Fourth of July Scavenger Hunt

65 things to spot on the Fourth, from the morning parade to the last firework.

Fourth of July Scavenger Hunt

TeamWhere and when

  1. Stay behind the curb at the parade and cross only at marked crossings.
  2. Fireworks are watched, never lit, touched or picked up.
  3. Buy nothing, take nothing and ask nobody outside the team for anything.
  4. A team claims a find only when every member has seen it.
  1. A fire truck in the parade1 point. It counts even with its lights off.
  2. Someone twirling a baton3 points. It has to leave their hand at least once.
  3. A car that looks at least fifty years old2 points. The team must agree on its decade out loud.
  4. A firefly blinking2 points. Look, never catch.
  5. A star shape that is not on a flag1 point. On a shirt, a cake, a sign or a balloon.
  6. A game of cornhole, horseshoes or ring toss2 points. Name the game.
  7. A firework that bursts in more than one color2 points. Name the colors.
  8. A car or a bike decorated with flags or streamers2 points. Spot it, do not touch it.
  9. Someone wrapped in a blanket to watch the sky1 point. Any blanket, any color.
  10. A pinwheel spinning in the wind1 point. No blowing on it.

Points: of 17

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How it works

One list for the whole day: this Fourth of July scavenger hunt runs from the morning parade through the picnic to the fireworks, 65 finds scored 1 to 3 points; 13 carry a checked fact.

Read the full guide

A 4th of July scavenger hunt in three parts

Print Parade and main street for the morning, Picnic and backyard for the afternoon and After dark for the fireworks: choose each in the menu beside the main button, then press Print this list. Red, white and blue works all day.

Symbols with a story

Eleven of these 12 finds carry a checked note, such as the year the Declaration was adopted or where the Liberty Bell's crack came from. Read the note aloud when a team claims the find.

Tips
  • At the parade, give each team a curb spot and one rule: nobody steps into the street, even for a wave.
  • Fireworks are watched from where the organizers say, and a used one on the ground is never picked up.

Questions and answers

What can you find on the Fourth of July?

A flag with 13 stripes, a marching band, a slice of watermelon, a firework that bursts in more than one color, and something with the year 1776 on it. The notes say why the stripes number 13.

How do you score it with several families?

Each line carries 1, 2 or 3 points at the start of its note. A team claims a find only when every member has seen it; add up at the picnic, and again after the fireworks.

Does it work without a parade in town?

Yes. Skip Parade and main street: the other four lists hold 52 finds that a backyard, a park and the evening sky can supply.

More tools

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All 65 finds

Red, white and blue 14

  • A blue food 2 points. The food itself or its icing must be blue, not the plate.
  • A car or a bike decorated with flags or streamers 2 points. Spot it, do not touch it.
  • A dog wearing something red, white or blue 2 points. Spot it from where you are.
  • A flag flying higher than a roof 2 points. A flagpole on a public building counts.
  • A flag with 13 stripes 1 point. Count them. The 13 stripes stand for the 13 colonies that won independence.
  • A flag with 50 stars 2 points. Count one row, not all 50. The 50 stars stand for the 50 states.
  • A hat in red, white and blue 1 point. All three colors must be on the hat.
  • A pinwheel spinning in the wind 1 point. No blowing on it.
  • A star shape that is not on a flag 1 point. On a shirt, a cake, a sign or a balloon.
  • A window with a flag or a star in it 1 point. Scored from the sidewalk.
  • Red, white and blue bunting on a porch or a railing 1 point. Half-circle drapes count. A straight banner does not.
  • Something with red, white, blue and the letters USA 1 point. A shirt, a cup, a sign or a napkin.
  • Striped socks 1 point. Red or blue must be one of the stripes.
  • Three red things in a row 2 points. Cups, chairs, cars or flowers, side by side.
Show all 65 finds (51 more)

Parade and main street 13

  • A banner with your town's name on it 1 point. Read it aloud.
  • A bike or a scooter decorated for the parade 1 point. Streamers in the spokes count.
  • A car that looks at least fifty years old 2 points. The team must agree on its decade out loud.
  • A dog marching in the parade 2 points. Walking on a leash beside its person counts.
  • A fire truck in the parade 1 point. It counts even with its lights off.
  • A float with people waving from it 1 point. Wave back.
  • A group all dressed alike 1 point. A team, a club or a band in matching shirts.
  • A horse or a pony in the parade 2 points. Stay behind the curb; horses startle at noise.
  • A marching band 1 point. Count the kinds of instrument you can hear.
  • A tractor rolling down the street 2 points. Any size of tractor counts.
  • Someone dressed in clothes from long ago 2 points. A three-cornered hat, a long dress or a bonnet.
  • Someone twirling a baton 3 points. It has to leave their hand at least once.
  • Someone walking on stilts 3 points. Both feet on stilts, not one.

