Long Island beach scavenger hunt: How to try your own
Leela, 5, hunts for shells on the beach during a scavenger hunt with her family in Glen Cove. Credit: Howard Simmons
School has resumed, but the summer fun doesn't have to end. As extracurriculars move back into their schedules, squeeze in some family time that doesn't have to break the bank.
Scavenger hunts get kids moving, whether it be around their neighborhood, local parks and beaches or museums. "Scavenger hunts help kids slow down and take a closer look at what’s around them," says Laura Lynch, education director at Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn, who cocreates scavenger hunts in the museum's galleries and surrounding sculpture garden to keep them engaged during visits. "During a hunt, use your senses — what do you see, hear and smell? Ask imaginative questions, too," she advises.
Leela, 5, and Mira Sarin, 3, participate in a beach hunt with their mom, Puja Sarin, in Glen Cove. Credit: Howard Simmons
Puja Sarin, of Glen Cove, who recently took her family to the beach for a scavenger hunt adventure says her daughters, Leela, 5, and Mira, 3, "loved setting out on the scavenger hunt searching for hidden treasures in the sand.”
For families just getting started, hunts can take you just about anywhere. Mike Malkush, 72, a retired technology teacher in the Jericho School District, used to create hunts in his backyard for his children. After retiring, he was inspired to expand his hunt-making skills while participating in a full-day charity scavenger hunt during the pandemic and trying out a hunt app he noticed during a visit to California.
Putting it all together and adding his own spin, Malkush, his son Chris, 44, and grandsons, Tyler and Jacob, both 15, developed four extensive scavenger hunts on the North Fork that include a bit of history about each location. "We have brainstormed as a family to come up with ideas and activities that highlight the charm of the area," says Malkush. The clues are planted across 20 North Fork vineyards, in haunted locations near Jamesport and at other locations. North Fork Scavenger Hunts, booked online at northforkscavengerhunts.com, take about 2½ hours to complete. Clue guides are $29.99 per group.
To get started, Malkush created a free hunt that'll work on any Long Island beach. Be sure to bring your phone. "Technology brings a scavenger hunt to life," Malkush says. "I’ve noticed kids like to use their phones to take photos of what they find or take videos and selfies. That’s what makes it fun, and you have memories right on your phone when you’re done."
This beach scavenger hunt has two parts. The first part takes place in the area surrounding Robert Moses State Park in Babylon, parking Field 5 ($10 parking fee). The second takes place on the beach itself, and it will work on any beach on Long Island. Head to your favorite spot and carry a pail for the items you’ll collect.
Brothers Tyler and Jacob Malkush, 15, watch as their father, Chris Malkush, 44, and grandfather Mike Malkush, 72, build a sandcastle during a beach scavenger hunt. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
MINI BEACH SCAVENGER HUNT PART 1
Begin in Robert Moses State Park, parking Field 5. In the surrounding area, follow these rhyming clues and see where they take you.
Clue 1: In this playground, everyone glides. There are five of us. We are the ... (Answer: slides. Take a video of the youngest person in your group as they head down a slide.)
Clue 2: Look through me and views are immense. You’ll see far away for 25 cents. (Answer: beach telescope. Take a photo beside it.)
Clue 3: I can blink, but don’t have an eye. I warn sailors of rocks and land nearby. (Answer: Fire Island Lighthouse. Take a photo near the tower.)
Clue 4: I can be a scary sight. I have a pole and I’m black and white. (Answer: pirate flag.)
Clue 5: We are pink; since we’re plastic, we don’t think. (Answer: flamingos.)
PART 2: CONTINUE ON ANY BEACH
Tyler and Jacob Malkush, both 15, search for seashells at Peconic Bay Beach. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
Clue 1: I come and go; I never stay. I’ll reach the shore, then fade away. (Answer: a wave. Take a video of someone waving to a wave.)
Clue 2: We can fly, but we don’t quack. With our beaks, we’ll eat your snack. (Answer: seagulls. Take video of a seagull, or someone running after seagulls flying away.)
Clue 3: To rescue a swimmer, lifeguards are there. Take a photo beside their tall ... (Answer: chair. Ask the tallest person in your group to pose beside the lifeguard stand.)
Clue 4: Collect your favorite clump of seaweed. Do something funny with it, take a video.
Clue 5: Collect five stones and three shells of different colors and shapes.
Clue 6: Build a sandcastle. When you’re through, use everything you’ve collected to decorate it. Take a photo.
