Mall Scavenger Hunt Ideas

142 tasks that buy nothing: press Pick 10 new tasks until the list fits your mall, then Print this list.

Mall Scavenger Hunt Ideas

Team nameFinish time

  1. Nothing is bought.
  2. Nobody who works at the mall is asked for anything.
  3. Everything picked up goes back where it was.
  4. Nobody outside the team is photographed.
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  1. Something on wheels that is not a stroller or a cart3 points. A floor cleaner, a hand truck or a delivery trolley.
  2. An empty store with covered windows2 points. Paper, boards or a printed construction wall over the glass.
  3. A parking map with colors or letters for the zones2 points. Usually near an exit. Check where your own ride is parked.
  4. A fountain or a water feature2 points. Count the coins you can see. Leave them there.
  5. A life-size cardboard cutout3 points. Of a person, a character or a giant product.
  6. A shopping cart a long way from its store3 points. Leave it where it is. Someone may be coming back for it.
  7. A bench with a charging port3 points. Look under the armrest or on the side panel.
  8. A shopper carrying four or more bags2 points. Spot only. No pointing and no photos of people outside your team.
  9. A children's play area2 points. Spot it from outside the fence.
  10. A yellow wet-floor sign2 points. Walk around it, not over it.

Points: of 24

Next step Price-tag finds in the grocery aislesThe same game downtown, by area

All 142 tasks

Spot it in the corridors 31

  • A 'coming soon' sign 3 points. On a construction wall or in a window. Write down what is coming.
  • A bench with a charging port 3 points. Look under the armrest or on the side panel.
  • A capsule-toy or gumball machine 1 point. Count the machines in the row.
  • A children's play area 2 points. Spot it from outside the fence.
  • A coin-operated ride for small children 2 points. A car, a horse or a rocket. Players over six do not ride it.
  • A family restroom or nursing room sign 2 points. The sign is the find.
  • A floor pattern that repeats: find one full repeat 2 points. Pace it out. Teams compare answers at the end.
  • A fountain or a water feature 2 points. Count the coins you can see. Leave them there.
  • A kiosk selling phone cases 1 point. Spot it from the corridor. You do not have to stop.
  • A life-size cardboard cutout 3 points. Of a person, a character or a giant product.
  • A line that reaches out of a store door 3 points. Write down what kind of store it is. Do not join it.
  • A live plant taller than you 2 points. Touch one leaf gently to check it is real.
  • A massage chair 2 points. Spot it only. Sitting in one without paying gets a hunt noticed for the wrong reason.
  • A parking map with colors or letters for the zones 2 points. Usually near an exit. Check where your own ride is parked.
  • A photo booth 3 points. Curtain, stool, slot for the strip. Spot it. Nothing is bought on this hunt.
  • A recycling bin with three or more slots 2 points. Read what each slot takes.
  • A shopper carrying four or more bags 2 points. Spot only. No pointing and no photos of people outside your team.
  • A shopping cart a long way from its store 3 points. Leave it where it is. Someone may be coming back for it.
  • A sign with raised dots you can read by touch 2 points. Braille. Restroom and elevator signs are the places to look.
  • A skylight 1 point. Everyone looks up at the same moment.
  • A vending machine selling something other than snacks 3 points. Phone chargers, toys, flowers, umbrellas.
  • A yellow wet-floor sign 2 points. Walk around it, not over it.
  • An ATM 1 point. Spot it from a distance and give whoever is using it room.
  • An empty store with covered windows 2 points. Paper, boards or a printed construction wall over the glass.
  • An escalator and an elevator in view at the same time 2 points. Stand still in one spot and point to both.
  • The customer service or lost-and-found desk 2 points. Read the sign. The people behind it are working, so no questions.
  • Decorations hanging from the ceiling 2 points. Banners, lanterns, stars or giant baubles, depending on the month.
  • The entrance to an anchor store 2 points. The big department stores are called anchors. Malls place them far apart to draw shoppers past every shop in between.
  • The mall directory with a 'you are here' mark 1 point. Make it the first find. Use it to agree the boundary of the hunt.
  • The security desk or the mall office 3 points. Spot the sign and keep walking. It is also where a lost teammate should go.
  • Something on wheels that is not a stroller or a cart 3 points. A floor cleaner, a hand truck or a delivery trolley.

