Treasure Hunt Ideas and Clues for Kids at Home or on Holiday

If there’s one thing that kids – no matter their age – love, it’s treasure hunts. The challenge of the search ignites a sense of adventure, allowing them to use their imagination and creativity to solve problems. Successfully completing the task gives them such satisfaction that the prize when they reach the end is really just the icing on the cake.
 

It’s great fun for adults, too. Creating treasure hunt clues for kids is immensely enjoyable, and if you're doing it outside, it allows you to appreciate the beauty of your surroundings. Best of all, it’s an activity that you can do anywhere, from your very own home to the great outdoors when you’re on holiday, and everything in between.

Whether you’ve got toddlers or teens, there’s a treasure hunt to suit them. Here are some common types, plus what you need to get going and pro tips for success.

What it is: An outdoor treasure hunt where you navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates to find a hidden ‘cache’, which usually contains a small item, like a keyring or a mini-figure. How did it get there in the first place? There’s an entire community of geocachers who play this game around the world, and they’re the ones who leave these hidden treasures for other players to find. The aim is to discover unusual and interesting new places, as well as to find the cache. 
 

How to get started: The main thing you need is a GPS-enabled device, usually a smartphone. Download a geocaching app, which will give you a list of caches near you and their coordinates, plus clues that you can choose to look at (or not) once you’re close.
 

What you need for geocaching with kids: You’ll be outdoors, so dress appropriately, with comfortable shoes and clothing. A small torch is always handy, as the caches are often hidden in, under or behind other things. Take a few small trinkets to swap when you find the cache – the rule of thumb is to leave something of equal or greater value. Don’t leave sweets or perishable items, as you don’t know when the next cacher will come along.
 

Finding kid-friendly geocaching spots: Each geocache is rated on a scale up to 5 for difficulty (D) and terrain (T). Difficulty refers to how hard the actual hiding spot is to locate, while Terrain refers to the area leading to the cache. If you’re just starting out or have young kids, choose a D1/T1.

Safety tips:

• Bring plenty of water and snacks.
• Make sure your phone is fully charged up, and let someone know where you’re going.
• Watch out for common hazards, such as slippery areas and wildlife.
• Always stick to marked trails, and remind kids not to wander off on their own.  

What it is: A trail of clues that lead one to the next, with a treasure or prize at the end. This can be played indoors or outdoors, while clues can be anything from pictures for very young ones to riddles for older kids.
 

How to get started: All you need is a location and lots of imagination to write your treasure hunt clues for kids! The most important thing to remember is to make it age-appropriate for the players. Too easy or too hard, and they’ll lose interest fast. You’ll probably already have a theme, if it’s a birthday party or a special occasion like Easter or Christmas. Decide where you’ll hide the treasure and work backwards from there. Write your riddles – a snappy rhyming couplet usually works best.
 

Indoor treasure hunt clues: For smaller kids, leave clues at eye level where they’re easy to spot, like tied to a stuffed toy or stuck on the fridge. Give older children more of a challenge by hiding clues in or under things – but be prepared for your house to look ransacked when it’s all over!
 

Example: Chilled and cool, where food likes to stay, I keep your snacks fresh night and day. (Answer: the fridge)
 

Outdoor treasure hunt clues: Wherever you choose to place your clues, stay safe. Keep a good distance from hazards like running water or roads, and avoid hiding places from which kids might fall, like up a tree.
 

Example: Large and sturdy, I sit in one place. Too heavy to move, part of nature's grace. (Answer: A rock)
 

Easter treasure hunt clues: Give your kids a little challenge while collecting their Easter chocolate! The treasure at the end is, of course, their Easter basket, and you can also leave mini treats along the way. Make your clues Easter-themed by referring to chocolates, eggs and bunnies.
 

Example: I stand tall with branches wide. Under my shade, the bunny’s treats hide. (Answer: A tree)

Tips:

• Keep it to around six clues – plus or minus two depending on the ages of the kids – so they don’t get bored.
• If there’s a mix of age ranges playing, remind the older children to let the younger ones have a turn answering questions too. 
  
• Make sure the treasure can be divided equally among the players. For example, if you have five kids playing, put 20 sweets in and ask them to share it out fairly. (This is also a nice little maths challenge for them!)

What it is: Players are given a list of items to find and either tick off the list or collect. If you’re indoors, these could be household items or other small objects. Outdoors, you could ask the kids to spot animals and plants, or even listen out for sounds. 
 

How to get started: Create your list. Rather than specifying objects, try using descriptive words in your clues, such as "Something blue/smooth/fuzzy". This encourages kids to use their creativity on the hunt and avoids them fighting over the same objects. You can also find themed lists online. 

Tips:

• Set a time limit. The player who finishes first, or has the most items ticked off the list when the time is up, wins. 
• Choose items that are safe and easy to find, always keeping the ages of your players in mind.
• If you’re playing outdoors, remind the kids not to touch unfamiliar plants or objects without permission first.

Whether you’re geocaching while discovering an amazing natural landscape or creating treasure hunt clues for your kids in your very own home, searching for a prize is a great way to entertain and engage your kids. Who knows, you might all even learn something new!