Christmas Lights Scavenger Hunt + Free Printable

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One of our favourite Christmas traditions is heading out to look at the Christmas lights around our city. We do it every December, and the whole family looks forward to it. Now the kids are older, we’ve started adding a bit of a challenge to the drive with a Christmas lights scavenger hunt.

I made two printable versions for my own girls, one with pictures for when they were little and one with just words for when they got older, and I’m sharing both below.

Free Printable Christmas Lights Scavenger Hunt For Kids – 2 Versions

There are two versions in the set, because a 4-year-old and a 10-year-old want very different things out of this.

The Picture Version

Every item has a picture next to it, so kids who can’t read yet can join in from the back seat without anyone reading the list out to them. This is the one we used when my girls were little, and it’s the version that works best for preschoolers and early primary.

The List Only Version

Just words and checkboxes, more items, and a few harder things to find. Better for older kids, teens and adults who want an actual challenge rather than a colouring-in exercise.

If you’ve got both readers and non-readers in the car, print one of each. Everyone gets a list they can actually use.

Both come in a full-page version and a half-size version if you want to save paper and ink, which is what I do when I’m printing four of them.

You’ll find both in my free printables library, along with the rest of my Christmas printables and games.

How To Plan Your Christmas Lights Scavenger Hunt

Having a few special holiday traditions is easily my favourite thing about December, and this is one of our family Christmas traditions we do every year.

Some years we stick to our own city. Other years we go a bit further to see displays we’ve never seen before. It’s fun either way.

1. Decide: Drive Or Walk

Walking works well if you’ve got a decorated neighbourhood nearby. Driving takes you to the bigger displays across town.

We do both every December, but there aren’t many displays near our house, so we save the scavenger hunt for the drive.

If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere like us, an evening walk in December is comfortable. If you’re somewhere cold, the car is the obvious choice and the heating is part of the appeal.

Pick a date that works for everyone. Christmas Eve is a nice one because it fills the impossible hours between dinner and bedtime, but any weekend evening in December does the job.

2. Print Your Lists

Print one per person so everyone can mark off their own. Grab both versions if you’ve got a mix of ages.

Don’t forget pens or pencils for everyone. Mini clipboards help if you’re in the car, since there’s nothing to lean on, though they’re not essential.

3. Set Your Rules

It’s up to you how competitive you want to make it. Some years we work together and tick things off as a team. Other years it’s a race to see who finishes first, or who has the most crossed off by the time we get home.

The one rule I’d always keep is only one item per house. Otherwise, a really impressive display will clear half your list in a single stop.

If you want a bit of friendly competition, offer a prize for whoever finds the most. A gift card, first pick of the Christmas treats, or a night off the dishes all work.

Make Your Own Scavenger Hunt List

No printer? Grab a pen and paper and write your own list instead. You can make it as easy or as hard as you like, and you can tailor it to what actually gets decorated where you live.

Thirty items is plenty for one night. Pick 20 for younger kids.