I’ve been trying to be more intentional about finding fun activities that also get my kids thinking & moving too, and one thing we’ve been loving are treasure hunts! 🔎 I may enjoy them just as much—if not more—than my kiddos do. It’s so fun to watch them run around and get excited as they find clue after clue!
If putting together a treasure hunt sounds like a lot of work, it really doesn’t have to be. I like to keep them pretty simple.
Here are a few ideas to get started with your own treasure hunt!
1. Choose the treasure. This could be a little prize, a surprise movie to watch together, a fun snack, a birthday gift, etc. We did fruit snacks the other day, and it was a huge hit! ;)
2. Pick a theme/lesson. I like to incorporate a little lesson into our activities when possible so it’s like a 2-for-1 (fun+learning)! A theme we did recently was “searching for the truth.” In our family, we talk about how the best place to find truth is in the Bible!
3. Write/type out the clues. I write them out on little pieces of paper—nothing fancy. But you could totally take more time with it and make the clues more official looking too.
You can create your own clues or use some of the ones we’ve done below. Use whatever clues apply for your home/location and just skip over or switch up the ones that don’t.
4. Hide the clues and go have fun!
CLUES YOU CAN USE! 🔍
🔎 If you make a mess, you might need a good scrub.
Splish and splash here while you go rub-a-dub-dub.
🔎 When you want to sit and just watch a short show,
this is the spot where you usually go.
🔎 Some food is sweet, some is salty or bold.
Some food is hot, but head here where it’s cold.
🔎 When it’s getting late and it’s soon time for bed,
you go to this spot and you rest your sweet head.
🔎 To get some fresh air and enjoy a nice day,
this is where you like to go out and play.
🔎 Head right to the spot where feet reach for the sun,
where pushing and pumping can be lots of fun!
🔎 You might find some bugs or even a few frogs,
but for the next clue, find a big pile of logs.
🔎 The next clue’s not up so don’t look in a tree.
Instead look down low where your toes get sandy.
🔎 You might grab a chair to go sit near this spot.
Roast marshmallows here, but be careful it’s hot!
🔎 You’re almost done searching so go and head back
and find some nice shade where you might eat a snack.
🔎 You followed the clues and found treasure—hooray!
Enjoy and keep looking for truth every day!
