Party Whammy
Kids following printed clue cards on a Halloween hunt through the living room.
Planning Guides

Halloween hunt around the house

This indoor Halloween scavenger hunt sets ten numbered stops through your house with full clue text and a hiding checklist ready in 20 minutes.

Print the clue cards
Hunt Setup

Ten Stops From the Doormat to the Prize Bowl

One loop through six rooms keeps every hunter in sight and finishes where the prizes wait.

01Ten numbered stopsFollow one loop through six rooms, from the doormat to the prize bowl at the kitchen table.02Two clue stylesPicture cards for non-readers and riddle cards for readers point to the same hiding spots.0320-minute setupPrint, cut, and hide the full deck before guests ring the bell.

Halloween hunt around the house: Paired Clue Cards for Every Stop

Each stop carries a picture card for non-readers and a riddle card for readers.

Party-safeAges 3 and up with a reading buddy; ages 6 and up can run the riddle deckSilly and gently spooky, no jump scares

How to play

  1. Print both decks and cut the cards 20 minutes before the party.
  2. Hide the cards in numbered order, starting at the doormat and ending at the bed pillow.
  3. Hand each team clue 1: picture teams take the picture deck, reader teams take the riddle deck.
  4. Meet the winning team at the kitchen prize bowl, then re-hide the swap deck for round two.
Random clue card

Draw one when the room is ready

Stop 1: draw a fat orange doormat with a star — hunters lift the real doormat. Hand this card to each team at the start.

Picture clue cards — stops 1 to 10

For non-readers: the drawing tells them where to look next.

  1. Stop 1: draw a fat orange doormat with a star — hunters lift the real doormat. Hand this card to each team at the start.
  2. Stop 2: draw a coat and two boots — hunters search pockets and laces. Hide this card under the doormat with one corner showing.
  3. Stop 3: draw a fridge with a happy face — hunters check the fridge door. Hide this card inside a boot by the coat rack.
  4. Stop 4: draw a toothbrush and a mirror — hunters look at the sink. Hide this card on the fridge door at kid height.
  5. Stop 5: draw three stacked cushions — hunters dig into the couch. Hide this card on the bathroom towel rail.
  6. Stop 6: draw a remote control — hunters search the TV basket. Hide this card between the middle couch cushions.
  7. Stop 7: draw a row of book spines — hunters scan the shelves. Hide this card under the remotes in the TV basket.
  8. Stop 8: draw a teddy bear peeking from a box — hunters open the toy box. Hide this card sticking out of a favorite book.
  9. Stop 9: draw a chair with a plate on it — hunters check under the seats. Hide this card on top of the toy pile.
  10. Stop 10: draw a pillow with a star — hunters lift the pillow and find the finish. Hide this card under a dining chair seat.

Riddle clue cards — stops 1 to 10

For readers: the rhyme points to the same ten spots.

  1. Stop 1: Boots and sneakers squash me flat, lift me up to see where the monster sat. Hand this card out at the start.
  2. Stop 2: Jackets sleep here in a row, check a pocket for the next go. Hide under the doormat.
  3. Stop 3: I hum all day and keep things cold, open my door to what I hold. Hide in a coat pocket.
  4. Stop 4: You watch yourself brush and grin, your next clue waits near my basin rim. Hide on the fridge door.
  5. Stop 5: We sink and squeak when you sit down, dig between us without a frown. Hide on the towel rail.
  6. Stop 6: I change the show but never roam, I live beside the screen I call home. Hide between the couch cushions.
  7. Stop 7: Stories line up row on row, pull the right one and a clue will show. Hide under the remotes.
  8. Stop 8: Blocks and bears and puzzle parts, the next clue hides where the toy box starts. Hide inside a book on the shelf.
  9. Stop 9: Four legs hold a supper top, look beneath before you stop. Hide on top of the toy pile.
  10. Stop 10: I hold your head through dreams each night, lift me up, the prize is in sight. Hide under a dining chair seat.

Swap and bonus cards

Houses that break the standard route get a matching replacement clue.

  1. No doormat? Start teams at the shoe rack and hand out the boots picture card as stop 1.
  2. No toy box? Use the laundry basket instead: Socks and towels twist in me, spin the drum and you will see.
  3. No TV basket? Send stop 6 to the kitchen snack cupboard: I guard the crackers, chips, and treats, the snackiest shelf on this street.
  4. Need five more minutes? Add a token stop: hide six paper bats on the lamp table and let every hunter take one.
  5. Big group? Print a second deck and run one team clockwise from stop 5 and one counterclockwise from stop 6.
The Deck

Paired Clue Cards for Every Stop

Each stop carries a picture card for non-readers and a riddle card for readers.

Party Whammy

Paired Clue Cards for Every Stop

Each stop carries a picture card for non-readers and a riddle card for readers.

Hiding checklist — ten stops

Mark each box after the card goes up.

