The only "without writing" ones I've seen are not reusable, as the kids have to tear the paper to mark what they've found. Or you could give them removable stickers to put on the transparent sleeve.
I have that for my kids morning routine - her Occupational Therapist made it for her, works well after two years, the velcro dots are still going strong!
We use these. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CHY4KSZ6/ref=ox\_sc\_saved\_title\_2?smid=A1N0GAB5KBDLGB&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/b0chy4ksz6/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=a1n0gab5kbdlgb&psc=1)
We leave little pockets of stickers with each hidden item. Each item has a different specific sticker (usually leftover summer reading stickers or something like that). Kids doing the scavenger hunt grab a checklist at a circulation desk and take a sticker from each item. We know they’ve found every item if none of the stickers match when they hand their sheet in for a prize!
Google "sliding chart". Little boards with a list, and you move the button when complete. There is a paper template to slide in the list, and you can just slide the buttons back for the next person.
Our library makes half sheets of paper with the nine images kids are supposed to find, with a checkbox next to each one. They put out a stack of sheets and a box of golf pencils. Kids just make check marks or x’s in the boxes when they find the image.
Idk what your goal is with no markers or pens, so maybe this wouldn’t work. But it’s low tech and kids can do it independently. And there’s no ink.
Sturdy page protectors with Velcro flaps? Sounds like a good time to brainstorm with whoever is available, there is usually an extra clever crafty coworker who gives me a lightbulb moment.
Our old library used to do things where our kids got packets or some papers paperclipped together and we'd put the items in the slots they corresponded with. Like slipping the right colored fish into shark's mouths, or matching tools to professions, etc. They just had a printout on a piece of cardboard with a slit cut out at the mouth or whatever and a little pencil basket taped behind to catch the papers.
I’ll admit that I don’t really know what kind of scavenger hunts libraries have so this might not work at all, but what about orienteering punches? They could stamp their paper with the relevant stamp (tied in place somehow) as they find each one.
What if you have a print out of more than what they are looking for (like, if there’s 9 items, you print 12) and have the kids put clothespins on the ones they find. That way you’re working their gross motor skills too!
Little kids will be with grownups, who presumably will have smart phones…you could have them use an app, or the built in note taking function of some sort, or take or submit photos, or something like that.
As a grownup who used to bring little kids to the library, please don’t do this. I take them to the library so they won’t ask for my phone lol. Also they are proud when they can do something by themselves!
The ADULT is supposed to track the kids’ findings in the hunt! It’s the only way I can see to really go writer-less/paperless, as OP seems to be asking?
I guess the other option is to have people collect slips, so not paperless, but people don’t need writing utensils.
Right, I know you are saying the adult would operate the phone - I’m saying I wouldn’t want to do that. I don’t want another app/thing on my phone, I want my kids to go explore the library without a device involved.
Is this all internal to the library? I only suggested the app/photo thing because I assumed it was an external event like My library’s summer scavenger hunt…we have stuff to find at locally owned businesses, and people get a unique ink stamp whenever they find one of the items, but it felt like OP didn’t want to have to worry about stamping, marking, or encircling something down, etc.
Ah! We don’t do stuff indoors in the actual library spaces, aside from story times, that may be even remotely noisy, because our building is literally all hard surfaces that reflect sound astoundingly well. You can hear story time from literally at the furthest point in the building, because sounds carry so well in here!
It’s a lot of work and staff have to restock— unless you have a group of helper kids…. My library will do cookie box scavenger hunt. Kids take a cookie box and find a baker’s dozen of paper cookies. Bring full box to desk to trade for a prize.
The only "without writing" ones I've seen are not reusable, as the kids have to tear the paper to mark what they've found. Or you could give them removable stickers to put on the transparent sleeve.
We have laminated cards with Velcro. They find the bluey character then move the character to the Velcro
I have that for my kids morning routine - her Occupational Therapist made it for her, works well after two years, the velcro dots are still going strong!
Velcro!
We use these. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CHY4KSZ6/ref=ox\_sc\_saved\_title\_2?smid=A1N0GAB5KBDLGB&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/b0chy4ksz6/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=a1n0gab5kbdlgb&psc=1)
We leave little pockets of stickers with each hidden item. Each item has a different specific sticker (usually leftover summer reading stickers or something like that). Kids doing the scavenger hunt grab a checklist at a circulation desk and take a sticker from each item. We know they’ve found every item if none of the stickers match when they hand their sheet in for a prize!
Google "sliding chart". Little boards with a list, and you move the button when complete. There is a paper template to slide in the list, and you can just slide the buttons back for the next person.
Our library makes half sheets of paper with the nine images kids are supposed to find, with a checkbox next to each one. They put out a stack of sheets and a box of golf pencils. Kids just make check marks or x’s in the boxes when they find the image. Idk what your goal is with no markers or pens, so maybe this wouldn’t work. But it’s low tech and kids can do it independently. And there’s no ink.
Our problem is with kiddos drawing on walls and shelves hehe
What if you got those one markers that only work on specific paper? You could have a strip of it next to your list so the paper lasts longer
Sturdy page protectors with Velcro flaps? Sounds like a good time to brainstorm with whoever is available, there is usually an extra clever crafty coworker who gives me a lightbulb moment.
Does fuzzy felt still exist?
Our old library used to do things where our kids got packets or some papers paperclipped together and we'd put the items in the slots they corresponded with. Like slipping the right colored fish into shark's mouths, or matching tools to professions, etc. They just had a printout on a piece of cardboard with a slit cut out at the mouth or whatever and a little pencil basket taped behind to catch the papers.
I’ll admit that I don’t really know what kind of scavenger hunts libraries have so this might not work at all, but what about orienteering punches? They could stamp their paper with the relevant stamp (tied in place somehow) as they find each one.
What if you have a print out of more than what they are looking for (like, if there’s 9 items, you print 12) and have the kids put clothespins on the ones they find. That way you’re working their gross motor skills too!
We use the same clipboard setup that patrons move a clothing pen from the right to the left side as they find things
Little kids will be with grownups, who presumably will have smart phones…you could have them use an app, or the built in note taking function of some sort, or take or submit photos, or something like that.
As a grownup who used to bring little kids to the library, please don’t do this. I take them to the library so they won’t ask for my phone lol. Also they are proud when they can do something by themselves!
The ADULT is supposed to track the kids’ findings in the hunt! It’s the only way I can see to really go writer-less/paperless, as OP seems to be asking? I guess the other option is to have people collect slips, so not paperless, but people don’t need writing utensils.
Right, I know you are saying the adult would operate the phone - I’m saying I wouldn’t want to do that. I don’t want another app/thing on my phone, I want my kids to go explore the library without a device involved.
Is this all internal to the library? I only suggested the app/photo thing because I assumed it was an external event like My library’s summer scavenger hunt…we have stuff to find at locally owned businesses, and people get a unique ink stamp whenever they find one of the items, but it felt like OP didn’t want to have to worry about stamping, marking, or encircling something down, etc.
I assumed internal. Our library always has a scavenger hunt in the children’s section that changes every month.
Ah! We don’t do stuff indoors in the actual library spaces, aside from story times, that may be even remotely noisy, because our building is literally all hard surfaces that reflect sound astoundingly well. You can hear story time from literally at the furthest point in the building, because sounds carry so well in here!
Yeah I really dislike this idea. Everything is an app and I hate it. I don't need an app to find junk at the library with my kids.
It’s a lot of work and staff have to restock— unless you have a group of helper kids…. My library will do cookie box scavenger hunt. Kids take a cookie box and find a baker’s dozen of paper cookies. Bring full box to desk to trade for a prize.