Since 1999, Watson Adventures has been offering the ultimate team building experience: scavenger hunts. For 20 years, Watson Adventures’ scavenger hunts, written by professional writers and humorists, have been bringing teams of all kinds together in a culturally and intellectually meaningful way.
“We write questions and challenges that engage people and have just the right amount of difficulty to get teams talking and working together. And the payoff is a fascinating discovery or a good laugh,” says Julie Jacobs, Watson Adventures chief development officer.
Jacobs says their goal is to engage “even the grumps in your group who have no interest in the games.” By the end, they will be lit up with delight because they’ve discovered amazing things and had a good laugh with teammates, she adds.
With years of experience, the Watson Adventures team knows how to engage large groups in a scavenger hunt. “We come up with routes for each team to ensure that people aren’t on top of each other, which can get frustating,” Jacobs says.
All scavenger hunts are done on foot, and cars are not allowed. Since they are not races, the scavenger hunts focus more on testing teamwork rather than athleticism. Most events last around two hours, and the Watson Adventures’ “Hunt Host” is on-site to facilitate. “On teams, your group will explore a great neighborhood or museum while tackling humorous questions or take on a trivia game or murder mystery in your own office,” Jacobs says.
Each scavenger hunt can be themed to suit your group or event. Scavenger hunt themes include: murder mystery, munch (featuring snacks along the way), movie and TV locations, global diversity, charity/gratitude, Halloween and haunted, Jewish, pop culture (“Sherlock Holmes,” “Sex and the City,” “Harry Potter,” etc.), holiday, city (Chicago, Boston, New Orleans, etc.), and bridal.
Jacobs says teams are typically on the smaller side, which is helpful because teams must reach a consensus before taking action and stick together to collaborate and form a winning strategy.
“Your entire group is guaranteed to finish the activity with new knowledge and a sense of accomplishment. No specific athletic skills are needed, which helps create an even playing field among hunters of all ages and abilities,” Jacobs says.
When you book a private group hunt, you get to pick the location, date and time, which guarantees that you will have the hunt all to yourselves, Jacobs adds. “The hunts are witty, entertaining and easy on your budget. And an added bonus: studies show that companies that have fun make more money!”
