Here are some tips and tricks for organizing a treasure hunt downloaded from the "KidFunParty" website.
Remember that you must download your game immediately after payment from your client area.
Steps for organizing a treasure hunt:
To do in advance..
- Print the file you downloaded.
- Think about the number and composition of your teams according to the number of children.
- Cut out each numbered task, roll or fold them.
- Choose your hiding places to place each riddle.
- Indicate in your tracking table the hiding place chosen for each of the riddles.
- Prepare the treasure or rewards to give to the children at the end of the game if necessary.
- Plan the hiding place of the treasure, print and fill out the certificates for each child…
On the day:
- Place your riddles in the chosen hiding places before the arrival of the children.
- Welcome all the children and give them some time to play and socialize…
- When everyone is ready, gather the children around you and read them the starting story. Modify some words if it seems more appropriate depending on whether your treasure hunt will take place in a house or apartment, inside or outside, and where you have hidden the treasure!
- At each stage of the game, the children come back to you to validate their answer… Do not hesitate to give them a little help if necessary, the goal being of course that they succeed in their tasks!
- When all the children have completed the different riddles, read them the end of the story, give them the certificates, or go in search of the treasure if there is one.
Hiding places:
Think about the hiding places in advance to make organizing your treasure hunt easier.
The ideal is to hide the riddles on the morning of the event, away from your child's furtive gaze!
Vary the locations: space out your hiding places…
Therefore, you need to find 1 hiding place per riddle and 2 hiding places per riddleIf you have 2 teams!
Think about choosing your hiding places by putting the puzzle of the 2 teams in opposite places so that each team does not search in the same place and cross paths as little as possible.
If there is only one team, this does not concern you and if there are several, make sure they go in different directions for each challenge.
Note the different hiding places assigned to each team on your tracking sheet to keep track of them!
Print 2 tracking sheets if you have 2 teams to follow each one! You will make a color mark corresponding to that of the teams to identify yourself in the tracking of each one.
The puzzles, challenges and tasks:
The puzzles are to be hidden at your party venue.
Indicate to the children in which direction they should look, with a simple phrase, a riddle, a photo (see annex).
The children will then head to the search for the location in order to find the hidden puzzle. Then they will have to solve the puzzle or perform the indicated task. They will then come back to you to validate their answer or to play the game indicated of which you will then be the judge.
You will then give the children a clue to go to the next puzzle location and so on... With our printable game kits, the organization of your treasure hunt is simplified!
For children who cannot yet read, they search for the task and then come back to you or to a present adult who can read them what they have to do. Likewise, the adult will validate the answer and guide them to the next task.
If the children cannot read, plan for 2 adults to help each of the teams, or more if necessary.
The end of the game:
When all the tasks have been completed and successful, read the denouement of the story. Then indicate to them the direction of the location of the treasure.If there is one, distribute each participant their success diploma, or even small bags of candy or other treats.
Often, the end of the party leads to a birthday snack.
Preparation of the premises:
You can decorate your location according to the chosen theme, as well as the snack table...
This helps the children get immersed in the story.
You can create your birthday invitation on the theme of the treasure hunt; download the free ones offered on the site.
You must have hidden your riddles, hidden your treasure if necessary, have the necessary papers available (starting and ending story, tracking sheet, and other documents and objects according to the treasure hunt).
Treasure preparation:
At the end of the game, the children are of course waiting for the discovery of the treasure or the outcome of the story accompanied by their diploma or other reward...
Remember to prepare the treasure in advance when the outcome of your adventure requires one.
For example, a simple cardboard box (shoe box) can do the trick.
All you need to do is cover it with aluminum foil and stick stickers, labels, or even a drawing or coloring page on the theme of your treasure hunt.
You can of course place bags of candy or small toys inside...
It's up to you... Let your imagination run wild!
The treasure hiding place:
You will need to hide it in a place where the children will not see it! Reserve a spot where they won't need to go during the game, a place where you haven't hidden any riddles!
If you're playing the game outdoors, then hide the treasure in the house!
If you're indoors, then reserve a small room where the children won't need to search during the challenges: in your basement, in your kitchen oven, a laundry room, or in the bathroom.
You can also bury the treasure in a corner of the garden: you'll need to think about shovels to dig it up (a beach shovel), and put the chest in a tightly closed garbage bag beforehand...
The role of adults in organizing a treasure hunt:
For older children (who can read), one adult is sufficient, but having two is always better!
For children who cannot read, count on a minimum of 2 adults so that each adult can follow 1 team: read them the challenges, help them if necessary...
An adult must be present to receive the children at the end of each challenge, validate and correct the riddle, and redirect them to the next one.
You need to be able to help them if they're stuck on one of the steps! It's up to you to judge when it's good to intervene: you need to give the children time to think for themselves, while at the same time, the resolution of the challenge shouldn't be too long, or they would get bored...
On the contrary, if they're doing well, let them continue on their own...
The adult will also need to organize the action games requested in the challenge games of some treasure hunts, and will be the judge of the challenge validation.