1.      Make a list of things that the children have to find in order to claim a bigger prize. This can keep children busy for hours, as things can be hidden literally anywhere. This is a great way to split children up into pairs or groups, rather than having a hunt as a whole group. This creates some competition to see who can complete the treasure hunt first.

2.      Make a treasure map for the children to follow. The map should be somewhat vague to make the hunt last quite some time. Remember, x marks the spot! And the spot should include some type of big prize or surprise. You could make a treasure map for a child to find their birthday presents, or you could make a map to get them through the neighborhood to their party.

3.      Leave clues throughout the house, yard or other location. Each clue should lead to the next. Eventually, the clues should all add up and lead to the main prize. If you want to, you could include smaller prizes at each clue stop so that the children have a great amount of toys by the time they are done.

There are many more ideas for a treasure hunt, or you could create variations on these three top ideas. Just remember to make it fun, and make it last. Whatever way you choose to do your treasure hunt, you are sure to create a great activity that your children will remember for years to come.

Steps:

1.      Plan your treasure hunt accordingly. Decide what age group and gender will be appropriate for the treasure hunt. Also decide if the treasure hunt is for a birthday or just something to keep the kids entertained and active. This is also a great time to decide if this is for a birthday party, if you want the parents of the kids to provide help with the hunt but not to do the hunt for the kids.

2.      Decide your location. Choosing the right location(s) is everything in a treasure hunt. You can decide to start inside the home and let the kids work their way outside into the front or back yard. Another great location can be the neighborhood.

3.      Decide your trails and clues.  This is also important to the treasure hunt. Considering the age of the hunters, choose and plan clues and trails that will keep the attention of the hunters. You do not want your hunters to get bored or give up because it is too difficult to go on to the next clue. Make the clues fun and interactive such as having to use a highlight marker on invisible ink to reveal a riddle to the next clue.

4.      Choose and create the booty. Although you can buy candies, gift boxes, and treats to make the long waiting a rewarding treasure; but making it will give you the chance to personalize for each person, and really make the treasure one of a kind.

Riddle Treasure Hunts

A fun way to do treasure hunts is to use riddles from a Mother Goose Rhyme Book. Many parents used to and may still read books at bedtime that contain nursery rhymes. Because of this, using riddles for treasure hunts should be fun and easy. To do a riddle treasure hunt, try a piñata treasure hunt by color coding each child and hiding the colored clues in the piñata. You should have the adult in charge of the treasure hunt make up riddles and rhymes that provide clues to the location of the treasure or prize. Each child swings and hits the piñata until it breaks. Once the piñata breaks, each child then can scoop up their color coded clues, read the clues and then find their treasure prize in the second phase of the game.  Find a simple excerpt from the Mother Goose Book, write it down on a color coded piece of construction paper and hide these types of clues for each child underneath rocks, leaves and near trees if outside. If it is indoors, then hide them under chairs, couch cushions and in cookie jars. The piñata is the first part of the clues.  The other half is the second part to gain their final prize.

Kids are sure to have fun with this idea. You can have all of them dress up as pirates by using things you probably have around the house (i.e. bandanas, black eyeliner for drawing facial hair, scarves, belts, costume jewelry). If you go to a party supply store you can probably find a few things that are fairly inexpensive, like eye patches.

The main part of this party is, of course, the treasure hunt! You can really have fun with this by coming up with different creative ways to set up the hunt.  One way of setting up the hunt is by using riddles for the clues. Children have to solve the riddles to progress to the next clue.

You can also use a map, or series of maps. Maps could be easier for younger children, as it is a more visual way of finding the clues. You can separate smaller maps that lead them to each location, even “hiding” them by taping them underneath furniture such as chairs or a coffee table.

Using different colored string or yarn is a different way of treasure hunting. Choose a different color for each team, and assign a lead person from every group. Tie the string at a starting point and “thread” it throughout the house to lead to the final treasure. The lead person in each group can be instructed on how to wrap the string around their hand to prevent a mess!

Some fun ideas include:

• Use plastic eggs, so at the end you can put all the eggs in a piñata. The child who has the hit that breaks it open can win a special prize.

• Write different letters on each egg so the children can make words after they have collected all the eggs. The one that makes the most words wins a prize.

• If you have a large family with a large age range of children, try designating different colored eggs to specific age ranges so that the younger children have a fair chance at finding plenty of eggs.

• When using plastic eggs, besides filling them with candy put different coupons in some of them as well. Ideas for the coupons could include:

-       Going for ice cream with Mom or Dad

-       Extra time doing an activity they enjoy (something that is usually a privilege or limited)

-       Having one exemption of a chore of their choice

-       Getting to pick a movie on movie night

-       Extra one on one time with Mom or Dad

Other Tips:

When planning the hunt, remember to record how many eggs you have hidden to make sure all the eggs are found, especially if you are using real eggs! A map helps with this as well. Set clear boundaries in your yard, etc. so that the hunt remains safe at all times. Above all, remember to keep it simple so Mom and Dad can have fun too!

1)      The younger the children doing the treasure hunt means shorter periods of time to finding the price should be created.

2)      Younger children will require the help of the parent or sibling to be able to effectively participate in the treasure hunt.

3)      Younger children will require more numerous and easier clues to help them find their way to the hidden treasure.

4)      Older children will be more thrilled with harder treasure hunt clues and longer periods of time to find the hidden treasure.

Length of time the treasure hunt will last is important.  Another important element of a successful treasure hunt is the quality can quantity of the clues.

If parents can find good solid sample treasure hunt clues it will help them provide the tools for their children to enjoy the treasure hunt to the greatest extent.  Hiding the treasure is really the easy part.  Clue and hint creation is much more difficult.

Going online to find good sample treasure hunt clues is the smartest and quickest action parents can take in finding good clues to create.  Sample treasure hunt clues are often divided by age group, difficulty, and trickery.  It is, also, good to get suggestions with how many clues you will need to aid in any given treasure hunt.  The more extensive the treasure hunt becomes will require a larger number of clues.

Seek out sample treasure hunt clues that have been tested and known to work.  The children will be less frustrated and you, the parent, will be much happier. To see a lot of satisfied parents, check out the Riddle Me testimonials here.