Internet Trends Scavenger Hunt Tasks - 24 August 2026
From group chats to trending tabs, this week's online world has given us plenty to work with. Think Find a shop display using a tall red-and-white striped hat (or ‘Cat in the Hat’ style stripes) as a playful prop and snap it, Create a 10-second ‘Cat in the Hat’ fake-out clip in real life: film a striped object ‘peeking’ from behind a doorframe, then reveal it’s something harmless (like a scarf), and more. We have turned 34 of the biggest digital moments into real-world scavenger hunt challenges.
Each task is tied to a real story, trend, or cultural moment from this week. Grab your phone, head outside, and see how many you can tick off.
This Week's Tasks
1. Find a shop display using a tall red-and-white striped hat (or ‘Cat in the Hat’ style stripes) as a playful prop and snap it.
* Following the viral TikTok ‘Cat in the Hat’ trend spilling into real-world visuals and fancy-dress-style props.
2. Create a 10-second ‘Cat in the Hat’ fake-out clip in real life: film a striped object ‘peeking’ from behind a doorframe, then reveal it’s something harmless (like a scarf).
* Inspired by the week’s ‘Cat in the Hat’ TikTok fake videos—kept friendly and clearly harmless.
3. Spot a ‘TikTok made me buy it’ shelf label (or equivalent) in a UK beauty aisle and record the exact wording.
* After UK beauty brands shared how they chase virality—retailers often mirror this with TikTok-style shelf talkers.
4. Browse a high-street beauty shop and identify one endcap that’s clearly arranged for ‘viral’ discovery (tester front-and-centre, ‘trending’ callout, or ‘best on TikTok’ sign).
* Tied to this week’s discussion of how TikTok beauty brands engineer ‘go viral’ moments that show up in-store.
5. Locate a café or shop playing ‘Nothing Beats’ by Jess Glynne and capture a short audio clip (no faces).
* After BBC reported ‘Nothing Beats’ by Jess Glynne as TikTok’s UK song of the year—expect it in public playlists.
6. Visit a music shop or supermarket media aisle and find a ‘TikTok hits’ or ‘viral songs’ compilation/playlist advert (printed card, in-store screen, or shelf signage).
* Following TikTok UK’s ‘Year in Music’ reporting and mainstream coverage of TikTok-driven chart listening.
7. Track down a ‘book warehouse’ or ‘clearance books’ sign near a discount book section and count how many ‘under £X’ price stickers you can see in one photo.
* Prompted by coverage of the viral 66 Books warehouse bargain-haul style shopping.
8. Go into a charity shop and find a ‘Book bundle’ deal (e.g., ‘3 for £1’)—photograph the deal sign.
* A real-world version of this week’s viral book-bargain warehouse story—discount book hunting is the point.
9. Buy (or borrow) two different duvet covers/pillowcases and make a ‘Scandinavian sleep method’ bed split down the middle—snap the finished setup.
* Following Marie Claire UK trying TikTok’s viral Scandinavian sleep method using separate duvets.
10. In a homeware shop, identify a display featuring two single duvets marketed for one bed (or ‘two duvets’ idea) and note the product name/label.
* A high-street, physically observable angle on the viral Scandinavian sleep method conversation this week.
11. Do a 10-minute ‘lymphatic walking’ loop: gentle pace, relaxed arms—then photograph your step counter or timer as proof.
* Following Yahoo News UK explaining the ‘lymphatic walking’ social media trend—easy to try in any UK park.
12. Seek out a park sign or waymarker and plan a ‘lymphatic walking’ route with at least 3 landmarks—photograph the map/marker and your chosen route notes.
* A real-world take on the week’s ‘lymphatic walking’ trend—turning it into an actual walk plan.
13. Find a pub chalkboard or café A-board that uses meme-style wording (e.g., ‘It is Wednesday my dudes’ vibe) and photograph the board.
* This week’s explainer on the ‘It Is Wednesday My Dudes’ meme highlights how meme catchphrases jump into everyday signage.
14. On a Wednesday this week, photograph a frog ornament/toy/graphic you spot in public (shop display, garden centre, gift shop) and caption it ‘Wednesday vibes’ in your submission.
* A kid-friendly real-world nod to the weekly frog meme catchphrase explained in the news this week.
15. Spot a ‘viral beauty spot’ warning notice (cliff/river/beauty viewpoint rules or ‘do not enter’ style sign) and photograph it without showing any risky behaviour.
* After reports warning tourists away from a viral UK beauty spot—many destinations post extra signage when social media crowds surge.
16. Visit a local viewpoint/beauty spot and count how many people are taking ‘influencer-style’ photos (posing, tripod, ring light). Record the number only.
* A real-world check on how viral beauty spots change behaviour in public places during this week’s discussion.
