For over a century, Lakewood Public Library has served the community in many ways. With youth and adult activities, accessible study areas and, of course, its vast amount of books. The library has always been a staple in the Lakewood community. But over the last ten years, the library has begun to offer a new activity: scavenger hunts.
The goal of the scavenger hunts is to offer children a new and fun way to learn. Children of all ages are encouraged to participate. Another benefit of these scavenger hunts is how easily accessible they are. They are offered all day for months at a time in the Children’s Section of the library. This allows families to visit when it is most convenient for them. No need to sign up ahead of time — just walk up to the children’s desk and ask for an activity sheet.
The scavenger hunts are created by Marge Foley, the assistant supervisor of children’s and youth services at Lakewood Public Library. For the current hunt, she decided to take the theme “Learn About Japan.”
“I just try to find, you know, little bits of information — capital city, national flower, most popular sport. I pick something that’s just general and little things that would be easy for kids to remember, but also give them a little bit of an idea about Japan,” said Foley.
In the ten plus years of scavenger hunts, the library has offered a range of themes, including dinosaurs, animals and other countries. Upcoming themes include “Go Green” and “Happy Birthday, United States”.
“My favorite clue was probably the one on the flag, because I feel like their flag is very unique since it’s so simple and not like the US flag,” said a young participant, Alivia Robinson. “I would recommend it to my friends because we could go together, and that would be fun, and then maybe we could hang out at the library later,” she added.
The kids who participate in the scavenger hunts also have the chance to win a prize. Once they finish the hunt, they turn in their answer sheet, and a few days after the scavenger hunt ends, a few winners are selected. Winners get to pick a book that they can keep. Not only will some leave with a prize, but all will leave having learned something new — without even having to read a book.
“I think it’s good to know about other cultures, and it has them wandering around the library, and then they come across books that might look interesting, and they might want to check them out. My daughter really enjoyed it. It was eye-opening to her, and now she found a new interest,” said Robinson’s mother, Amanda Robinson.
Another benefit of the scavenger hunts is that they are passive activities, meaning children can work independently and develop individuality. There’s no set curriculum, which encourages creative and free thinking, ultimately helping kids become more independent.
“They get a clipboard that’s got a piece of yarn and pencil tied onto it, and they love walking around with a clipboard … a lot of times we have to talk to them if it’s their first time and they have no idea what the scavenger hunt is … we get to interact with them … We want children to come to us and ask for help—whether it’s about finding a book or anything else. We want to develop a friendly relationship with them,”
In the end, Lakewood Public Library’s scavenger hunts go beyond just a fun activity—they create an engaging and memorable way for children to learn about the world around them. By combining education with exploration, the library continues to foster curiosity, independence, and a love of learning within the community. Whether kids come for the challenge, the prizes, or simply the experience, they leave with something valuable that lasts far beyond their visit.
