How to Make a Treasure Hunt

Treasure hunts are a fun party game, especially when played with a large group. Pair readers with non-readers, and make clues that are just challenging enough to be fun. Treasure hunts can stretch all over the neighborhood or be limited to the house and backyard. No pirate-themed party would be complete without a treasure hunt, complete with message-in-a-bottle clues.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic soda bottles Brown sun catcher paint Adding machine paper Black marker Black electrical tape Treasure box filled with small toy prizes

Instructions

1. Paint plastic soda bottles with brown sun catcher paint. Allow to dry overnight. Create clues for your treasure hunt by wrapping adding machine paper around plastic soda bottles. Write the clue, then unwrap the paper. Roll it back up and insert into the soda bottle. Writing clues by wrapping them around a long, round object is an ancient way to keep a message secret. Such a message is known as a scytale.

2. Make teams composed of readers and non-readers to keep the game fair. Have two or three groups looking for clues at a time.

3. After a team has wrapped the clue around the bottle and solved the riddle, have them re-roll the clue and put it back in the bottle for the next team.

4. 

   The first group to find the treasure gets first pick from the treasure chest. Be sure to include enough prizes for all players. Award an additional prize to each member of the winning team.

5. Remember to collect all clues when the game is finished, especially if the treasure hunt is held outside.

Resources

• Scytales and cryptography
• Treasure hunt clue ideas
• Pirate theme party ideas