Glow in the Dark Or Black Light Scavenger Hunt

1. Glow in the Dark or Black Light scavenger hunt

Program Description: Lead teens through the library with a series of clues. At the end of each clue, teens find the glowing item and the next clue using a black light.

Cost = $40 per 20 teens.

Note: This is the cost of 5 blacklights + a package w/multiple colors of glow paint. It will cost more if you buy, rather than make the glow-in-the-dark objects. You can also spend more money, if you buy prizes for the winners. Make it cheap and easy – buy candy!

Materials Needed:

• 5 black light flashlights (1 for each group of 4 teens)
• Cheap glow-in-the-darktoys from Oriental Trading
• Glow-in-the-dark fabric paint
• Cheap paint brushes
• Small objects to paint w/glow paint

Staff Prep:

­Decide what glowing items you’ll be hiding around your library. You can buy small items from Oriental Trading OR to reduce costs, paint small objects (ex. rocks) with glow paint.

­If you’ll be painting items, make each item distinct in color or shape, so that you’ll be able to tell that the teens made it to each spot.

­Find approximately 10 hiding places around your library.

­Write 10 numbered clues to help teens find the hiding spots.

Event Instructions:

­Divide teens into groups of 4.

­Give each group a bag to hold their found objects, a black light and a DIFFERENT clue.

­The first group to find all of the objects wins!

1. Night-time Ninja Challenge

Train teens to be stealthly, night-time Ninjas using the highly sophisticated and proven training techniques below. Teens complete each training exercise in groups, competing against one another. The group that earns the most points wins Top Ninja.

Cost = Varies from $0 and up depending on which challenges you do and how many supplies you can find around your house and library.

Getting Started:

­Determine from reading each challenge where the suitable place to hold your event will be (outside may be best).

­Gather necessary supplies

­Make the game your own. Change the rules or add your own challenges.

­Photocopy enough score cards so each team will have their own. You can be responsible for recording their score cards at each round or let them do it.

­Mark start and finish lines for each challenge.

­Make sure the timers are working properly and that you and other staff know how to use them.

­Divide participants into groups of 3 to 4 people.

­Determine how you will award winners and if you want to have prizes for the runner ups.

­Have fun!

Ninja Skill 1: PATIENCE

Playing Card Tower Challenge

Teams compete to see who can build either the tallest or fastest card tower wins.

Materials Needed

­At least 26 playing cards for each team

Instructions

­Two options for scoring: (1) Each team can be given a certain amount of time to build a tower out of playing cards (you can determine time according to how easy or challenging you would like it to be); or (2) 2 teams go at a time, you hold 2 clock watches – higher points are given for least amount of time to complete or less points for most amount of time to complete.

­The teens who have successfully built a tower that is at least 2 stories high and uses at least 20 playing cards within the time allowed (or with the least amount of time) are given 5 points.

­The tower must be made of playing cards only.

­If they complete the challenge, stamp their card and award them 5 points. If they don’t, either cross off the challenge on their card or write “0” in the square.

Ninja Skill 2: A“CUTE”NESS

Wild Animal Vaccination Challenge

Teams compete to see who can vaccinate the most wild animals.

Materials Needed

­4 suction cup dart guns (Dollar Store)

­5 stuffed animals (Dollar Store or raid a child’s room)

­Masking tape to mark starting line

Instructions

­Each team needs to hit 3 animals with the suction cup gun. Place the animals a fair distance away from shooting line.

­Only one person from each team can shoot at a time, but they can switch people if they want to.

­Once the team has either hit 3 animals or given up, award them points on their score cards:

1 point = 1 animal

3 points = 2 animals

5 points = 3 animals

Ninja Skill 3: COMPOSURE

Water Relay Challenge

Teams compete in a relay race to see who can fill a cup of water with a spoonfastest.

Materials Needed

­6 Cups with drawn water markers

­Spoons

­2 Buckets

­Food coloring

­Water

Instructions

­Prepare cups by adding 3 drops of food coloring (optional).

­Teams must fill a cup of water to the line marked outside by carrying water from a bucket, across the grass, to the cup.

­Give each team member a spoon. They can all work at the same time.

­Once they’ve finished, stamp their card, award them 0, 5 or 10 points, depending on which line they reached,

­Consider giving a time limit of 5 minutes to see if they can make it to the 5 point line in time. If they finish in time, give them the option to continue to the 10 point line by 5 minute deadline. If they attempt and make it, they get 10 points. If they misjudge their time and do not make it, they get 0 points.

Ninja Skill 4: ENDURANCE

Hula Hoop Challenge

Who can hula hoop the longest? Teams pick their best competitor to represent themselves. This one’s a hard one, so let them switch if their first pick doesn’t work out.

Materials Needed

­4 hula hoops

­Stop watch

Instructions

­At least one person from each team must hula hoop for:

• 15 seconds to earn 5 points
• 30 seconds to earn 10 points

­During the 15 & 30 seconds, the hula hoop must be moving in a circular motion, cannot fall below the teens’ knees and cannot be touched by anything except the teen’s torso, and legs (i.e. no hands, arms, another teens hands, etc!)

