What fun to go on a treasure hunt! Pretend you are looking for a lost pirate treasure chest. This hunt will keep you on a busy adventure for a whole summer day. It is great fun for a birthday party or any kids’ get-together.
Treasure Hint Materials
- If you live where you are allowed to dig holes—a couple of shovels hand shovels or gardener’s shovels will work.
- Plastic containers with lids to hide treats in and clues in.
- Candy or gum for treats. Bubble gum or chocolate coins in foil are especially fun.
- Small toys, comic books, balloons, or any small goodies.
- Paper and pencils for clues.
- A compass
- Four or more kids.
Team Up
If you have enough people divide into teams. Each team should choose a leader who can read and be fair. You can do this hunt with only two or three kids if you try. But it is even more fun with more kids.
Hide the Treasure
The first team should fill the treasure box and bury it or hide it above ground out of sight. Mark the spot with stones or some natural item that will not draw suspicion. Each team should have a different treasure and not let the other team members see it or know what is in it.
Write and Hide the Clues
Next, write the clues on slips of paper. Also, write them on a separate sheet for the treasure hiding team in case of a mix-up. The first clue should be held by the team leader.
Clue #1 should tell treasure hunters how to find clue #2. Clue #2 will tell how to find clue #3. Clue #3 tells where to find clue #4 and so on until the last clue tells how to find the treasure itself. It is easier to start with the treasure and write the clues backwards so that that they lead to the treasure. Clues can be riddles or simple directions. Remember to make them hard enough—deciphering them is a large part of the fun.
Use landmarks for clues, such as the front door, the mailbox or a large tree, the swing set, the sandbox, the back gate, the east pole that holds up the clothesline, etc. Then add number of steps to north, south, east, or west. Remember that is fun to dig up the treasure, but the clues need not be buried—just well hidden. They can be hidden in small plastic containers, sandwich bags, envelopes, or even plastic Easter egg shells.
Hide the clues in the right spots and check your list to see that they are in the right order.
The Hunt
The leader of the first team should present clue#1 to the leader of the second team. Their leader should read the clue out loud and then when the group has a guess at the location, yell “Go!”
Say the first clue says something like this. “Start at the mailbox facing west. Cross the porch and go to the backyard. Look for the bush with red flowers. Look under the bucket on the north side of the bush for clue #2.”
The treasure hunters will all run around back and to the red bush and behind it they will find a bucket with an envelope marked Clue #2.
The leader reads Clue#2 and it says where to look for Clue #3. These all lead to the treasure which has to be dug up and shared. After a rest the group can hide the second treasure and team one begin looking for that treasure. Both treasures should be shared among both teams to make the treasure more fun for all.
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