Mall scavenger hunts  and photo scavenger hunts can be a blast for teenagers, couples, and adults! Players will be put into teams of 3 – 5 people. Couples should be placed on a team with another couple.  If teams are kept small, all the members of that team can participate and keep track of each other. Many of the items need a photo taken for proof of completing the task. Make sure at least one person on each team has a cell phone that takes pictures; and a pen or pencil to check off completed items.

Helpful Ideas For Your Mall Scavenger Hunt

  1. Let the scavenger hunters know ahead of time that they will be doing a scavenger and photo hunt at a mall. You can write the information in a invitation, by calling or texting each person, etc. Remind everyone to wear comfortable shoes.
  2. Have enough drivers ready to take scavenger hunters to the mall, so that each person in the vehicle can wear a seatbelt.
  3. It helps for the leader or moms to be inside the mall, too. This might stop cheating or secretly dividing tasks by the teams.
  4. If possible, have a prize for each team as the scores are announced for the scavenger hunt. That will make not winning a little easier for some scavenger hunters. (You can decide if first prize is a little bit better than any of the other prizes). Be ready for a tie score between two teams.
  5. Have pens ready for each team to mark off their completed items. Each team should decide who’s phone or camera will be used to take scavenger hunt photos. It should be the same phone for all of the team photos.
  6. An hour to an hour and a half, should be plenty of time to complete most of the scavenger hunt items. Make sure players know what time to meet and where everyone will meet.

Mall Scavenger Hunt Rules

Mall Scavenger Hunt Rules

There are some basic rules that everyone must agree to follow, to ensure the safety of everyone.

  1. Every team will be dropped off at the same place at the mall. Each team   needs to find as many items from the list, as they can in the time given. All team members need to stay together and not split up the list of items.
  2. The scavenger hunt begins as you walk through the doors of the mall.
  3. Every team will meet back at the starting place by the doors of the mall at ___:_____. If your team is late, 5 points will be deducted from your total team points.
  4. Do not run down the mall hallways, or run in any of the stores.
  5. Treat store clerks and everyone you meet at the mall with respect.
  6. Some items on the list will require taking a picture on someone’s cell phone. Make sure to include at least one team member in each of the photos you take. Only use one cell phone or camera to take photos.
  7. When going into a mall store, ask one of the clerks if you can take a picture with a certain item. This is a small way to be polite, and show your respect for the store and its employees.
  8. If you move an item off a shelf or a rack, carefully put it back where you found it.
  9. Have one team member check off each item you find from the list.
  10. The team earning the most points from the scavenger hunt list wins the game! Have fun, play fair! Remember, it’s just a game!

Mall Scavenger Hunt Items

Mall Scavenger Hunt Items

  1. Keep a count of how many people you see sitting on benches at the mall, for the whole scavenger hunt.   ___ people.
  2. Find a book in a bookstore about dog. Take a picture of the book and include at least one team member.
  3. Count the toilets in the food court women’s restroom. __
  4. Find a store that sells cards and take a picture of a card for a brother’s birthday with one team member.
  5. Find a sign that has 50% off, take a picture of the sign, and at least one team member looking excited because of the sale!
  6. Locate a haircut or beauty salon. Take a picture of one team member in one of the chairs at the salon.
  7. Take a picture of a bubble gum machine with one team member.
  8. Find an item a new bride would like to have, and take a picture of it with at least one team member.
  9. Locate a store that sells toys. Take a picture of one team member holding an Etch-A-Sketch or a Twister game.
  10. Find the information desk. Get a map of the mall to bring back with your team; or take a picture of the large mall map including at least one team member.
  11. Take a picture of a mannequin wearing a hat with at least one team member who is also wearing a hat. (Remember to ask permission if you use the store’s hats in your picture).
  12. Find a coin operated kiddy ride, and take a picture of the ride, and all of the team members except the one taking the picture.
  13. Find a frog (on earrings, a shirt, a toy, etc.) and take a picture of it with at least one team member.
  14. How much is a hotdog or corndog at the food court?  $__
  15. Take a photo of a statue (large or small) with team members standing by the statue.
  16. How many fast food restaurants are in the food court? _
  17. Find a kiosk selling jewelry. How much is the most expensive thing they sell?  $
  18. Find a men’s sports shoe store. Take a picture of the largest sized shoe they sell, with all of the team members except the person taking the picture.
  19. Find a man with a moustache or beard. Introduce yourselves and find out what his first and last name is.
  20. Take a photo with the man and all of the team members except the person taking the photo.
  21. Find a dragon and take a picture of it with one team member
  22. Find a shoe store and take a picture of a red shoe, including at least one team member.
  23. Find a shirt with a professional basketball, soccer, football or baseball team, and take a picture with your team members.
  24. Find someone with a crazy hair color or hair style. Ask if you can take a picture of him or her with some of your team members.
  25. Find something that would be impossible for your team to carry. Take a picture of it with team members.

