How to Plan a Harry Potter Horcrux Scavenger Hunt

Put your hand up if you’re a Potterhead like me! My daughter is a huge fan, so every year, I like to create a fun new Wizarding World game for her birthday. I’ve created a few over the years, but I’ve wanted to put together a Harry Potter Horcrux Scavenger Hunt for the longest time! Keep reading and I will show you how easy it is to put together your own game and how to grab the free printables for your own magical Horcrux Hunt.

This game challenges players to find all seven Horcrux images hidden throughout the party area. Each image has a magical symbol on it that needs to be decoded. The first team or player to discover and decode all seven Horcruxes and unscramble the letters to discover the secret word wins! I have even thrown in a simplified version for younger players; they only need to tick off each of the Horcruxes, no decoding required.

Introduction to Horcrux Scavenger Hunt

If you are new to the Harry Potter universe, be warned: There are spoilers! Turn away now, lol. You have been warned! 

What is a Horcrux?

In the Harry Potter series, a Horcrux is an object in which a dark wizard or witch has hidden a fragment of their soul to attain immortality. Step in the dark lord, “he who must not be named.” The objects are well-hidden and protected by powerful enchantments, making them crucial to find when battling between good and evil.

Horcrux Scavenger Hunt Supplies

The best thing about doing this Horcrux scavenger hunt is that you don’t need much to get started! All you need for this Harry Potter activity is:

1. The Printable Kit: Grab the download at the bottom of the post.
2. Printer and paper: I highly recommend printing on bright white card stock; the colors pop and are more sturdy. If you don’t have any card, regular paper will absolutely do the trick!
3. Tape: This is optional and only if you want to tape the scavenger hunt picture cards in position so they won’t move around.
4. Prize: Everything is better with a small prize at the end for your effort. So you’ll want a surprise or prize of some sort.

There are seven Horcruxes to find. In the kit, I’ve created picture cards of each of the enchanted objects with magical symbols that need to be decoded. You don’t need to use these for your own hunt; if you are feeling creative, you can find real objects to represent each Horcrux and hide them. I have a separate sheet of tags with the magical letters on them. Print out the sheet an attach them to your objects instead.

Here are a few ideas on how to incorporate real objects.

• Tom Riddles Diary: Create a dust cover for a book you already have. 
• Nagini: A rubber snake
• Ravenclaw’s Diadem: Use a tiara – or get creative and craft one out of paper
• Hufflepuff’s Cup: A trophy or goblet type cup.
• Slytherin’s Locket: A necklace with a locket on it. 
• Harry Potter: A plush toy or perhaps a cutout of Harry’s face attached to a teddy bear or doll lol!
• Marvolo’s Ring: Any ring would do the trick, but I would opt for a toy ring! 

Where can you set up your scavenger hunt?

The great thing about scavenger hunts is that they can be played ANYWHERE! If you have fab weather, you can set up your hunt outside! You can hide some of the Horcruxes inside and some outside. This would make a fantastic neighborhood hunt for Halloween. 

How to Set Up the Scavenger Hunt

This is so easy to set up and super easy to do, so you don’t have to worry about it taking a long time to prep before your party.

Here’s how easy it is when using the materials in the Horux scavenger hunt kit!

1. Print out the scavenger hunt kit.
2. Write down the locations you are going to hide the cards with the enchanted objects on…yes, I have forgotten where I have hidden items in the past so now I keep note!
3. Hide the picture cards (or objects) in their designated locations.
4. Have a surprise at the end! I like to have a locked box full of goodies.

You can adjust the difficulty level depending on how you hide the clue cards at each location. If you have older players, you can be a bit more sneaky when hiding the objects. For younger kids, you’ll want to make them easier to spot. 

After finding all the enchanted objects and deciphering the corresponding magical symbols, your scavenger hunters will need to rearrange the letters they discovered to reveal the final word: phoenix. You have the option for players to then scan a QR code to reveal a message to them that they need to open an envelope. or you can just have them tell you the word they discovered.

