Treasure Hunt Ideas for a Kid's Party
When the presents are opened and the cake is served, kids wound up on excitement and sugar can be hard to entertain. Staging a treasure hunt provides organized fun that challenges children to use their problem-solving and cognitive-thinking skills as they decipher clues and answer riddles. While generic, yet entertaining hunts can be held in any backyard, the best treasure hunts take kids on an adventure that is tied to the theme of the party. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
-
Pirate's Booty
-
A treasure hunt fits in perfectly with a pirate party theme, whether inspired by the "Pirates of the Caribbean" film franchise, or the classics, such as "Peter Pan" or "Treasure Island." Before beginning the game, pass out pirate hats and eye patches for the kids to wear as they play. Place pieces of a treasure map for each team at various spots throughout the event location for teams to assemble. At each treasure map spot, provide a visual clue or riddle for the children to solve in order to learn the location of the next clue. Once the map is assembled, instruct children to follow the route on the map to the location of the treasure, which should be marked with an "X." Place goody bags in a miniature treasure chest and bury it in a sandbox for the guests to dig up with small shovels.
Build-a-Present
-
Small family gatherings at home don't have to miss out on the fun of larger celebrations -- a treasure hunt for one allows the guest-of-honor to enjoy a party game without the hassle of a big party with invited guests. The build-a-present treasure hunt prolongs the pleasure of the gift opening as the guest-of-honor gets to open packages at each stage of the hunt. Create a treasure hunt for which the guest-of-honor will follow a trail to pieces of their birthday present. Hide pieces of a larger present that must be assembled, such as a dollhouse or a racetrack, or conceal smaller sets of a toy that can be incorporated into the larger gift at the end of the hunt, such as a trail of action figures to use in a toy castle.
-
Costume Treasure Hunt
-
While many treasure hunts are all about the toys or candy the hunters receive at the end of the game, a mystery costume hunt lets the event itself take the place of prizes. On a costume treasure hunt, young guests solve riddles to find the location of the next stash of accessories that they must put on before attending the main event of the party itself. For example, a princess party would lead guests to different locations at which they would select tiaras, jewelry, scepters and gowns to wear. The costume treasure hunt ends when the guests are fully outfitted in their costume party attire and enter the event space.
Culture Expedition
-
While backyard treasure hunts can be a lot of fun, exploring a large, unfamiliar location adds extra excitement to a treasure hunt. Parties held at a local zoo or children's museum provide ample space for kids to explore while exposing them to cultural and educational information as they work through clues and riddles related to the space and exhibits. When staging a treasure hunt at a large venue, send an adult to supervise and advise each team. Station a person to pass out clues at each spot on the hunt to prevent paper clues from getting lost or taken by the general public. Make sure each adult participating in the treasure hunt is wearing an identifying pin or clothing item to prevent guests from accidentally talking to strangers.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/BananaStock/Getty Images