­If they complete the challenge, stamp their card, award them 0, 5, or 10 points (depending on which goal they reached)

Ninja Skill 5: POSTURE

Balance Your Books Challenge

Teams compete in a book balancing relay race.

Materials Needed

­Books

Instructions

­To complete the challenge, 1-3 teens must walk from the starting line to the finish line with a book balanced on their head.

­They cannot use their hands to hold the book or rebalance it while they are making the journey.

­Time limit is optional.

­Once the team has either completed the challenge or given up, award them points:

1 point = 1 person completed

3 points = 2 people completed

5 points = 3 people completed

Ninja Skill 6: AGILITY

Spelling Challenge

Teams must spell something in people – like the YMCA song, but an actual word.

Materials Needed

­None

Instructions

­Teens can sit, stand or lay down.

­Give them a reasonable time limit in which to complete the task

­If they spell their word within the time frame, give them 5 points, if not they get 0.

­Consider giving bonus points for longer words.

Ninja Skill 7: STRENGTH

Pillowcase Challenge

Teams show their strength in this sack race competition.

Materials Needed

­8 Pillowcases

Instructions

­Each team member must get into a pillowcase, jump to a large object, touch it and return to the starting line.

­If the whole team completes the challenge, award them 5 points

­You may want to make this a timed event, in which all teams must make it to the finish line within a certain time OR the rule could be that all team members must make it to the finish line without falling or the team does not get the 5 points.

Ninja Skill 8: BRAVERY

Food Challenge

Teams earn points by eating gross foods.

Materials Needed

­Food

­Forks

­Plates

­Water and something good to eat (to wash the bad taste out of their mouths)

Instructions

­Similar to the television show, Fear Factor, participants have to eat gross food in order to gain points.

­Choose 3 items from food suggestions listed below. Most can be found at a local grocery store.

• Soggy bread (1 slice) - Before the event, pour water on top of 6 slices of bread, cover and let sit.
• Vegemite (1 tsp on a cracker) –available at Cost Plus
• Baby food (1 small jar)
• Mayo (portion cup)
• Spam (2 slices)
• Brussels sprout (3)
• Lime Jell-O with cream cheese, olives, chow mien
• Sauerkraut (¼ cup)
• Sardines (2)
• Pickled eggs (2)
• Meal worms (9) – Make sure to buy those intended for human consumption
• Crickets (5) – Make sure to buy those intended for human consumption

­Before the event, prepare a plate of food for each team with 3 items on each plate.

­Stamp the card and write in a point value when they have completed the task (or given up):

1 point = 1 item eaten (all of it)

3 points = 2 items eaten (all of them)

5 points = Everything eaten

1. Camping party

Program Idea: Host a camping party for teens. Make s’mores, tell ghost stories and display scary books for teens. For more fun, set up a tent and make it into a mini haunted house and dare teens to go in one at a time. Or have a volunteer pose as a palm reader or fortune teller inside.

Cost = $15 (s’mores ingredients)

Scary Stories:

Smore’s:

See this site for instructions on how to make them in a microwave and toaster oven.

Make the traditional kind with graham cracker, marshmallow and chocolate bars OR try one of these variations.

-Add peanut butter

-Use chocolate graham crackers and replace the chocolate bar with a caramel chewy candy.

-Add sliced fruit

1. Jeopardy – Night edition

Teens are divided into teams to play this night themed Jeopardy. Play the low tech way (below) or buy special Jeopardy kits that connect to your T.V.

Cost = $0 and up for prizes.

Materials Needed:

• Poster board
• Post-it notes – 1 pack
• Bold marker
• Construction paper square, approx. 6” x 6” – one for each District

Preparation:

Draw a grid on both sides of the poster board with 5 columns and 6 rows.

On side 1: write the Jeopardy! (1st round) categories in the top square of each column in bold marker.

Write 100 through 500 in the 1st column’s 2-6 squares in bold marker.

Place a post –it note in each of the squares under the categories.

Write 100 on the post-its in the 100 row. Repeat for the 200-500 rows.

On side 2: write the Double Jeopardy! categories in the top square of each column in bold marker.

Write 200, 400, 600, 800 and 1,000 in the 1st column’s 2-6 squares in bold marker.

Place a post –it note in each of the squares under the categories.

Write 200 on the post-its in the 200 row. Repeat for the 400-1000 rows.

Determine who will be the host and who will watch to see which team rings in first.

Instructions:

Starting with the Jeopardy! Round, teams choose categories and point values from the board.

After the host reads the question teams who know the answer, should raise their colored square as fast as possible.

The first team to raise their square will be given a chance to answer the question.

Answers must be in the form of a question.

If they answer the question correct, they are awarded the points from that square on the grid.

If they do not, they lose the points from that square.

The next team that raises their square will get a chance to answer the question, etc.

The team that answers correctly gets to pick the next category and point value.

Play continues until all questions have been read.

Move on to the Double Jeopardy! Round and repeat.

