How to Create a Library Scavenger Hunt on Tablets

A library scavenger hunt is one of the simplest ways to make learning more interactive. It turns exploration into play and helps visitors discover library spaces and resources in a new way. With just a few free tools and a tablet, you can create scavenger hunts that invite curiosity and spark engagement for all ages.

What You Need to Prepare a Digital Scavenger Hunt

Before you create a scavenger hunt, gather these items:

• A Google Form to collect answers and track progress.
• Tablets for participants to use during the game.
• A printer and paper for printing codes or signs.
• A set of themed questions, such as “Find the book with a ghost on the cover” for Halloween, or “Which section contains Finnish history?” for a local theme. Normally, 5 to 7 questions would be enough for a 1-hour hunt.

How to Set Up a Digital Scavenger Hunt on Tablets Manually

1. Choose a theme

Decide what your library scavenger hunt will focus on: collections, local history, sustainability, or even a holiday event. Themes make the experience more cohesive and memorable.

2. Create your questions

Open Google Forms and click “Blank Form.” Start by giving your scavenger hunt a name and a short description, for example, “Autumn Adventure in the Library.”

Add your first question, this could be a clue that sends participants to a location or object in the library. For example: “Find a book with a pumpkin on the cover in the horror section. What is the author’s surname?”

• Select ‘Short answer’ as the question type.
• Click the three dots (⋮) in the corner and choose ‘Response validation’.
• Under “Text,” select “Contains” and type the correct answer (for example, “Smith”).
• Add an error message like “Try again. Look carefully at the display!”

This way, the participant can’t move forward unless they type the correct answer.

Tip: Write answers in lowercase and note this in the form to avoid errors with capital letters.

To guide players to the next clue:

• Toggle ‘Required’ under the question.
• Add a new section in the form for each clue or question.
• Once the correct answer is given, link it to the next section. Incorrect answers can loop back to the same question until it’s solved.

You can also upload images or icons with each clue (such as a map corner, shelf sign, or local history photo) by clicking the image icon to make your digital scavenger hunt more visual.

3. Generate QR codes (optional)

To make your library scavenger hunt more engaging and to help visitors learn digital skills along the way, turn your clues into QR codes!

Copy some of the answers and paste them into a QR code generator, then print the generated QR code. Add a short note under each question in the Google Form to guide players. For example: “To find this answer, look for the QR code and scan it using the tablet’s QR scanner.”

It’s a simple way to mix exploration, learning, and technology in one fun activity.

4. Print your codes, clue tags and signs

Besides the QR code, you can make signs or clue tags that give a short hint, e.g., a pumpkin sign on the book. Print and place them around the library where participants can find clues: on bookshelves, in reading corners, near exhibits or hide them in a book.

Tip: A random ‘fake’ clue tag can also be used to bring up the difficulty of your library scavenger hunt.

5. Prepare the tablets

When your Google Form is complete, click the purple “Send” button at the top right of the form editor. Then choose the link icon (the chain symbol) and copy the web address shown. That’s your scavenger hunt link.

On each tablet:

• Open the browser and paste the link into the address bar to load your form.
• Tap the browser menu and select “Add to Home screen” so players can easily open it.
• Check that the Wi-Fi connection works and the form loads quickly.
• If the tablet doesn’t have a built-in QR scanner, install a free app like QR Code Reader or ensure the camera’s QR function is enabled.

Now every device is ready for participants to start the digital scavenger hunt right away.

6. Test your hunt

Do a quick run-through yourself. Make sure all links, questions, and codes work. Adjust any unclear clues or misplaced codes before participants start.

7. Launch and play

You can run your library scavenger hunt as part of a special event or simply offer it to children and visitors who want to explore the library in a fun way.

If you’re hosting an event, add an extra question at the start asking for the team’s name. This lets you track progress and view results directly in Google Forms. For a simpler version, let participants play through the clues; the first team to finish (and answer all questions correctly) wins!

Each of these steps helps you create a scavenger hunt that’s easy to manage, enjoyable, and rewarding for library visitors.

Drawbacks and a Smarter Option

Setting up a library scavenger hunt manually takes time. There are tablet apps that can help with the questions, but many require paid subscriptions or limit how much you can customise them.

Even then, staff still need to load the same form or app on several tablets and often reserve certain devices just for the hunt. Switching them back for normal use means reconfiguring settings again and again.

Hublet Solution makes this process simple. It includes a ready-made scavenger hunt profile template, so setup takes just minutes. With different profiles, the same tablets can be used for both everyday access and special activities without any reconfiguration.

When staff update the scavenger hunt questions, a single click in Hublet Manager sends the new version to every tablet. Players only need one code to borrow a device and start their hunt. It saves staff time, cuts setup work, and keeps the experience consistent for everyone.

Read: How Lahti City Library gamified learning with Hublet Tablets

Creating a digital scavenger hunt is a great way to make libraries more engaging and interactive. When digital engagement feels easy, more people join in. That’s how libraries stay inclusive, creative, and connected to their communities.