17. Find a shop or café that’s added a ‘no filming’ or ‘no photography’ notice near the counter and photograph the sign.
* As internet trends spill into real spaces, some venues respond with clear filming rules—part of this week’s broader TikTok trend coverage.
18. Spot a ‘family-friendly internet safety’ leaflet or sign in a library, community centre, or school noticeboard and photograph just the leaflet headline.
* With the Online Safety Act changes heavily discussed this week, public spaces often display safety guidance materials.
19. Find a ‘parental controls’ or ‘age rating’ sign on a games/DVD/gift card display in a supermarket and photograph the specific age number shown.
* Online safety rules becoming headline news this week puts age assurance and age ratings back into everyday conversation and signage.
20. Visit The Range and locate any in-store mention of its new website AI helper (e.g., on a QR code sign, customer service board, or staff notice). Photograph the mention if visible.
* Retail Week reported The Range launching a conversational AI agent—stores sometimes promote new digital help features on signage.
21. In any shop with self-checkouts, find a sign explaining how to get help (button, ‘assistant coming’, or QR help) and photograph it as an ‘IRL chatbot alternative’.
* A playful real-world mirror to this week’s retail AI-agent news—how shops already ‘converse’ with customers via systems and signage.
22. Spot an ‘AI’ themed product or sign in a bookshop’s technology section (e.g., ‘AI for beginners’) and photograph the cover/title only.
* AI tools and narratives are a major internet conversation this week, with multiple headlines about AI models and tools.
23. Find a café loyalty card that offers a ‘streak’ style reward (e.g., ‘buy 9 get 1 free’) and photograph the card—bonus if it uses ‘streak’ language.
* Streaks and ‘keep the run going’ mechanics are a core internet trend language, echoed in physical loyalty schemes this week as TikTok culture stays dominant.
24. Recreate the ‘boy dancing with Madness’ vibe: film a 5-second happy dance to a Madness song playing in public (or from your phone at low volume), showing only your feet.
* BBC covered a viral clip of a boy dancing with Madness—turn it into a family-friendly, public-space micro-moment.
25. Spot a record shop or bar sign that mentions Madness (band name visible) and photograph it.
* A real-world ‘spot it in the wild’ link to the week’s viral Madness dancing story.
26. Find a ‘meme’ greeting card in a card shop that uses internet-style phrasing (e.g., ‘adulting’, ‘mood’, ‘same’) and photograph the front cover text.
* Meme culture roundups this week highlight how meme language keeps crossing into physical products like greeting cards.
27. Locate a ‘meme’ or ‘viral’ themed gift item in a novelty shop (mug, tote, badge) and photograph the product label or slogan.
* This week’s meme roundups underscore how memes become physical merch you can buy on the high street.
28. Find a poster or notice in a community space that uses the word ‘viral’ in a non-medical way (e.g., ‘viral on TikTok’, ‘viral video’) and photograph it.
* This week’s reporting is full of ‘viral’ internet moments, and the wording often appears on flyers and class adverts.
29. Spot an in-store QR code that explicitly says ‘scan to watch’ or ‘scan for video’ and photograph it.
* As TikTok-style video discovery dominates this week’s internet trend coverage, QR-to-video prompts are increasingly common in shops.
30. Find a ‘creator’ or ‘influencer’ job/course advert on a noticeboard (e.g., ‘content creator wanted’) and photograph the headline line only.
* This week’s ‘how to go viral’ coverage reflects how creator culture is now mainstream enough to appear on public noticeboards.
31. Identify a supermarket snack that uses the word ‘crunch’ or ‘crunchy’ as the main selling point and photograph the front of the packet.
* TikTok food and product trends often hinge on sensory buzzwords; this week’s TikTok trend reporting keeps that language in focus in retail.
32. Spot a ‘limited edition’ label on any product that also looks designed for social sharing (bold colours, big slogan) and photograph the label.
* This week’s ‘go viral’ brand discussion highlights how packaging is designed to be shareable and time-limited.
33. Find a public sign that uses the phrase ‘online safety’ and photograph the phrase clearly.
* With the Online Safety Act becoming law and widely explained this week, ‘online safety’ messaging is especially prominent.
34. Spot a shop checkout or café counter with a tip jar/sign that uses internet slang (‘vibes’, ‘legend’, ‘main character’) and photograph it.
* Meme language roundups this week reflect how online slang keeps turning up in real-world signage and banter.
How to Play
These tasks are designed for BucketRace, the UK's favourite scavenger hunt platform. You can play solo or in teams, and each task is meant to be completed in the real world. Snap a photo as proof, share it with your group, and see who can complete the most.
New tasks are published every week based on what is actually happening in the UK, so no two weeks are ever the same. Follow us for next week's challenges.