Planning the Treasure Hunt

• 1). Pick a date for the treasure hunt. This will be easy if you are holding the treasure hunt on a birthday or holiday. Otherwise, you will need to get out your calendar and find a date that the most people will be able to attend. For example, most individuals and children are off on weekends. Some people go to church so you may want to hold the treasure hunt on a Saturday.
  
  
• 2). Pick a theme for the treasure hunt. At Easter the treasure may be a box of candy. A pirate themed birthday party may have a treasure hunt that ends with the children finding a chest full of fake gold coins and necklaces. Having a theme will help give you ideas for clues and treasures.
  
  
• 3). Pick a location. You can hold the treasure hunt at your home if you have a big yard or a big house. You could also hold a treasure hunt at a park, library, beach or mall. Be creative and make sure the location matches your theme if possible. You also want to make sure the location is OK for the time of year. For instance, you wouldn't want people hunting for a treasure on a beach in January.
  
  
• 4). Create invitations and mail them out between two and three weeks before the treasure hunt is set to take place. You can purchase invitations if you don't want to make them. Ask for an RSVP so you can plan teams before the actual event.
  
  
• 5). Search for some good spots to hide your clues (except for the first one). Where you hide the clues depends on the age of the group who will be finding them. Young children should have their clues at eye level and they should be easy to spot. Older individuals should have more of a challenge. Bury the clues or attach them to a flag on a flagpole. Write down where you plan on hiding each clue because you won't put the clues out until the day of the hunt.
  
  
• 6). Decide where you are going to hide your treasure. This is the ending spot of your treasure hunt.
  
  
• 7). Write out your clues. Try to make them rhyme if you can. You will need to review where you are going to hide the next clue in order to make up a rhyme. For example, clue number one should have a rhyme as to where to find clue number two.
  
  
• 8). Make one clue for each team. Place the clues in envelopes and write the clue number on the outside of the envelop. This will help the treasure hunters keep track of their clues.
  
  
• 9). Hide the clues and the treasure on the day of the treasure hunt. Whoever finds the treasure first is the winner. They get to keep the treasure.