Scavenger hunting, which originally evolved from folk games, became especially popular in the U.S. during the 1930s, and regular events are still held today, notably at schools like the University of Chicago. One of the reasons for their continued popularity is the fact that, unlike a treasure hunt, most things you’ll look for in a scavenger hunt are not valuable at all — in fact, they may well be completely useless, but the random nature of the searched-for items is all part of the fun. Some versions are rather like the old-fashioned I Spy game, with participants taking photos of what they “spy” in order to win, and other versions require a sophisticated level of strategic thinking. Whatever style appeals to you, celebrate National Scavenger Hunt Day on May 24 by either participating in a hunt, or planning one of your own!