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Event Gamification 3 min read
How Do I Run a QR Code Scavenger Hunt at an Event?
StampRise Team
· Updated
Run a QR code scavenger hunt by choosing a goal, creating station activities and connecting them through a participant Passport. Decide whether people can explore freely or must follow a clue-based sequence. Print clear signs, test the route and explain completion and reward rules before participants begin.
An open activity trail lets participants explore in a flexible order. A sequential treasure hunt uses clues and prerequisites to guide progress. Choose the simpler format unless the sequence itself adds value. Avoid designing a long chain that creates a queue at the first stop.
Walk the venue with the organiser or venue team. Avoid restricted areas, emergency routes and places that encourage unsafe rushing. Put QR signs at reachable heights and account for participants who need assistance. Obtain permission for every location rather than placing codes wherever a clue happens to fit.
Estimate activity, walking and waiting time together. Keep a support contact visible. A public QR code can be photographed or shared, so do not represent a scan as conclusive proof of location.
In StampRise's treasure hunt model, the starting clue leads to the first station. Each station holds the outgoing clue revealed after its activity is completed, leading to the next stop. Do not put the clue for finding Station 2 on Station 2; it belongs at the preceding completed station.
For an illustrative three-stop route, the starting clue points to the library stand. Completing the library activity reveals the clue to the careers stand. Completing careers reveals the clue to the laboratory activity. Label this as your planned route, not a verified customer example.
Use supported station activities that serve the goal, such as a relevant question or staff-assisted interaction. Configure the intended prerequisites and review the chain for unreachable stations or loops. Do not rely solely on a validation warning to establish that the route makes sense.
Set reward conditions that match the route. Explain the deadline and whether completion earns a guaranteed reward or only draw entry. Team, assigned-station and treasure-hunt formats have different constraints; verify compatibility before designing a combined game.
Start with the entry flow, follow the starting clue and complete every required action. Check what appears before and after completion. Revisit an earlier station and test an incomplete answer. Future outgoing clues should not be exposed before the relevant activity is completed.
Test the printed QR size, lighting and network coverage. Browser-based access does not imply offline recording. Practise the assistance and unavailable-station procedure rather than improvising it during the hunt.
Explain which actions earn credit, who can help and how rewards are collected. Watch for queues and confusing instructions. After the event, review activity completion and participant feedback. High completion does not alone prove that the route was enjoyable, accessible or educational.
Use the Passport creation guide for setup and the event gamification overview to compare a hunt with simpler formats.
Where does the clue for the next station belong?
On the station whose completion reveals it. The clue leading to the first station is configured separately.
Should everyone start a sequential hunt at once?
Consider queue capacity first. A sequential start can become a bottleneck; use a suitable schedule or a different format when necessary.
Can QR codes verify physical location?
A public code alone cannot. Links can be shared. Choose supported verification appropriate to the stakes and explain its limitations.
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