For many of us, life feels like it changed almost overnight.  We have each taken on the weight of our personal burdens and worries.  We begin moving through the change curve phases (a method of helping people understand their reactions to significant change or upheaval).  We do this at our own speed and intensity (and often regress). I know that I personally can shift from uplifted and hopeful to melancholy and discouraged several times a day.

In California, it’s been only a week since we’ve been sheltered-in-place.  I’ve stayed in touch with family and friends and have watched the challenges we’re all facing trying to adjust to this new (not so) normal.  What’s happening with school work?  How will we work remotely? Is there enough meat and toilet paper in the world (um, yes people).  

Week 1 slides into home base.  Then the weekend hits. My wheels start turning as I think, how can we connect and have fun this weekend?  So, I think up a remote scavenger hunt activity for groups. Sunday night we tried it out with six families and I wanted to share it with you.  It helped us get connected and it took less than an hour to complete. The laughter, brain stimulation and pure joy it brought to the kids (and adults) was priceless.  

So, here’s a small gift of connection from my family to yours.  This is how we did it. Modify and add to as you wish with what you have access to.  Most importantly - ENJOY!

• Meet up together via video chat with other households (FaceTime, Zoom, Skype Google meet).  If you’re not already using a technology, it’s a great time to learn.  We’ve been holding Zoom happy hours which have been very helpful.

• Explain the rules.  We said it was a race between households, all challenges had to be completed and proofed with pictures.  No cheating.  

• Give everyone the challenges at the same time (see our 11 challenges below).  I texted them and emailed all at once to be on the same start time.

• Start the clock and everyone begins.  Families work together on the challenges.  People are running around and finding ways to work together.  Some light arguments ensue. We created a shared album on Apple to upload family pictures of each challenge.  I will treasure these silly photos forever! You don’t have to do this, just have each family show their pictures on the online meeting call after.

• The first and second families won a little prize and bragging rights.  But the true win was the laughter, the creativity, and the connection.

Here were our Scavenger Hunt Challenges:

WEEK 1 ACTIVITIES:

1. Create a single standing tower of 30 coins high, take a picture with a family member in it

2. Find 5 types of different balls in your house - take a picture

3. Take a picture of a neighbor or stranger on the street walking by your house

4. Construct and wear a paper pirate hat, take a picture of the oldest person in your group wearing it

5. Take  a picture of 5 condiments in your house - all must be in one photo together

6. Find the largest rock in your garden and take a selfie with it

7. Dress up a pet with at least 3 articles and take a picture (youngest child is ok if you don’t have a pet)

8. Create a video of a 30 domino long train falling into one another until the end.  Must be a consecutive fall down. If you don’t have dominoes, try something with the same effect, knocking one another over like a toy or boxes

9. Construct a human family pyramid with ALL people in house - take a photo or video!

10. Find an artifact from one kids’ childhood from years 1-3 of their life.  What is it and why is it special? Bring it to final online call to share what it is and why it’s special  

11. Draw a picture of the best thing about the last week that has happened in your home with your family!

WEEK 2 ACTIVITIES:

1. Find a jack of hearts and a 10 of spades, take a picture

2. Two family members complete 10 pushups, breaks ok! (video required)

3. Create a family Tiktok. (might have to use kids phone)

4. Picture of a red plant or flower

5. Take a selfie with everyone in a car

6. Youngest child puts feet in mom or dad's shoes

7. Put lipstick on the oldest man in the house

8. Rooster crow outside (video for evidence)

9. Take a picture of 4 things you would take on a boa. 

10. Take a video of a team mate strutting around like a turkey

11. Take a picture of something: 1. Stinky 2. With wheels 3. Noisy 4. Smaller than a mouse. 5. Fluffy. (5 pictures in total)

12. Write down 5 theme parks in America (bonus point if you have a picture of any family member at one of the theme parks)

13. Cut out from a piece of paper the first initial of your last name

14. Make 5 words out of : QUARANTINE (3 letter minimum)

15. Solve this riddle. What has 1 eye but cannot see? The answer is the key to the finish line. Text the answer through at completion which will signal you are complete! 

WEEK 3 ACTIVITIES:

1. Find a Polaroid picture of a family member ( A small picture will do ) And take a picture of the person in the Polaroid holding it

2. Find something that starts the letter Z and take a pic

3. Do a family magazine pose and take a pic

4. Stack all of your Apple products in a pile take a photo

5. Go outside and take a video of you screaming I love Chipotle

6. Draw a family portrait and take a photo

7. Find two different types of leaves take a photo

8. Take a video of someone speaking a sentence in another language

9. Take a video of you landing either heads and heads or tails and tails with a coin

10. Find an old diary and take a photo

11. Find six pens in Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple take a photo

12. Find five different types of lotion bottles and take a photo

13. Take a photo of parents (or a couple) kissing

14. Cut out a paper mustache and take a selfie with it

15. Take a short video of your family playing air drums/guitar

16. Make yourself characters from Wizard of Oz using kitchen items

17. Take a photo of you jumping in mid air in the rain 🌧