Picnic and backyard 14

  • A checked tablecloth or blanket 1 point. Any two colors of check.
  • A cooler with its lid open 1 point. Spot it; the drinks stay where they are.
  • A frozen treat melting faster than someone can eat it 1 point. The drip has to reach a hand.
  • A game of catch 1 point. Any ball, any size.
  • A game of cornhole, horseshoes or ring toss 2 points. Name the game.
  • A hot dog with three toppings 2 points. Name all three.
  • A pie or a cake decorated like a flag 3 points. Berries, icing or fruit in stripes all count.
  • A sack race, a three-legged race or an egg-and-spoon race 2 points. Watching one counts.
  • A slice of watermelon 1 point. A seedless one counts.
  • A sprinkler, a water balloon or a water fight 2 points. Seen, not started by your team.
  • Corn on the cob 1 point. Butter is optional.
  • Lawn chairs set out in a row 1 point. Three or more in one line.
  • Someone asleep in the shade 2 points. Spotted quietly, and nobody wakes them.
  • Someone turning food on a grill 2 points. Watched from a step back, never helped.

After dark 12

  • A bat, a moth or an owl 3 points. Seen or heard.
  • A firefly blinking 2 points. Look, never catch.
  • A firework shaped like a ring or a heart 3 points. The whole team must see the shape.
  • A firework that bursts in more than one color 2 points. Name the colors.
  • A flag lit up after dark 3 points. A spotlight on a flagpole counts.
  • A glow-stick necklace or bracelet 1 point. Worn by anyone in sight.
  • A porch light with bugs flying around it 2 points. Count them for ten seconds.
  • A star in the sky before the fireworks start 1 point. A planet counts. The whole team must see it.
  • Fireworks seen from far away 1 point. Watch from where the organizers say. Never pick up a used firework.
  • The hush just before the finale 3 points. The team agrees afterward that it was the finale.
  • The moon above the fireworks crowd 1 point. Say its shape: thin, half or round.
  • Someone wrapped in a blanket to watch the sky 1 point. Any blanket, any color.

Symbols with a story 12

  • A bald eagle on a sign, a shirt or a coin 2 points. The bald eagle is the national bird of the United States and appears on its seal.
  • A band or a concert playing outdoors 1 point. Concerts are among the day's traditions.
  • A baseball game, played live or showing on a screen 1 point. Baseball games are one of the day's customs.
  • A carnival ride or a fair 2 points. Carnivals and fairs are part of the day in many towns.
  • A copy of the Declaration of Independence 3 points. Congress voted for independence on July 2 and adopted the Declaration two days later.
  • A picture of a bell with a crack in it 2 points. The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. Its large crack appeared sometime in the first half of the 1800s.
  • A picture of Uncle Sam 3 points. The name may come from Samuel Wilson, who supplied rations to soldiers in the War of 1812, but its true origin is unclear.
  • A sign that says Happy Fourth 1 point. Happy Fourth of July counts too.
  • Relatives who traveled to be here today 1 point. Family reunions are one of the day's customs.
  • Someone giving a speech out loud 3 points. Speeches and ceremonies are old Fourth of July customs.
  • Something with the year 1776 on it 2 points. The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776.
  • The words Stars and Stripes or Old Glory 2 points. Both are well-known nicknames for the flag.

How this list was compiled: Written for this site by its editors in September 2026: 65 original finds for the Fourth of July, from the parade to the fireworks. Nothing was copied from another list. The notes on the symbols and customs were checked on 2026-09-23 against these English Wikipedia articles, fetched that day: Independence Day (United States), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States); Flag of the United States, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_United_States; Liberty Bell, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Bell; Bald eagle, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bald_eagle; Uncle Sam, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Sam. The other notes are judging rules, not facts. Every find is scored by looking: fireworks are watched, never lit, touched or picked up; nobody steps off the curb at a parade; nothing is bought or taken, and nobody outside the team is asked for anything. Points and levels are the editors' judgment. Licence: own work