How to Plan a Christmas Morning Scavenger Hunt With Printable Clues

We put together a fun Christmas Morning Scavenger hunt each year and the kids love it. It takes a little work on our part as parents  the night before, but it’s well worth it to see their faces. It also keeps them busy when they are up at the wee hours of the morning when Santa has gone back to the North Pole and Mom and Dad are trying to sleep!

What is a Christmas Scavenger Hunt?

Our Christmas Scavenger Hunt is a fun game the kids can play the moment they wake up on Christmas morning. You hide clues throughout the house and as they figure out where the clue takes them, they find a present at each clue stop. Another clue is waiting when they find the first present along with a tote bag to put everything in. The presents should be small enough to all fit into the tote bag. We give them things that will keep them busy and lots of “special” food items that have their name on them they can eat anytime they like without asking while they are home on Christmas break.

I suggest you put their names on everything because if you have more than one child, the clues we make up will send each child to the same location. You could always vary the locations for each child but that does make more work for you and you have to come up with way more clues that way.

Christmas Scavenger Hunt Clues

Here are some scavenger hunt clues we made up that are generic enough for many people to use for their kids. Just click here or on the image below and you can print out our clues sheet. I suggest you print it out on cardstock and then write a number on the back of each card and the child’s name (if you have more than one child) so you don’t get them confused.

You could make your clue cards fancy by using colorful paper or handwriting your own cards. If you don’t have card stock regular printer paper will do. If you don’t have a printer, try using index cards or construction paper. Since Christmas Eve can be hectic for parents to get everything together, we found that keeping it simple was the easiest way to go so that is why we made up a single sheet of clues to help you get started.

For younger children, we provided you with a printable sheet of picture clues. Click on the image below to print or click here.

How to Setup Your Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Once you have your scavenger hunt clue cards cut out you will need to wait patiently for the kids to fall asleep on Christmas Eve. Place the first card in a very visible place so they will see it when they wake up. If the room has a ceiling fan, tie the clue card onto a string and let it hang all of the way down so they can’t miss it when they get up.

Once they figure out the first clue, it will take them to their first gift and the tote bag or grocery bag.

This is a very fun game and if you have more than one child, they will help each other figure out the clues. You can write your own clues and riddles using our blank template. Print it out and hand write your clues on each card.

Where to Put The Clues Throughout the House:

These clues are to help you get started. You probably can come up with so many more. Older kids may need clues that are harder to figure out. Younger children will need ones that are more obvious.

• I’m green, I’m prickly I’m colorful and bright. You’ll find me hiding. In the branches so tight (on the Christmas Tree)
• Flush away all your cares and troubles (on the toilet seat)
• I know there’s a light inside but is it on when the door is closed? (inside of the refrigerator, food gifts)
• Coins always get under me and if you find some you’ll be rich. (under the couch cushions)
• I wonder if the mailman brought anything fun today (in the mailbox or tied onto the mailbox)
• It’s breakfast time. Who can tell me where I’ll find the cereal (wherever you keep the cereal)
• It’s as plain as the nose on my face. At least that’s what I see when I look into it (near a mirror or in the bathroom at the mirror)
• We’re gonna clean our teeth with a brusha, brusha, brusha (bathroom vanity)
• I hope someone washed the dishes today. We might need them. (in the sink, make sure it’s clean first!)
• Don’t look! That’s where the monsters hide at night! (under a bed)
• Time to get ready for school. What shall I wear today? (in the closet or in a dresser drawer)
• I think I left my book in the backseat. (back seat of the car)
• My backpack is full. I think I should empty it. (in the backpack)
• Is that the UPS delivery  man I hear outside my door? (at the front door)
• Splish, splash I was taking a bath, long about a Saturday night. (in the bathtub, make sure it’s dry first)

Christmas Scavenger Hunt Gift Ideas:

Gifts that keep kids busy so you can sleep are the best

• Kidz Bop T-Shirt
• Kid Bop Singing toothbrushes
• Kidz Bop CD
• Wireless Remote Control Robot (see below)
• Goodnight Moon Book (Layla’s favorite)
• Nuby Bath Tub Toy
• Character Socks
• Kidz Gear Bluetooth Wireless Headphones
• Poo-Pourri (kids get a kick out of this, perfect for the toilet clue)
• Klutz Craft kits
• Brain Games and Puzzle Books
• Washi Decorative Tape
• OWI 14-in-1 Solar Robot
• PEZ Dispensers
• Glow-in-the-Dark Wonder Stars
• Break Your Own Geodes

Christmas Scavenger Hunt Food Ideas:

We like to give food items we don’t let the kids have much of during the year because they are too expensive to buy or are considered “junk food”. We also put names on each of the food items so their sister or brother can’t say it is theirs and everyone can see it is theirs and isn’t allowed to touch it. We tell them that all food items have to be eaten before the holiday break is over but that they can eat them whenever they like without asking first. They can eat them slowly or all at once. Kids love this because they usually can’t eat anything without asking Mom or Dad first.

We like going to CVS to buy everything. The prices are great and they have some of their own CVS brand snacks that are awesome.

• Pretzel Peanut Butter Nuggets (oh so good)
• Granola and Snack Bars (Skippy Peanut Butter Snack Bars are a good choice)
• Pudding Cups (Jello, Snack Pack)
• Drinks (their own full-size bottle of soda or juice)
• Goldfish Crackers
• Sabra Hummus with Rold Gold pretzels (single-serve size)
• Cheez-it single-serve container with resealable top
• variety of juice boxes (Juicy Jicy, Capri Sun, YooHoo chocolate drink)
• Single-serve cold and hot cereals (Lucky Charms, Quaker Oats, etc)
• Jacks Link’s Beef Jerky
• Jollytime Mini Microwave Popcorn Bags
• Ritz Cracker sandwiches (try the ones with Bacon)
• Fruit Snacks (Welch’s, Sunkist, Annie’s)
• Little Debbie Cakes

Robots are all the craze these days. You could get your kids a Wireless Remote Control Robot that walks, talks, play music and games. It is rechargeable, has 8 MIDIs in my memory, remembers 68 actions at a time, and repeats them after being successfully stored in it’s “mind”.