A box full of treats

If you have been following me for a while, you’ll know how much I love escape rooms and puzzles. So, I want to give you the opportunity to have a locked element as part of your game. In my QR code reveal, it tells the players to open the envelope (there is a themed one included in the kit). Inside the envelope, you can give the players extra instructions or challenges. 

• Give the players a 3 or 4-digit code to open up a locked box full of goodies. The box can contain some fun party favors.
• Give the player the key to open a door. Behind the door is a table set up to look like the great hall filled with party food.
• Give players any message you like. How about telling them all to go out into the garden? When they get there, there is a giant picture of Voldemort, and each player is given a water pistol to destroy him. Print out a picture of Voldemort onto ordinary copy paper; the water will destroy the paper and Voldemort haha!

Harry Potter Prize Ideas

If you are looking for some inspiration for what prizes you can have at the end of your scavenger hunt, here are some top picks for you. There is a mixture of pocket money prizes that would double up as fab party favors and something more substantial if you are going to use this game just for your own kids.

• Harry Potter Triwizard Maze Game – a pop dice game.
• Mini Stuffed Owl Plush Toy is great to double up as party favors.
• Broom and wand pencils. They are a fun alternative to candy.
• Harry Potter Uno. Our family loves playing uno, so this is a no-brainer gift.
• Jelly Beans. We all like a sweet treat!

Wizard Costumes and Props

I LOVE any excuse to get dressed up so it goes without saying this is high up on my party activity list. You can either have the party guests come already dressed up or have them get into costume when they get to your party. Here are a few extra fun party ideas to incorporate if you find the scavenger hunt is finished quickly and you need to 

• What’s Your Wizard Name: As you wait for all your guests to arrive, have your partygoers discover their wizard names. This is a fun icebreaker and activity to get everyone into the spirit, and it’s super easy to set up.
• Wand Making: Have guest decorate their own wand before the scavenger hunt.
• Photobooth Station: Get out the camera and take some fun snaps of everyone. A box filled with props for everyone to use is going to be a hit! 

Tips for a stress-free scavenger hunt.

I’ve been there, a gaggle of giggling kids running around like little Tasmanian devils! It can be super stressful, but you can reduce the swirling mass of kids by dividing them into groups. Three or four per team should be a good number. 

To avoid any kids feeling left out by being chosen last for a group, opt to make the team selection part of your party. Before you start your scavenger hunt, have the kids sorted into Harry Potter houses. You’ll need a witches or wizards hat and some strips of colored paper (red, green, yellow and blue). Players will take turns to pull out a piece of paper from the hat. It’s so simple to do and will add a bit more excitement to the start of the game.

How long will the game last?

If you want to set up the Horcrux scavenger hunt for a birthday you’ll probably want to know how long its going to take! Sorry this is tricky. It’s really going to depend on where you hide the objects, and if like me you lock up some of the Horcruxes into boxes with codes for players to figure out to break into the locks. The minimum I would say it would take with the objects hidden all over the house would be 15 minutes. And more time if you have added locks and a final locked reveal.

Be ready with some activities for kids to do if the game is finished really early. Don’t stress though all you need is to set up a table with some coloring pages or wizard themed puzzles. It won’t create a tonne of mess and keeps the players busy while the other kids are finishing up or you are waiting for parents to collect the kids.

More Harry Potter Games

If you’re a Harry Potter fan like me, then you’ll love these other Harry Potter games!

• My daughter loved this game it was a huge hit. Players scan a QR code and listen to clues as they hunt for magical objects. QR code Wizard Treasure Hunt.
• Perhaps you are looking for something a little different? How about setting up a wizard themed escape room game at home.
• Perhaps a Wizard themed puzzle hunt would be perfect? Its super easy to set up but full of puzzles less preparation is required so thats always a plus!

Download the Horcrux Scavenger Hunt

Go ahead and enter your first name and email address in the form below to get the free printable and sign up to my creative escapes newsletter. You will receive a link to download the PDF to your email within minutes, double check your spam folder I know how fun stuff tends to disappear into it’s depths! You will be signed up to creative escapes newsletter. 

Grab a copy of the printable kit, and get started setting up your own Harry Potter inspired scavenger hunt hunt. Hit reply and let me know if you have grabbed yourself a copy.