as they spot it on or around the family Christmas tree. The first to finish all the finds wins, but everyone finishes because finding everything is the fun.

What Should Kids Hunt For?

Here is the list. Copy it onto your paper exactly as written:

1. A red ornament
2. Something that lights up
3. The star or angel on top of the tree
4. A handmade ornament
5. Something shiny
6. An ornament shaped like an animal
7. A candy cane
8. Something blue
9. The oldest ornament on the tree
10. Something that plays music or moves
11. An ornament with a photo in it
12. Something soft
13. A bell
14. A snowman
15. Something that smells like Christmas

When everyone finishes the list, run the bonus round: each player finds 3 things on or around the tree that were NOT on the list and adds them to the paper. The player with the most surprising bonus find takes the round.

What If the Hunt Does Not Go as Planned?

• The tree has few ornaments: switch to the "around the house" version. Hunt for Christmas things in 3 rooms instead: a Christmas book, a holiday mug, a wreath, red candles, a stocking, a snow globe, and anything wrapped with a bow.
• Kids finish in 2 minutes: run the bonus round above, then add a photo challenge. Each player snaps a photo of the 3 finds they are proudest of with the phone and presents them to the family.
• Siblings fight over finds: play as teams instead of solo hunters. Siblings on the same team share the paper and celebrate every find together.

What Supplies Do You Need?

Just three things: paper (one sheet per player or team), a pencil or crayons for checking items off, and a phone timer for the 10-minute countdown. Nothing to buy, nothing to download, and nothing to print. The hunt list lives in this post, and your paper and pencil do the rest.

This hunt pairs perfectly with other Christmas fun. While the ornaments are out, kids can make paper star ornaments to add to next year's hunt list, or string a paper chain countdown to hang beside the tree.

Is a Christmas Tree Scavenger Hunt Safe?

Yes, with three ground rules. Kids do not climb furniture or stand on chairs to reach high branches, no exceptions. Ornaments are fragile, so players look closely but never yank, tug, or pull decorations off the branches. Small ornaments and loose hooks are choking hazards for children under 3, so toddlers join as helpers on a grown-up's lap rather than as solo hunters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this scavenger hunt best for?

Kids ages 4 and up can hunt independently and follow the checklist. Younger siblings play best as helpers on a grown-up's lap, pointing at things they spot while an adult checks the items off. Older kids and tweens can run the bonus round and the photo challenge on their own.

How messy is this activity?

There is no mess at all. Nobody cuts, glues, or paints anything. The only materials are paper and a pencil or crayons for checking off finds, so the living room looks the same when the timer rings as it did when the game started.

How long does the scavenger hunt take?

The main hunt takes about 10 minutes with the timer running. Copying the list onto paper takes another 5 minutes, and the bonus round adds 5 to 10 minutes for families that want to keep going. Plan for 20 to 25 minutes total for the full game with the bonus round.

What safety rules should I follow?

No climbing on furniture or chairs to reach high branches. Ornaments are fragile, so the rule is look but do not yank or pull decorations off the tree. Keep small ornaments and loose ornament hooks away from children under 3, since both are choking hazards. Walk, do not race around the tree, to avoid knocking it over.

Want more Christmas activities? Join our email list and we will send you new seasonal activities as we publish them.

Be safe and have fun!