How to prepare a treasure hunt for children

The treasure hunt is a game that children of all ages love. It is a very complete game because they have to pass a series of tests, think about the clues they are given to find the treasure and also play with more children. You can make this game shorter or longer according to the tests and clues you make. If you prepare it well, you could be playing for an entire afternoon. In this article we explain how to prepare a treasure hunt for children.

Where to play the treasure hunt

To prepare a treasure hunt for children you have several options of places but first you have to take into account the ages of the children:

  • small children (from 4 to 8 years old): the best thing would be to prepare this game indoors or in the garden of your house or a well-known house. The important thing is that the children are in a controlled space and not too big so that at all times they can be seen.
  • Older children (from 9 years old): you can also do it at home or in the garden but it would be better to have a slightly larger place, although this does not mean that you do not have to control them. For older children it would be good to do it in the facilities of a school or in a park where you can have them in view.

What guidelines to follow so that they look for the treasure

Do not let them search for the treasure for no reason. Try to invent a thread, a story in which they have to overcome a series of tests to find the treasure (final test). You can also use clues that will lead you to the different tests. Each time they pass a test you can give them a clue to find the place of the next test and so on until they reach the final test where the treasure will be found. Here are some ideas of a thread:

  • In search of pirate treasure!
  • The treasure of the King!
  • The treasure of the forest elves!
  • The treasure of the fairies!

Once you have decided the thread, it is important that you explain to the children about it. Explain the story, everything that has happened so that the treasure is hidden and that they are the ones who have to find it. You could even disguise yourself to get more into the theme of the game.

How the clues for a treasure hunt have to be

You can use different types of clues to find the different treasure hunt tests . We give you some examples:

FOR YOUNG CHILDREN:

  • a photo or drawing of the place where they have to look for the next clue.
  • a simple puzzle or puzzle that will tell you where to go next after solving it.
  • a simple riddle

FOR OLDER CHILDREN:

  • a riddle a bit complicated.
  • a puzzle or more difficult puzzle.
  • that decode a message from a code using a symbol for each letter.
  • teach them an object that is related to the place where they will have to find the next clue.

Try to start with simpler clues and increase the difficulty as the end of the treasure hunt approaches. The last clue would have to be the hardest to guess.

Types of tests for the treasure hunt

You can use the same tracks as tests to get the next track or you can take a test before they get the track . Here are some examples of tests:

  • Balance tests: try to hold the stick of a broom with your foot for a few seconds.
  • Search tests: look for a specific number of caps, balls, cards or whatever you can think of in a certain time.
  • creation tests: create with plastelina the way you tell them in one or two minutes of time.
  • Couples tests: place a balloon between two children (they can hold it with their bellies). They will have to run to where they are told without dropping the balloon or getting hurt.
  • music tests: put the beginning of a song so that they guess what their title is or continue singing it.

These are just some examples but you can invent the tests you want. I recommend that you pass all the tests to the children. The fun of this game is to guess the clues that will take you to the next tracks and finally to the treasure.

How to prepare the treasure

When they reach the final track they will have to find where the treasure is . The treasure would have to look like it so put it inside a chest or box to make it look real. You can fill it with sweets, candies, chocolates, ... Try to make gifts for everyone: for those who have been able to find the treasure and for those who have stayed at the doors.

Another option would be that you will play with all the children as if they were a single team. So the prize would be distributed among all but there would be no competitiveness in the game. If the children are very small it would be better to do it this way since many times they do not know how to lose.

The point is to have a fun time and enjoy the game!