Items Needed for a Treasure Hunt

Clues

• You can write simple clues, use clip art or draw hints on pieces of paper for young children to participate in a treasure hunt. Activities for adults may include poetry, intense riddles or cryptic codes. The clues will point the participants to the next clue and so forth, until a team discovers the final treasure.

Rules

• Every treasure hunt needs rules for the participants. The rules may be quite simple, as in telling preschool children they cannot go outside a particular room or schoolyard to look for the clues. Rules for adults may be more complicated, as in not purchasing items needed on the list, not going outside the city limits or only involving certain people. Every hunt requires time frame, which may be as little as an hour or involve a whole month. Participants must meet back at a central location once the time is up; if a person has the treasure it should not be revealed until everyone is present. Having a short time frame or a valuable treasure will increase everyone's competitiveness and make the game more exciting.

Proof

• Participants should have proof that they completed all the steps involved in the treasure hunt. This may mean collecting small items, taking pictures of certain things, gathering puzzle pieces or bringing back written clues. Other treasure hunts may require that you bring back only information or answers to the riddles.

Treasure

• The type of treasure involved in these hunts should be a reward of some type. For children, it may be a cute stuffed animal, a gift certificate to a toy store or a new book. Pizza or ice cream sundae parties can be a wonderful incentive for middle-school children or teens. Adult treasures can be a gift certificate for two at an elegant restaurant, a cruise vacation or even a day off from work if it is a treasure hunt for co-workers.