Lets have some fun and make our own odyssey with this super fun Greek mythology The Odyssey themed scavenger hunt for kids of all ages! This fun The Odyssey and Greek mythology inspired scavenger hunt is great for curious kids, kids who love Greek mythology, and kids who love to go outside! This scavenger hunt activity is great for birthday parties, sleepovers, any special event, or just for fun! You can easily create this fun scavenger hunt with some note cards, a little creativity, and things you can find around your house!
Fun The odyssey scavenger hunt for kids
The Odyssey is the legendary tale of the Greek hero Odysseus. The myth tells of Odysseus’s efforts to get back home to Ithaca after the Trojan war. A summary of The Odyssey will be included at the end of this article as well as a video summary of the story of Troy!
Lets make our own Odyssey with this super fun scavenger hunt!
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Supplies to make your own scavenger hunt
- Note cards or small pieces of paper
- pen or pencil
- A bag, bucket, or basket to carry items in
- Optional: markers, colored pencils, or crayons to decorate the note cards with.
- An indoor or outdoor area. Either will work, but for the most fun do this activity outside!
- Optional: an item for all or some of the stops on the Odyssey (example: for the Isle of the Lotus Eaters you could do a fake flower, a toy sword for the Cicones, or for the Sirens you could do a toy bird or something music related!)
How to make your own scavenger hunt
Step 1
Gather all your supplies to write hints together. If you do not have notecards; you can take any type of paper, fold it four ways, and cut along the folds to make four notecard sized pieces of paper. Repeat this for however many notecards you’ll need.
Step 2
Visualize the area you want to have your scavenger hunt. Is this your yard, the nearby park, or part of the street you live on? Think of potential hiding spots and keep those in mind for when you write your hints.
Step 3
Create and write hints specific to where you live. Make sure they follow each step of the Odyssey, which will be gone over at the end of the article (I have also included links to my sources, one of which is a simple map and list of each stop on the Odyssey).
For example you could write: “From Troy you set sail, take a break on this ground of play. Here you will find me, the last clue from the Cicones.”
Step 4
Make sure you set aside the very first clue that will send your kids to the Cicones. You will give this to them at the start of the scavenger hunt. Hide your clues and objects in the places you chose earlier.
Step 5
After all the clues are hidden and all the kids are ready, give them their first clue. This clue will lead them to the Cicones.
Step 6
Watch your kids run around and have fun trying to find all the clues. You can provide help if needed!
Step 7
Once everyone’s come back, congratulate the kids on how well they did. If any items were not found, take the time to go collect them!
Finished the Odyssey scavenger hunt
Did you have fun on your scavenger hunt? Let us know in the comments!
Tips to make your own odyssey scavenger huntS
- If you want to make the scavenger hunt more fun and immersive, you can tell your kids that the Greek Gods have sent them on this journey! Feel free to get as theatrical as you want with it!
- Invite all the guests and participants to dress up in their best Ancient Greek inspired costumes! Here are a few of our articles to get some ideas:
- Use some extra accessories, like fake flowers for the Lotus Eaters or a toy doll for Calypso, to make the scavenger hunt more engaging!
- If you have older kids, don’t be afraid to think out of the box for some more challenging hiding spots!
- You can decorate your note cards will fun patterns and designs related to each stop on the Odyssey!
From Troy to Ithaca; The Odyssey
Odysseus was one of the great heroes from the Iliad, which was the epic myth that told the of the legendary war between the Greeks and Trojans, and the legendary king of the island Ithaca. In the Iliad Odysseus fought with the Greeks against the Trojans. Want to know the story of the Trojan War? Check out the video at the end of this article!
Odysseus was known for his long and perilous journey across the sea where he encountered many gods and monsters! Let’s look at all the stops Odysseus made on his way home to Ithaca after the Trojan war. What challenges and perils will Odysseus face?
The Cicones
After the Greeks had won the war against Troy, everyone prepared to go back home. Odysseus and his crew had loaded their twelve ships full of the loot they won during the lore and began to set out to sea.
As Odysseus and his crew were sailing away from Troy, they realized they were low on supplies! Odysseus, seeing that they were close to the town of the Cicones, decided that they would raid the town for supplies.
During the raid Odysseus ran into Maron, the towns priest of Apollo. Odysseus promised not to harm Maron if he gave him something of value, so Maron gave him a bottle of wine that never ran out. Odysseus thanked Maron and set back out to sea with his crew.
For roughly three days, Odysseus and his ships had smooth sailing, but as they reached the southern tip of Greece a huge storm began! The storm was so fierce that the entire fleet was blown off course.
Lotus Eaters
Finally, the storm subsided. Odysseus and his men found themselves in the land of the Lotus Eaters. The Lotus Eaters were no threat to the crew, they offered the men food, drink, and hospitality. Many of the men accepted, but Odysseus had heard of the Lotus Eaters and urged his men to not stay too long.
The lotuses that the Lotus Eaters ate were known for making people slip into a dream-like trance where all worries were forgotten, and Odysseus did not want his men to forget the purpose of their voyage. However, some of his men had eaten the lotuses!
Odysseus and his men who had not eaten the lotuses had to drag the rest of the crew back to their ships. Once everyone was on board and no longer under the influence of the lotuses, the crew set back out to sea.
The Odyssey Continued
Want to see what happens next on The Odyssey? Watch this fun and educational video by The Life Guide! Some of the topics covered and images may be upsetting or not suitable for younger children, so parental discretion is advised!
The Trojan War video
Here is a fun and education video summary of the Trojan War, the conflict that happens before The Odyssey, by The History Channel.
Want to learn more?
Want to learn more about Odysseus and the Odyssey? Here is a list of some of the websites I used to make this post!
Here is the link to book I used as well!
Here re guides I used on how to make your own scavenger hunt!
MORE FUN HISTORY CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES FROM KIDS ACTIVITIES BLOG
Sources
Buxton, Richard. Greek Myths & Tales: Anthology of Classic Tales. London, United Kingdom: Flame Tree Publishing, 2018.
John Thorburn, “The Odyssey,” WLLC 3700 Section 001: Classical Mythology (class lecture, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, Spring 2024).
“Maron.” MARON – Silen of Greek Mythology. Accessed April 10, 2024. https://www.theoi.com/Georgikos/SeilenosMaron.html.
Struck, Peter T. “Map of Odysseus’ Journey .” Greek & Roman mythology – homer. Accessed April 10, 2024. https://www2.classics.upenn.edu/myth/php/homer/index.php?page=odymap.
The Life Guide. “The Odyssey Explained in 25 Minutes | Best Greek Mythology Documentary.” YouTube, April 30, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuGeoq_uVts.