Windows, signs and price tags 28

  • A 'buy one, get one' sign 1 point. Any wording of the same offer.
  • A 'now hiring' sign 2 points. In a window or at a counter.
  • A book with a one-word title 2 points. Face out on a shelf or a table.
  • A candle named after something that has no smell 3 points. A season, a feeling or a time of day. Sniff it, put the lid back on and return it.
  • A greeting card for an occasion you did not know had cards 3 points. Read it and put it back in the right slot.
  • A hat nobody on the team would wear 2 points. The vote has to be unanimous. Look, do not try on.
  • A mannequin dressed for the wrong season 2 points. A swimsuit in winter or a parka in July.
  • A mannequin in a pose no human holds 2 points. Try it yourself for two seconds to prove the point.
  • A mannequin with no head 1 point. Through the window is fine.
  • A product being demonstrated on a video loop 2 points. Watch one full loop as a team.
  • A sale sign offering 70 percent off or more 3 points. Read the small print aloud. 'Up to' counts.
  • A shop sign with a number in it 2 points. As a digit or spelled out.
  • A shop sign with a punctuation mark in it 2 points. An apostrophe, an ampersand, a period or a plus sign.
  • A shop sign with no vowels in it 5 points. Initials and abbreviations count. Write the sign down on your sheet.
  • A shop sign written all in lower-case letters 2 points. Not one capital anywhere on it.
  • A shop window dressed in a single color 3 points. Everything in the display, not just the backdrop.
  • A showroom sofa you are allowed to sit on 2 points. No 'do not sit' sign. One teammate, ten seconds, shoes on the floor.
  • A single shoe on display without its partner 1 point. Find the loneliest one. Look, do not pick it up.
  • A T-shirt with a pun on it 2 points. Read it aloud. Groans confirm it.
  • A toy that makes a noise when you walk past 2 points. Walk past once. That is enough for everyone nearby.
  • A window display that tells a story 3 points. Tell the story to the judge in two sentences.
  • The biggest TV on display 1 point. Write down the screen size from the tag.
  • The most expensive pair of socks you can find 3 points. Photograph the price tag and put the socks back. The highest price across all teams earns a bonus point.
  • One color, found in five different shop windows 3 points. Choose the color before you start. One photo through each window.
  • Something priced over 1,000 3 points. Jewelry and electronics windows are the places to look. Photograph the tag through the glass.
  • Something priced under 1 3 points. A single sweet, a greeting card envelope, a washer. The tag has to show.
  • The tallest heel in a shoe store window 2 points. Judge it by eye. Nobody picks it up.
  • Three price tags ending in .99, .95 and .00 3 points. One photo of each. All three can be in one store.

Funny team photos 22

  • A five-second video of a catwalk down an empty corridor 2 points. Walk, turn, walk back. Nobody else in the shot.
  • A five-second video of the team walking in step 2 points. Past four storefronts, without laughing. That is the hard part.
  • A photo of a teammate admiring themselves in a mirror for sale 2 points. The price tag has to show in the shot.
  • A photo of a teammate beside the smallest thing for sale 2 points. If it is behind glass, point at it through the glass.
  • A photo of a teammate beside the tallest thing for sale 2 points. A ladder, a lamp, a fake tree. The teammate gives the scale.
  • A photo of a teammate conducting the mall music 1 point. A rolled-up hunt sheet makes a good baton.
  • A photo of a teammate hiding badly behind something thin 1 point. A signpost, a fake plant, a floor lamp.
  • A photo of a teammate hugging a pillar like a lost friend 1 point. Eyes closed, full commitment.
  • A photo of a teammate sizing up a sofa like a serious buyer 2 points. Chin in hand, one eyebrow up. Nobody bounces on it.
  • A photo of everyone's shoes on the fanciest floor tile 1 point. Toes in, like a flower.
  • A team photo acting out hour nine of a shopping trip 1 point. Invisible bags, real despair.
  • A team photo at the directory, all pointing different ways 1 point. Step aside first if anyone needs the map.
  • A team photo copying a mannequin's pose outside its window 2 points. Stand in the corridor with the mannequin in the background.
  • A team photo frozen as a window display 2 points. Hold it for ten seconds, out of the flow of foot traffic.
  • A team photo holding five shades of one color 3 points. In one aisle. Every item goes back on its own hook.
  • A team photo lined up by shoe color, lightest to darkest 2 points. The judge checks the order.
  • A team photo on a bench, all waiting for someone who is shopping 1 point. Slumped, bored, checking the time.
  • A team photo on the escalator, one step apart, all looking left 2 points. Stand still, hold the rail and keep other riders out of the frame.
  • A team photo posed like the sample photo in a picture frame 3 points. Hold the frame up beside you for comparison, then put it back.
  • A team photo sharing one imaginary milkshake 1 point. At an empty food court table, with as many invisible straws as teammates.
  • A team photo sniffing one candle with different faces 2 points. Delight, doubt, horror. Lid back on afterwards.
  • A team photo staring up at the skylight in alarm 1 point. As if something large is about to land.

