Clever Clues
The structure of the clue must depend on the age group of the
participants. Here are some suggestions for you:
- For very little children, you can write famous lines from popular
children's' poems or stories as little riddles by leaving a blank at the
end, like - "Humpty Dumpy sat on a ______"(wall) or "Eight little
sailors set out to sea, before they set sail the ship hit a
______(tree)."
- If your kids love crossword puzzles, try writing clues that require
filling in the blanks. The crossword will, in this case, be the last
clue. It can comprise of a set of boxes, where the young ones have to
fill in the answers from the previous riddles. The solution would lead
the hunters to their treasure. This can work well for older kids.
- Print your clues on white paper in white crayons. Then arm your young
detectives with washable colored markers they can use to scribble on top
of each clue to make the words visible. An idea sure to click with
little children.
- Device a code by assigning a number to each letter of the alphabet (eg,
1 for A, 2 for B...26 for Z). Then use the numbers to write your clues.
This would go with kids in the age group 6-10.
Great Hiding Places -
For your convenience we have included a list of some great hiding places
in and around your house:
1) Below the carpet
2) Behind a painting
3) Under a table
4) Over the mantelpiece
5) Under the mattress
6) Under a lampshade
7) Porch Railing (You can tape your clue to it)
8) Fence
9) Beneath a flower-bed. If you want to hide your treasure/clue under
the ground, make sure to do so by placing it in a can, plastic bin, or
other bury-able container.
Things to remember:
1)Write all your clues on a piece of paper and keep it to yourself. That
way, in case a clue gets lost or misplaced, you'll have no problem in
leading the kids to the next one.
2)Before you let the kiddies rush to search for their bounty, take a
moment to declare these few rules for the game firmly and clearly. To
have your Treasure Hunt pass off without any hitches, implement the
following:
- Tell the kids that there'll be no running across the street. The
occasion being a treasure hunt, you can't, however, really expect them
to conform to your injunction. So better keep an eye on them.
- Ask the kiddies to read their clues properly. (You'll do well to
assist the young ones by reading the clues they find out in a strong
voice so that everyone can hear properly. Occasionally, they may get
stuck at a riddle, and you may have to offer a verbal clue to keep the
hunt going.). Tell them not to run off before a whole clue has been
read, for they will surely be heading to the wrong place. Ask them to
read it again and again (after you have read it once) and solve it bit
by bit.
- Declare beforehand that whoever finds the treasure has to share it
equally among all the participants.
3)For little kids, trying to find pre-written clues may be a little
difficult. It is easier for them when they already know the
destinations. For this, you can create a map that has all the spots
(where the clues are hidden, not the one hiding the treasure)
illustrated on it. That way, the kids won't have a problem in locating
the places.
4)See that the fun element remains intact. Tell the young ones that
uncovering the hidden treasure is the goal, but the real, lasting reward
is the hunt itself. The real success comes when each member has the
chance to contribute his or her problem-solving talents or observations,
and everybody gets to experience the satisfaction of working together as
a team.
If you succeed in implementing all these above-mentioned ideas to the
hilt, your treasure hunt is guaranteed to be a hit!
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