Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Indoor Scavenger Hunt: Free Printable Game for Year 1
- ForYear 1
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Indoor Scavenger Hunt is a free printable game for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6). Children look around the home for things that match each clue, then tick them off a checklist. It takes about 15 minutes, needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas and a stretch idea.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Page 1 is a checklist of clues. Each clue starts with the word something, such as something soft, something round, something red or something made of wood. Children walk around one room or the whole home, find an item that fits and tick the clue. Some clues are about touch and sight, some are about size, and some ask children to read or listen. Many different items can fit each clue.
- Something soft
- Something round
- Something red
- Something smaller than your hand
- Something made of wood
- Something with a number on it
- Something that makes a sound
- Something you can read
- Something shiny
- Something cold
Why a scavenger hunt suits Year 1
Children of this age learn well when they can move, touch and talk. A scavenger hunt turns a familiar home into a place to explore. Each clue asks for a property, such as colour, shape, size, texture or material, and children match it to something real. That is early sorting and describing, the same thinking they use in science and number later on.
The clues are open, so more than one item can fit. That means there is no single right thing to hunt for, and children can feel confident. It also gives a natural reason to talk. Why is this one soft? Why did you choose that? Explaining a choice in a full sentence is useful practice for speaking and, later, for writing.
A grown-up decides which things are off limits before the hunt starts, such as breakable, sharp or hot items. Children should not climb or reach up high. For the cold clue, a grown-up opens the fridge or freezer and the child looks and points. Keep the hunt to rooms where an adult can see the children.
Skills and curriculum link
- Looking closely
- Reading simple clues
- Describing objects
- Sorting by colour, shape and size
- Listening
- Talking about choices
Ideas for the helper
- Read the clue aloudPoint to the words as you read them. Children hear the clue and see the written words together, which helps early reading.
- Ask for describing wordsAfter each find, ask which word describes it. Smooth, bumpy, heavy and light all help children build a bigger vocabulary.
- Accept any good fitMany items can match one clue. Take any sensible choice and ask your child why it fits, rather than steering them to your own idea.
- Agree the boundariesSay which rooms are allowed and which items are off limits before you start. It keeps the game calm and safe.
Key words
- ClueA hint that tells you what to look for.
- ChecklistA list where you tick each thing when you have found it.
- MaterialWhat something is made from.
- TextureHow something feels when you touch it.
- ShinyBright, because light bounces off its surface.
- Smaller thanNot as big as something else, so you compare the two.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for the grown-up.
- Agree the rules first. Choose one room or the whole home, and say which things are off limits, such as breakable or sharp items.
- Read the first clue aloud together. Let your child search, then ask them to show you what they found and tell you why it fits.
- Tick each clue on the checklist as you go. Take turns to read or check, so everyone listens as well as looks.
- Come back to the sheet another day and hunt in a different room. Repeating a familiar game builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Read each clue aloud and help your child decide what fits. Let them point instead of carrying the item. Start with the colour and touch clues, then come back to the others. Hunt in one room only, and tick off clues together to keep it quick.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to find a second item for every clue, or to say why each item fits. For example, a round thing has no corners. Or ask them to sort their finds into groups, such as things found in the kitchen and things found in the bedroom.
Make it a game
Play as a team against a timer. A grown-up sets the timer and the team ticks as many clues as they can before it ends. Then play again and try to beat the number of ticks. Walk, do not run, and keep to the agreed rooms.
Talk about it
- Which clue was the easiest to find, and why?
- Can you find something that fits two clues at once?
- How would you describe your item to someone who cannot see it?
- What is your item made from? How can you tell?
- Which room had the most things on your list?
- Can you think of a new clue that starts with the word something?
Take it off the page
Make your own clue cards
Draw and write new clues on small pieces of paper, such as something long or something rough. Swap cards with a brother, sister or friend and hunt again.
Feely bag
A grown-up puts a few safe, everyday items in a bag. Your child feels one without looking and describes it. Others guess what it is.
Sort and show
Lay out the things you found and sort them by colour, then by size. Ask your child to explain each group in a full sentence.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first clue, then let them lead. Fifteen minutes or so is plenty. Set the off limits rules first, ask why their item fits, and praise careful looking rather than speed.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task or a rainy day activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups. In class, limit the hunt to the classroom and agree off limits items first.
Home educators
Use it on its own or as part of a wider plan with books, outdoor play and everyday talk. Because the clues are open, brothers and sisters of different ages can play together and each choose items in their own way.
Where this fits in learning
Before this game, children learn to name colours, shapes and everyday objects, and to follow a short instruction. This sheet builds on that by asking them to read or listen to a clue, look closely and decide what fits.
Afterwards, children can move on to sorting and grouping objects in more detail, and to comparing everyday materials and their properties, which is part of Year 1 science. They can also write short sentences describing what they found, which links to early writing.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Indoor Scavenger Hunt for?
It is written for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6), in Key Stage 1. Younger children can join in with a grown-up reading the clues, and older children can use the stretch idea on page 2.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 15 minutes. Keeping the hunt to one room makes it shorter, and choosing the whole home makes it longer. Two quick rounds work better than one long one.
- What will children practise?
Children practise looking closely, listening, reading short clues and describing. They also sort by colour, shape, size and material, and they explain why their item fits, which builds spoken language.
- What if my child finds it too hard?
Read each clue aloud and help them decide what fits. Let them point at an item instead of carrying it. Start with the colour and touch clues, then return to the rest together.
- Is it safe to play indoors?
Yes, with sensible rules. A grown-up should say which things are off limits, such as breakable, sharp or hot items. Children should not climb, and an adult should open the fridge or freezer.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has help and stretch ideas for mixed groups.
- Is it free, and do I need colour printing?
Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. No, you do not need colour. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper, and you only need a pencil to play.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.