TEA-riffic Teachers
A simple, yet effective staff appreciation activity.
Ongoing
Mini Hunt
A playful staff appreciation activity where teachers search the school for hidden pumpkins or leaves.
Alissa Christensen
A schoolwide scavenger hunt where staff search for 100 hidden mini pumpkins or leaves, each labeled with a grid coordinate, for a chance to win a prize. It's a playful staff appreciation activity that gets people moving through the building and talking about their finds.
Why try it
Bring a little extra fun to the school day with a seasonal scavenger hunt. As staff search the building for hidden pumpkins, leaves, or other fall surprises, they'll enjoy friendly conversations, shared laughter, and opportunities to connect with teammates they may not see every day. The simple prize system keeps everyone in the running while adding a little extra excitement along the way.
What's included
Browse the printables included with this resource.
Things you'll need
Mini pumpkin or leaf cutouts (100 per hunt)
Grid printable for the teacher's lounge
"Place found items here" container signs
A container or bin for returned items
Small prizes for the drawing and grand prize
Instructions
1
Choose your theme and hide the pieces
Pick the pumpkin or leaf version, then hide all 100 pieces around the school in visible spots, skipping drawers and cabinets. Label each one with a letter-number coordinate, like A1 or B2.
2
Set up the grid and container
Post the included grid printable and the "place found items here" container in the teacher's lounge so staff have somewhere to log finds and drop off what they collect.
3
Announce the hunt
Let staff know the hunt is on for the day and explain how to record a find: write their name on the matching grid coordinate, then return the piece to the container.
4
Draw prizes
At the end of the day, randomly draw a few coordinates from the grid for prizes, and award a grand prize to whoever found the most pieces.
Activity variations
Adapt to fit your school's vibe, budget, and setting.
Two-theme combo
Turn it into a week-long celebration by hosting two themed hunts. Start with pumpkins, then surprise staff with a leaf hunt later in the week for even more seasonal fun.
Grade-level teams
Create a friendly grade-level challenge by inviting teams to work together to find as many hidden pieces as they can. It's a fun way to build teamwork while adding a little extra excitement to the hunt.
Extend to a full week
Keep the excitement going by hiding a few new pieces each day instead of placing them all at once. It gives staff something fun to look forward to throughout the week.
Go deeper
Additional tips for running this resource.
Leader Tip #1
Ask students to help
Invite students to help keep the scavenger hunt going by leaving hidden pieces in place or telling a staff member when they find one. They’ll enjoy being part of the surprise, too!
Leader Tip #2
Spread pieces across the building
Hide pieces throughout the building so staff in every wing and on every floor can join in the fun and discover a few surprises along the way.
Leader Tip #3
Recount before drawing
Before the prize drawing, do a quick count of the returned pieces to make sure everything is ready to go. A quick double-check helps the drawing run smoothly.
Built by Educators, for School Leaders
This resource was created in collaboration with passionate educators and school leaders who believe in the power of intentional connection.
Alissa Christensen
Head of Customer Success
Loading...
Similar resources
