I need help to devise a new treasure hunt for grandkids!

My mum used to do one for Christmas presents using clues from well known books from their bookshelf, could you possibly do something similar if there are favoured books to hand?

58Jaxjacky, I like that idea.

OP, could you also encourage them, either separately or together, to set a treasure hunt for you. It may give you some idea of their thought processes.

Thanks - that's a good idea Jaxjacky, but not so easy as all the books they read are not in English (despite my best efforts) so I don't know most of them!

As children we used to do them for each other, from about the age of 10.

Piece of paper number one says go to chair in lunge. They then find the paper there which says go to piano. Clue there says go to a certain book. etc etc.
There were about 10 pieces of paper.

Whoever finished first was the winner.

Small rhymes?
‘Out in the drive for a clue to your loot, the place to look is in the car xxxx’

Maybe a more cryptic message they have to decipher? Or devise an easy code for them to work together to work out? Picture clues ? Perhaps the one not taking part could devise the clues for the other one?

Hi Jools
Some ideas on here. This site is used widely in schools. Some resources are free or you can get a trial.
You could adapt the tasks.

www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/scavenger-hunt-activity-sheets-t-tp-2549619

Don't know if these clues are any use?

parade.com/1249192/marynliles/scavenger-hunt-clues/

Why not write the words backwards. I did one for my granddaughter birthday it was Harry Potter at grandkids parties each grandparents have to pick a game I wrote all the clues backwards and it drove them mad lol but they did it. Or item of clothing and they have to wear the clothes too that will have them laughing specially if it’s adults clothes or something

How about changing it up and having them search for items instead from clues given? Collect them all and bring them to you.
Daft clues to make them think - like leave with two legs and come back with six! (chair) Or I grow in the grounds and often have eyes that cant see but you do like making fries from me (potato) Or find something round? Something plastic? Something taller than you? The list is endless. Have fun!

Maybe write on the back of the clues the days of the week or months of the year,Colours of the rainbow etc. . (I haven't thought it through entirely). Perhaps the clues are in another order, but at the end they can put the pieces of paper in the correct order. If you write certain letters in a different colour, those letters then reveal the final clue when the pieces of paper are rearranged.

10-year-olds are just the right age for this. I might try something like this for my oldest DGS and DGD who are 10 and 9 1/2 and their second language is English too.

Have you heard of geocaching? Free with an app on the phone - it’s treasure hunting using modern devices!, great for kids, gets them out and about and teaches them about directions, thinking laterally. Brilliant hobby for children of all ages (even 70plus).check out www.geocaching.com

Thank you for starting this thread Jules, I do an Easter egg hunt every year for my dgd and have to up my game now she’s older (10). She’s a bright child and very quick on the uptake so I’m thinking of combining Swampy and Jacky’s ideas in a bid to keep her occupied for a while.

Thanks everyone - lots of ideas and good links!

How old are they?

Thankyou thankyou summer holidays looming. You have given me lots of ideas for the grandchildren.

Even if they don't read English books, I would imagine that they have seen at least some of the Harry Potter films. Could you devise a Harry Potter themed treasure hunt?

Years ago we used to have to fill a matchbox with as many small items as possible. Think - button, grain of rice, stamp, safety pin, etc. Possibly difficult to find matchbox now, but you could supply similar box/container.
Good luck with whatever you decide. X

I recommend geocaching for children of all ages A treasure hunt with clues and Gps tracking Geocaching .com will fill you in then you download a phone app and of you go It's worldwide

Not sure where you are, but in the UK there’s a thing called Geocaching, which is like a treasure hunt where you search for cache left by others in you community you can look for, weblink below which explains it much better than I can

www.geocaching.com/play

I have bought some of those very small ducks, 100 for about £8, I'm going to place them round the garden and every time the children find one the prize is a sweet, My grandchildren range from 24 to 3 years old so after the older ones have found there say 3 or 5 they have to help the smaller ones

I was just going to suggest Geocaching then I saw the post from GrauntyHelen. Our grandchildren ranging from 6 to 15 love doing it with me. There’s a free version and it can be done all over the world.

sandye

I have bought some of those very small ducks, 100 for about £8, I'm going to place them round the garden and every time the children find one the prize is a sweet, My grandchildren range from 24 to 3 years old so after the older ones have found there say 3 or 5 they have to help the smaller ones

Have you got a link to the ducks please?

Same as SpanielCuddler - twinkl is brilliant, well worth joining.