DIY Treasure Hunting For Kids
Where did we first learn about the thrill of finding hidden treasure? Scavenger hunts of course! Planning a fun hunt is a fantastic activity for kids whether for a birthday party or a lazy Saturday afternoon adventure. You can combine your own DIY ideas with your love for treasure hunting to share in the adventure.
This is an interesting idea from one of our visitors, Jen, who thought of a unique way to interest her boys in prospecting:
Easily plan a fun kids treasure hunt, 5 tips to get you started:
Start with a theme. There are so many different directions you can take when planning a hunt, so start off by picking a theme so you can easily narrow down choices as your activity planning progresses. Some common themes to consider include Sports, Pirates, Animals, Super Heroes and Fairy tales.
Decide how you want it to work. Do you want to use a map the kids follow? Maybe you want a list of items they need to collect. Or maybe you'd like a combination of the two. You might also consider adding in riddles, puzzles or other activities the kids need to complete to move through to various steps. Remember to make each step age appropriate for the kids involved in the hunt.
Give clear instructions and materials. Nothing is more frustrating than being confused, especially when trying to have fun. Make sure the rules of the hunt, how to participate in the hunt and all materials are clear and understandable. The last thing you want is for the kids to give up before they've even begun.
Keep it simple. This is a general rule of all things DIY. The more complex something is, the harder it is to follow through in finishing. So keep the planning simple and stay on theme. If you choose to have the kids hunt for items on a list, somehow incorporate the items needed into the theme or have the prizes theme oriented. Remember, if the kids are on a scavenger hunt, asking neighbors for items, the items need to be common and inexpensive.
Make winning a definite possibility. Don't make the hunting process so difficult that chances of winning are slim. Maybe include level rewards so that as they reach various stages in the hunt they are rewarded and congratulated on their progress.
Planning a treasure hunt is just one way to introduce them to the fun world of treasure hunting.