Food court 17

  • A drinking fountain or a bottle filler 1 point. The only refreshment on this hunt that costs nothing.
  • A free sample, offered without being asked for 3 points. Spotting the tray is enough. Nobody asks for one.
  • A kids' meal toy on display 2 points. Usually in a clear case by the register.
  • A menu board with more than 30 items 2 points. Count from the seating area, not from the line.
  • A menu item with a number in its name 2 points. A number of pieces, layers or cheeses.
  • A neon sign 2 points. Glowing tubes, or lights made to look like them.
  • A pretzel, a cookie and a pizza slice in view from one seat 3 points. Real or on a sign. Find the seat, sit, and point to all three.
  • A sauce station with five or more choices 2 points. Count the pumps or the packets.
  • A seat with a view of two floors 2 points. Sit in it to prove it.
  • A sign listing allergens or calories 2 points. On a menu board or a counter card.
  • A smell you can name with your eyes shut 1 point. A teammate leads you in. Cinnamon and frying onions are the easy ones.
  • A stack of high chairs 2 points. Count how many are in the stack.
  • A tray return station 1 point. Spot it. If your team eats later, use it.
  • An empty napkin dispenser 3 points. Check the ones on the tables in the seating area only.
  • How many food counters surround the seats 2 points. A food court is a ring of food vendors around shared seating. Count the counters.
  • The longest line in the food court 1 point. Count the people in it from a distance.
  • Someone working in a paper hat or an apron 2 points. Spot only. No photos, and no questions while they are serving.

Thrift store finds 26

  • A board game in a taped-up box (thrift store) 2 points. The tape stays on. Guess from the box whether every piece is inside.
  • A book with a handwritten dedication inside (thrift store) 3 points. Read it quietly, close it and put it back.
  • A bread machine, a fondue set or an ice-cream maker (thrift store) 2 points. Kitchen gadgets that had one outing. Any one of the three.
  • A cookbook with a photo of food set in gelatin (thrift store) 3 points. Open it carefully, photograph the page and reshelve it.
  • A figurine of an animal wearing clothes (thrift store) 2 points. Photograph it and put it back where it was.
  • A framed painting of a boat (thrift store) 2 points. Sailboats, tugboats and rowboats all count.
  • A holiday decoration for the wrong time of year (thrift store) 1 point. Photograph it and put it back where it was.
  • A jigsaw with a handwritten note about missing pieces (thrift store) 5 points. 'One piece missing' on masking tape is the classic. Photograph the note.
  • A lamp shaped like something that is not a lamp (thrift store) 3 points. A fish, a pineapple, a lighthouse.
  • A mug with a company name or a slogan on it (thrift store) 1 point. Read it aloud, then put it back on the shelf.
  • A piece of exercise equipment (thrift store) 1 point. Nobody tries it out.
  • A record with a cover worth framing (thrift store) 2 points. Hold it by the edges. The team votes.
  • A single shoe with no partner in sight (thrift store) 3 points. Check the whole rack before you claim it.
  • A souvenir from a place none of you has been (thrift store) 2 points. A plate, a spoon, a snow globe.
  • A suitcase with no wheels (thrift store) 2 points. Hard shell or soft, with a handle on top.
  • A T-shirt from an event none of you attended (thrift store) 2 points. A fun run, a reunion or a company picnic.
  • A teacup with a saucer that matches (thrift store) 2 points. Hold them together for the photo, with two hands.
  • A trophy for something oddly specific (thrift store) 3 points. Read the plate aloud to your team.
  • A typewriter or a film camera (thrift store) 3 points. Often behind the counter or in a glass case. Spot it from where you stand.
  • A videotape or a cassette (thrift store) 2 points. Photograph it and put it back where it was.
  • An item still carrying its first store tag (thrift store) 3 points. The thrift store's own sticker does not count.
  • The basket shelf: count the baskets (thrift store) 1 point. Write down your count. Teams compare at the end.
  • Furniture in a color nobody chooses anymore (thrift store) 2 points. Avocado, mustard or salmon.
  • One lonely volume of an encyclopedia (thrift store) 3 points. Write down which letters it covers.
  • The sign that says which tag color is on sale (thrift store) 2 points. Not every thrift store runs one. If yours does not, swap this task.
  • Something none of you can identify (thrift store) 3 points. Photograph it. Every team's guesses are read out at the end.