  • Stop 1 — doormat: tape the card underneath so one corner peeks out
  • Stop 2 — coat rack: tuck the card into a boot or coat pocket
  • Stop 3 — fridge: tape the card to the door at kid height, away from the handle
  • Stop 4 — bathroom: wedge the card behind the mirror or on the towel rail
  • Stop 5 — couch: bury the card between the middle cushions
  • Stop 6 — TV basket: lay the card under the remotes
  • Stop 7 — bookshelf: stand the card against a favorite book, spine out
  • Stop 8 — toy box: rest the card on top of the toy pile
  • Stop 9 — dining chair: tape the card under a seat
  • Stop 10 — bed pillow: lift the pillow and lay the card flat

Print and cut checklist

One pass at the printer covers 12 hunters.

  • Print the picture deck and the riddle deck on card stock
  • Cut along the card borders; borders off keeps ink down
  • Number the back of each card with a marker so the chain stays in order
  • Clip each deck with a binder clip and keep the swap cards separate
  • Pack tape, a marker, and the token cups on one tray

Party-day checklist

A final pass before the doorbell rings.

  • Hide cards in order from stop 1 to stop 10
  • Set the prize bowl at the kitchen table, not the final bedroom
  • Check candy labels and set a nut-safe stash apart from the open bowl
  • Assign one adult to shadow each team of three
  • Keep swap cards in your pocket for instant route changes

Notes

An indoor Halloween scavenger hunt works in any house with a hallway, a kitchen, and ten hiding spots. This kit chains ten numbered clue cards from the doormat to the prize bowl, then hands you a hiding checklist so setup takes one pass instead of three. Print two decks and mixed readers hunt together: picture cards for non-readers, riddle cards for everyone else.

Set the Route Before Guests Arrive

The loop runs doormat, coat rack, fridge, bathroom mirror, couch cushions, TV basket, bookshelf, toy box, dining chair, and a bed pillow finish — ten stops through six rooms. Hide the cards in numbered order so clue 3 always leads to stop 4, then walk the route once yourself; hunters clear the full loop in 8 to 12 minutes. Keep the prize bowl at the kitchen table rather than the final bedroom so the hunt ends where you can refill tokens and watch the door.

Pair Picture Clues With Riddle Clues

Every stop has two cards that point to the same spot. Pre-readers match picture to place: a fat orange doormat means lift the mat, a teddy bear in a box means open the toy box. Readers get short rhymes instead, such as “I hum all day and keep things cold, open my door to what I hold.” Pair a reading buddy with each pre-reader when you mix decks, or run two teams on separate decks from opposite ends of the route.

Offer Candy and Non-Candy Tokens

Drop one wrapped candy at each stop for the classic version, or go food-free: tuck a paper bat or foam sticker beside stops 3, 6, and 9 and let hunters collect one per pass. Both versions finish at the same prize bowl with one prize per hunter plus two spares. Check candy labels before party day and keep a nut-safe stash separate from the open bowl.

Fix Missing Rooms With Swap Cards

Four swap cards cover houses that break the standard route: no doormat starts the hunt at the shoe rack, a laundry basket replaces the toy box, and a snack cupboard takes over for the TV basket. A bonus token stop buys five extra minutes when the party runs short on activities. Because the swap cards carry matching clue text, a reroute costs zero rewriting.

Two More Games for the Same Party Table

The hunt fills twenty high-energy minutes, and printed games cover the calmer stretches of the night.

When to Prep the Halloween Hunt

Work backward from party day and the whole deck goes up in one pass.

01Three days outPrint both decks on card stock and cut the 24 clue cards.02Party morningWalk the ten stops and confirm each hiding spot is empty and reachable.0320 minutes before guestsHide the cards in numbered order and set the token cups.04Mid-partyRe-hide the swap deck as round two while the prize bowl refills.

Hide the Hunt Before the Doorbell Rings

Four things to finish before guests arrive, in the order that keeps the clue chain untangled.

Two decksPrint the picture deck and the riddle deck so mixed readers hunt together.Numbered orderHide stop 1 first and stop 10 last so each card leads to the next spot.Token cupsSet a paper-bat cup beside stops 3, 6, and 9 for the candy-free version.Prize bowlPark the bowl at the kitchen table with one prize per hunter plus two spares.
Party Plans

Pair the hunt with two more printed games and the schedule fills without screens.

Halloween Hunt Questions From Hosts

How long does an indoor Halloween scavenger hunt take?

Teams of two to three clear the ten stops in 8 to 12 minutes. Re-hide the swap deck for a second round while the prize bowl refills.

What ages can play?

Ages 3 and up hunt from the picture deck with a reading buddy. Ages 6 and up can run the riddle deck in pairs.

How many hunters can play at once?

Send teams of two to three so ten stops stay uncrowded. For groups over 12, print a second deck and run the teams from opposite ends of the route.

What if our house is missing a hiding spot?

Use the four swap cards at the back of the deck. Each one moves a stop and ships with matching clue text, so nothing needs rewriting.

What goes in the prize bowl?

Plan one small prize per hunter plus two spares: a share of wrapped candy, or stickers and mini erasers for a candy-free finish.