For your littles, a challenging treasure hunt that is fun and rewarding can be an excellent activity for a babysitter, mom homeschooling, and a themed party. Use this list to move around the house, working in some back and forths, some activities, and keepsakes will make your time more memorable. I have jam-packed this list with affiliate links to make your planning quick and smart. So let’s get started.
If the weather is nice, use this Checkerboard as an outside stopping point. But first you need to collect some of the game pieces. You can use the checkerboard as the final point, where one kiddo has to wait for another and the winner of the game claims the prize. Or you can have the checkerboard in the middle of the hunt to slow that overachiever down. Now if this is a treasure hunt for one, you may be the lucky one that plays. Don’t despair if it doesn’t make sense to hide all the pieces, just leave the pieces on the blanket board to be used when the hunter gets there.
Out in the Open to start with these cool String backpacks. They will make an excellent starting point and a fun treasure at the start. Perfect size to collect clues and treasures. Add their name with these fancy iron-on custom letters or a patch to establish a theme for your hunt. Your kiddo can read their first clue and strap on their backpack for the journey. You may even want to add a game piece from the checker set so they will already have something in their bag.
MailBox inside the card addressed to them is a clue. Holly Heide has fun paper and cards. Fruit bowl paper can be paired with awesome knock-knock jokes.
“Knock, knock”, “who’s there?” “Banana”, “Banana who?” “Knock knock”, “who’s there?” “Banana”, “Banana who?”, “Knock knock”, “who’s there!?”, “Orange” “Orange who?” “Orange you glad I didn’t say banana?”
But there is Sushi-yum, Wheels with roller skates and skateboards, Hello Alien, and Island Time has a big tiki face card that you can hide up in a tree later in the treasure hunt.
Tree Branch, if you put the big checkerboard out back, eye spy a tree out the front door to hang a tree and a clue from a branch.
Pillowcase, “Dreaming of a treasure”. You may want to use some of those iron-on letters to decorate the pillowcase.
Raincoat The pockets make excellent holders. The coat is usually in the closet, which makes for a more challenging clue. A Checkerboard piece could be put in here with a clue. Easy to grab.
Ceiling. The same string you used to hang the clue in the tree could be used here. Depending on your theme, you can find a coveted monkey stuffy like this guy and his friends. And if this happens to be a birthday party this makes for an awesome decoration. Thumb tacks work great to put them up and if you wrap a color around their tail it will match their string backpack.
Freezer I like to put a whole banana in the freezer. But you can use your fruit bowl dumped in the freezer and the card that shows their fruit may just add a little complexity to the game.
BBQ This might be the first time they eye-spy the checker set blanket, but oooh how exciting. The BBQ is usually off-limits to small kiddos but this might just make it silly and fun.
Book in a Shelf Perfect time to slide in a bookmark that they can use later for reading time. I like these because they are hilarious, they stick out so small eyes can find the clue, and you can write a small clue on their belly. Yaheeee.
Bicycle Helmet. Perfect for one of those checker pieces, a round clue again, or maybe a piece of wrapping paper would be a fun surprise.
Large Puzzle I like this one for a few reasons. It is big enough to do on the floor, no need to clear table space. It is educational, it sets you up for fifth grade when knowing the states matter. Most importantly, after you assemble the puzzle the kiddo needs to realize you wrote the clue on the back.
Under the couch cushions, “You have been sitting here all your life and never knew there was treasure under here.”
Picture Hanging on the wall. Probably not your favorite picture, because I think you should hang it behind the picture. Yes, you could stick it to the front, but if your kid is clever, you will thank me later.
Folded in the bathroom towels This may be your last chance to put a checkerboard piece in here with a clue. Scrub a dub dub, I am clean from the tub.
Cracker Jacks in the cabinet. Nothing better than stocking your shelves with an old-fashioned favorite. The packaging does the work for you. “There is a surprise inside.” Slice open the bottom, wrap and box, dump out the contents, and wrap the clue around the surprise envelope already there. These do have peanuts, so if allergies are an issue, you may have to substitute with something else. The key is cutting the bottom, not the top.
Under a Table or Under a chair. The clue could refer to the legs that hold everything up.
A good treasure hunt has a bounty at the end. It could be dinner, it could be a birthday cake or a new book for reading. What is our treasure? Sometimes the treasure is in the journey. Set the expectations and go for it.
Oh and let me know what you did. If you want me to plan a personalized hunt for you contact me at info@hollyheide.com I have done zillions for all ages.