Riddle clues 18

  • Feed me a coin, turn my handle, and a toy in a bubble rolls out. 2 points. Answer: a capsule-toy machine. Spot it. Nothing is bought on this hunt.
  • Full of cars, empty of drivers. Forget my letter and lose an hour. 2 points. Answer: the parking lot. Point to it from a window or a door. The hunt stays indoors.
  • I am a map that knows exactly where you are. 1 point. Answer: the mall directory.
  • I am the last stop in every store, and this hunt never visits me. 2 points. Answer: the checkout. Spot one from the aisle.
  • I am yellow, I fold, and I only come out when the floor shines. 3 points. Answer: a wet-floor sign.
  • I carry you up while you stand still, and my steps sink into the floor. 1 point. Answer: the escalator.
  • I hold the clothes you did not choose. Knock before you enter. 3 points. Answer: a fitting room. Find the sign for it. Nobody goes in.
  • I shout half off in red letters from nearly every window. 1 point. Answer: a sale sign.
  • I stand at the far end of the mall and pull the crowd past the rest. 5 points. Answer: an anchor store, the big department store at the end of a mall.
  • I stand guard at the shop door and beep at what has not been paid for. 3 points. Answer: the security gates at a store entrance.
  • I wear a hundred hangers and spin when you push me. 3 points. Answer: a round clothes rack.
  • I wear the newest clothes and never pay. I have stood here all week. 1 point. Answer: a mannequin.
  • Many kitchens, one dining room, and nobody does the dishes. 2 points. Answer: the food court.
  • My doors open when you arrive, and I only travel up and down. 2 points. Answer: the elevator.
  • Sit in me, feed me a bill, and I will knead your back. 3 points. Answer: a massage chair. Spot it only.
  • Step in, draw my curtain, and four small pictures of you drop out. 3 points. Answer: a photo booth.
  • Throw me a coin and make a wish. I keep both. 2 points. Answer: the fountain.
  • Warm, twisted and salted, I am the smell that finds you first. 2 points. Answer: a soft pretzel, or the counter that sells them.

How it works

Nothing is bought and nobody at work is bothered. These mall scavenger hunt ideas are 142 scored tasks: corridor finds, window and price-tag finds, funny team photos, food court finds, riddle clues, and a sixth group for a thrift store.

Read the full guide

Start with the corridors

The page opens on Spot it in the corridors, 31 finds most malls can answer. Pick All tasks in the menu for a mixed mall scavenger hunt list, and draw again if a line needs what your mall lacks, such as a fountain. For a mall scavenger hunt printable, press Print this list: every line has a box and a points badge.

Four rules that keep a hunt welcome

A mall is private property, so its security staff have the final word. The tasks are written around four rules: nothing is bought, nobody who works there is asked for anything, everything picked up goes back where it was, and nobody outside the team is photographed. Where a store posts a no-photos sign, write the find down instead.

  • A funny mall scavenger hunt list: pick Funny team photos for 22 poses, such as copying a mannequin's pose.
  • A thrift store scavenger hunt list needs no mall: Thrift store finds holds 26 things to photograph and put back.
  • Riddle answers sit in the notes; Hide all notes moves them to a last printed page.

Questions and answers

How is a mall hunt scored?

Each task carries 1, 2, 3 or 5 points, and the tally under the list adds what is ticked. Only three earn 5, such as a shop sign with no vowels in it. Break a tie with the sock task: the highest price tag wins.

Do we have to go into the stores?

Rarely. Corridor finds, the food court, the riddles and most window tasks are answered from the walkway. When a task does send you inside, such as the socks, go in as one small team and photograph the tag.

What ages is a mall hunt for?

Teens and adults can hunt in teams on their own. Younger players need an adult walking with each team. The 30 one-point tasks suit a first hunt: a mannequin with no head, a skylight, a 'buy one, get one' sign.

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