Hand your paper to the leader of the game when you get back to the starting place, (the doors of the mall).

The judge’s decision is final!

Team pictures on phones may be passed around to the group, or downloaded to a computer for everyone to see at the same time.


Photo Mall Scavenger Hunt

Photo Mall Scavenger Hunt

This activity is especially fun for girls 10 years old through the teenage years. Most girls this age have phones, and love to go to the mall! This would be a fun choice for a Birthday Party Scavenger Hunt. It would also work well as a Halloween Party, or Christmas Party Scavenger Hunt.

Photo Scavenger Hunt Helpful Hints

  1. Make sure you have a ride for each person, and that everyone going to the party in a car has a seatbelt.
  2. Dividing scavenger hunters into groups of 3 – 5 works best.
  3. Have at least two adults from your party walking around the mall, (not with a team; because the kids need to feel independent); but to be there if there are any problems.
  4. Give each group a list, and a pen. Let each group choose one person to check off items as they are found.
  5. Make sure there is only one phone per group used to take the pictures for the scavenger hunt.
  6. It is fun for each person to get a “prize” at the end of the photo scavenger hunt.
  7. The goal of this activity is to have fun, and to work together as a team to get items found and photos taken. I did not call it as a contest, because my goal for each group was teamwork. You can make your photo scavenger hunt as competitive as you would like it to be.
  8. Let players know where to meet at the end of the scavenger hunt. If it is a birthday party, everyone could meet at the food court at a set time for a treat!

Photo Mall Scavenger Hunt Rules

  1. Each team will find different items to complete each of the things on their list. Team members must use only one phone to take their team photos of the items from the list, as they can in the time given.
  2. All team members need to stay together and not split up the list of items.
  3. Every team will meet at the food court (or a place you choose) at the end of the mall scavenger hunt.
  4. Do not run down the mall hallways, or run in any of the stores.
  5. Treat store clerks and everyone you meet at the mall with respect.
  6. When going into a mall store, ask one of the clerks if you can take a picture with a certain item. This is a small way to be polite, and show your respect for the store and its employees.
  7. Every item you need to find will require you taking a picture on someone’s cell phone. Make sure at least one team member is in each of the photos you take.
  8. If you move an item off a shelf or a rack, carefully put it back where you found it.
  9. Have one of the team members check off each item you find from the list.
  10. The Photo Scavenger Hunt will end at ___:______, and every team will meet at the food court. Please be on time.

Photo Mall Scavenger Hunt List

Things to find:

  • something broken
  • something fluffy
  • something shiny
  • something with hair
  • something short
  • something tasty
  • something noisy
  • something tiny
  • something bright
  • something that moves
  • something dirty
  • something pink
  • something with wheels
  • something wet
  • something sharp
  • something blue
  • something metal
  • something colorful
  • something smooth
  • something stinky
  • something cold
  • something on sale
  • something purple
  • something with glitter
  • something red
  • something for a baby
  • something tall
  • something heavy
  • something orange
  • larger than a car
  • something soft
  • something alive
  • something hard
  • something green
  • something white
  • smaller than a mouse
  • something light
  • something funny
  • something that flips
  • something very old