My strategy for collectibles is slightly different. I focus the game on one spot on the map and I keep it there. I move the game to the edge of my screen so it doesn't take up all the space (the entire left side is hidden beyond the edge of the screen), and then I surf the web or do other things. I usually see the collectibles appear out of the corner of my eyes, and then I switch to the game and get a kid to get the item.

This works especially well for those collectibles that only appear in one place, like the turtle shell, coral, and tablet in VV3, or the bugs and rocks in VV2. I finished my tablet and turtle shell collections in two tribes using this method.

It's also a very good idea to get a mod that makes the collectibles stand out. Make them stand out like sore thumbs! The corals, especially, are very easy to miss.