20 affordable ideas for game and scavenger hunt prizes

Scavenger hunt prizes come in many forms. Here are affordable ideas for both adults and kids! Whether for parties, team-building events, or family gatherings, treasure hunts need exciting prizes. We’ve compiled a creative list, divided into two categories:

Classic competition prize ideas for adults

and

Socially and environmentally conscious scavenger hunt prize ideas

Classic scavenger hunt prizes that are always a good idea

1. An excessive amount of sweets – for example, 5 kg of chocolate. Prize ideas for adults often lean towards business gifts. However, according to one event professional we spoke with, the best prize he’s given so far is candy.
   

“For low-budget prizes, candy and chocolates are always a hit. We usually overwhelm the winning team with several kilos of sweets. Who doesn’t love chocolate? The winners often react like kids in a candy store, sharing their haul with the other teams. At hackathons, when the safe opens and an avalanche of candy spills out, it’s always a great moment. 😋”

Therefore do not be afraid of rewarding grown-ups with something so simple!

2. If the game involves taking photos, have a printer on hand to print the best photo from each team. Bonus idea: provide nice photo frames so participants can display their experience at home or in the office right after the event. In other words, it creates a lasting memory of the event with tangible proof long after it’s over.
   
3. Balloons – as Winnie the Pooh once said, ‘Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon.’ This is even more true if the balloons are twisted into balloon animals. It turns handing out scavenger hunt prizes into another fun activity.

4. A voucher with a discount for their next event with you is a great way to upsell and maintain the relationship for future opportunities.
   
5. Carabiners (perhaps with your logo) for attaching useful items to bags and other belongings, especially small ones that work well with anything from a handbag to a backpack.
   
6. Tickets to a cultural or sports event. Music, art and sports always get people excited! 🙂
   
7. A gift card to a restaurant, or alternatively, a gift card for a cooking course or masterclass, allowing them to create their own culinary experiences.
   
8. A gift card from an online store. While it may seem a bit impersonal, it’s a great idea because it allows the winners to choose something they truly want.
   
9. Good-natured pranks – for example, the winning team gets to choose a set of funny sweaters or hats that the losing team has to wear for the rest of the event or even a day at work!
   
10. A chalice trophy engraved with ‘Greatest Team,’ which is passed between the winning teams after each year’s event!

11. Branded items from a partner looking to promote their brand. Many companies have surplus high-quality branded items in their warehouses, which you can put to good use.
    
12. A promise, such as if all teams gather at least 1,000 points, our CEO will run up the hill in a fox costume!

Scavenger hunt prizes for adults who are socially and environmentally conscious

13. Ask each participant to bring an item from home that they no longer need, which fits certain size and value criteria.
    For example, request an item that fits in the palm of their hand and costs less than 10 euros or dollars. Create a large goodie bag from these items, and at the end of the activity, let each participant draw one item from the bag blindly. If you’ve asked for larger items, number them and have everyone draw a number from the bag instead.
    
14. Good old candy Vol. 2! Find a local producer making handmade sweets to create extra novelty and support local businesses!🙂
    
15. Actually, local produce makes excellent scavenger hunt prizes for adults. Consider items like honey from beekeepers, farm products, cheese, or handcrafted goods made by local artisans and elderly.
    
16. Plant 100 trees in the name of winning team through One For One Program | One Tree Planted.

17. Handicrafts from local workshops that support people with special needs make thoughtful prizes. Many workshops employ individuals with special needs to create handcrafted items. Support their efforts by purchasing these items as prizes for scavenger hunt winners.
    
18. Choose a cute postcard featuring a picture of a dog. The postcard itself is just a fun element; the real prize is the message inside, informing the winner that they have won the chance to walk and play with a shelter dog for 2 hours!
    
19. Allocate a percentage of your event budget for a charity donation.
    Allow the winning team to choose the amount to donate to a charity of their choice. There are many charities supporting various causes, such as physical and mental health, environmental protection, animal welfare, or vulnerable groups. Just ensure that the charity aligns with the values of your participants!
    
20. If you know someone or are partnering with someone who offers classes, such as yoga, dance, martial arts, or cooking, consider giving the winners a gift card to try out one of their classes!

We hope this list of scavenger hunt prizes has inspired you for your event! Most importantly, we hope it provides you with ideas to brainstorm your own original competition prizes!