This here post is a fun little feature on the treasure hunt I did for my son Gavin’s birthday party. This hunt was a huge hit. And every child that took part in the hunt requested to have a treasure hunt at their party too. I think I am possibly forcing some parents to put this little treasure together for their kid’s birthday party now. I have officially started a trend in my circle.
It is extremely easy to do. We found this small treasure chest at Hobby Lobby. It was cute and the perfect size for my little three year old to carry around. Which he does constantly. I wanted to jazz it up with his name and what not but he was not having it. A pirates chest has none of that. Pirates are real men… that wear earrings… heels… and more accessories then I do… you know, manly men that don’t need fancy treasure chest’s. I picked up some big and small toy coins, compass’s, and eye patches for each of the kids all bought from the dollar store. Good purchase.
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| the ten clues on my master sheet |
Next I wrote down 10 clues, starting by just trying to think where the treasure hunt would start. I figured in the living room. From there I envisioned in my head where the kids would move throughout the house. Once I figured out more or less the 10 clues I pirate-efied it. You know what I mean, adding some shiver me timbers, some arrrr me matey’s. All of that good stuff. I brought some pirate lingo to the pirate party. I thought it was only fitting.
The clues,
*1. Fire is had here, to scare enemies
*2. We wash our hand’s after a fight
*3. Beware scary Teddy (our dog) sleeps here
*4. Yo, Ho, Ho, fill our mouths with food
*5. The Princess Nora rests here
*6. The boats arrrrr our home (we have big toy pirate ships in my boys room)
*7. Pirate Caleb carries this to school
*8. Pirates like to do art too!
*9. Shiver me timbers, my clothes are dirty. I have to wash them
*10. Pirate Captain Gavin sleeps here
Once the 10 clues were figured out. I used some construction paper that I cut in half for the clues. Then I took some computer paper and cut that even smaller so that the construction paper could be seen behind the white paper with the clues written on it. Then once writing the clues down and numbering them I decided to bedazzle the cards with pirate stickers I have in my arsenal of kids art projects stuff. Thank goodness for that because adding stickers was not part of the plan, and it made the clues so much more cute.
Now, down to the party. We ushered all of the kids downstairs in the basement playroom. Then I went to work setting the clues around. Be sure to keep track of the clues and put them in the right spot. Because obviously the game is not going to go too far if the clues do not match up. I also tried to hide them a little at the site so that if they ran by the spot on their way to another clue they were not tempted to see that clue as well. I tried to let the kids do it themselves, we had my daughter and my niece who are learning to read so they were able to read the clues and get the little ones involved in where to go. I or my husband did try to keep them moving and letting everyone have a turn picking up the next clue. Keep it fair.
And the finale was the hidden treasure chest. Hidden in the birthday boy’s bed of course. The kids were so giddy to get it opened. I was having visions of them playing and becoming pirates on the spot. No, the kids promptly put the treasure chest back and wanted to do the hunt again. I would say that is a complete success. I wish I had taken pictures of the kids frantically running around, but they were so frantic all I would have gotten was the top of their heads and blurry little beings running to the next place.
I cannot wait until the kids get older and I can do this again with tougher clues, some riddles, maybe going to the neighbors house, it could be a crazy complicated hunt. It could get fun. My son Caleb has informed me he will be having a treasure hunt for his next birthday in October and I will be hiding the chest in his bed. I don’t think he quite has the concept of a treasure “hunt” down yet. It was a fun idea, a new thing for this family and the treasure hunt will be making itself present at another party. My advice to you is keep the clues age appropriate. If it is an older kid party make it tougher. A party for Little’s make it easy. And number them in case they jump the clues. So you can correct them and get back on track. And have fun with it, make it work for whatever theme you have and get lost in the hunt too!