Now teams compete in the Final Jeopardy Round. First they must decide how many of their accumulated points they’d like to bet. Each team writes it down on a piece of paper and turns it over.

The host reads the question and gives teams 2 minutes to decide on an answer and write it down.

Teams win or lose the number of points they bet, based on whether or not they got the answer correct.

The team with the most points wins.

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Single Jeopardy! Round

Score / Astrological Signs / Famous Ghosts / Night Sky / Night Words / Nocturnal Animals
100 / The Lion. / Ichabod Crane encountered him on the way home. / They are placed in orbit for communication, weather prediction, etc. / It illuminates a child’s bedroom. / Nocturnal animal that hunts using echolocation.
What is Leo? / Who is the Headless Horseman? / What are satellites? / What is a nightlight? / What is a bat?
200 / The Bull. / Shakespearean play in which a ghost demands his son seek revenge for his murder. / Unusual anomaly in the sky that you can’t identify. / You wear it to bed. / Masked animal who likes to raid the garbage.
What is Taurus? / What is Hamlet? / What is a U.F.O. or unidentified flying object? / What is a nightgown? / What is a raccoon?
300 / The Twins. / Call them if you have an infestation of ghosts. / Small, icy bodies that orbit the sun. / It’s scary. / An unwelcome insect in the kitchen.
What is Gemini? / Who are the Ghostbusters? / What is a comet? / What is a nightmare? / What is a cockroach?
400 / The Crab. / One of the Ghosts who visits Ebenezer Scrouge. / The number of planets that orbit the sun. / Someone who stays up late at night. / Cats can see in the dark, because theirs is larger.
What is Cancer? / Who are Christmas Past, Christmas Present or Christmas Yet to Come? / What is 8? / Who is a nightowl? / What is a pupil?
500 / The Scales. / He’s a friendly ghost. / A star cluster that is also called the “Seven Sisters.” / A good place to store your bedtime reading. / Western marsupial with a bare pink tail.
What is Libra? / Who is Casper? / What is the Pleiades? / What is a nightstand? / What is an opossum?

Double Jeopardy! Round

Score / Constellations / Famous Sleepers / It Glows / Shadow Animals** / Vampires in Literature
200 / Smaller of Little Bear. / Animal kingdom sleeper who wakes up in Spring. / These insects abdomens glow yellow, green or pale-red. / Butterfly /
Short-lived vampire who has her own novella.
What is Ursa Minor? / What is a bear? / What is a firefly? / Who is Bree Tanner?
400 / The Hunter. / Fairy tale princess who slept for 100 years. / October’s birthstone, it also sometimes glow under a blacklight. / Rabbit / Schuyler Van Alen is the star of this vampire series.
What is Orion? / Who is Sleeping Beauty? / What is an opal? / What is the Blue Bloods?
600 / This constellation is dominated by the big dipper. / The bed she sleeps in is “just right.” / Phenomenon which produces a natural light show in the sky. / Dog / In this series, there are 3 types of vampires: Moroi, Strigoi and Dhampir.
What is Ursa Major? / Who is Goldilocks? / What is aurora borealis? / What is Vampire Academy?
800 / Water-bearer. / Fairy Tale in which a legume prevents the princess from sleeping. / Fish that uses a glowing fleshy growth on top of it’s head to lure prey. / Duck / The author of the “House of Night” series.
What is Aquarius? / What is “The Princess and the Pea?” / What is an anglerfish? / Who is P.C. Cast?
1000 / Canis Major contains this star, the brightest in the night sky. / He slept for 20 years after being lured away by ghosts. / Trick-or-treaters often use these objects to see on Halloween. / Swan / Vampire hunter who was Dracula’s nemesis.
Sirius / Who is Rip Van Winkle? / What is a glowstick? / Who is (Professor Abraham) Van Helsing?

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Final Jeopardy Round

Q: The stage of sleep where dreaming occurs. A. REM or rapid-eye movement

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1. Insomniac Café

Teach teens to make a variety of midnight snacks. I’ve included several ideas below, but you can make any snack food.

Costs = see individual recipes for approximate costs.

Homemade Hot Chocolate = $15

3 c. powdered sugar
1 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 c. coffee creamer
1 tsp. salt
5 1/3 c. nonfat dry milk

­Mix all ingredients together. To make a cup, add 1/3 c. to hot water or cold milk.

Chewy Caramel Popcorn Balls = $10

1/2 (14 oz.) pkg. vanilla caramels

1 tbsp. Water

2 tsp. Butter

7 c. popped popcorn

Butter

­Combine caramels, water, and 2 teaspoons butter into a 4-cup liquid measuring cup.

­Microwave uncovered on 100% power (high) for 1 1/2 minutes.

­Use a rubber scraper to stir until smooth. If caramels aren't soft enough to stir smooth, microwave for 30 to 60 seconds more.

­Put the popcorn into a large microwave-safe mixing bowl.

­Pour the melted caramel mixture over the popcorn. Use 2 rubber scrapers to toss gently until popcorn is coated with caramel.

Cheesy Ranch Chex Mix = $15-20

9 cups Chex or other grain cereal