treasure hunt preparation

treasure hunt preparation

Before launching the game and asking about ten children to trace Calico Jack, Tinker Bell or some Halloween monsters, let’s begin with the beginning: the preparation!

Let’s try to take stock of the situation:

• You know approximately what a treasure hunt is (vague memories from your childhood, Wikipedia article, old experience)!
• The party date has been fixed (and you still have a little bit of time left before the fateful date!)
• You have downloaded the treasure hunt documents on your hard drive, in a theme that is perfect for your child.
• And you know how to transform all these printings into a wonderful game. No, you don’t? Really?

Right. We will follow the instructions of preparation step-by-step and you’ll see that everything will soon become crystal clear, after only a few minutes of reading.

List the game content

When you order one a treasure hunt on our website, you will be able to download the following documents:

• BOOKLET No.1 – Tips for the organisation (read online or print the booklet)
  This booklet brings together all the advices you are presently reading.
• BOOKLET No.2 – Planning process and course of the game (read online or print the booklet)
  This is the heart of the game. This booklet describes precisely all the different steps, challenges, riddles, hiding places, etc. of the game you have ordered, from the invitations to the award of the diplomas.
• BOOKLET No.3 – Arts and crafts and cooking (read online or print the booklet)
  This booklet shows you how to set up all “side issues” of the treasure hunt, which will make this day unique: a delicious and nicely decorated cake, masks, crowns, decorations, boxes, etc.
• BOOKLET No.4 – Items to be printed (print selected pages in A4 size)
  You will use this booklet to print all the items you have selected: invitations, envelopes, scenarios, jigsaw puzzles, riddles, parchments for hiding places and challenges, arts & crafts, stencils, diplomas, etc.
• BOOKLET No.5 – Treasure hunt, express version (read online or print the booklet)
  This booklet is ready for quick preparation.

Immerse yourself in the story

The story (or scenario) is the connecting thread of the whole treasure hunt. It is the link that will show the children the way from the start of the game (in general, the reading a launching letter) up to the discovery of the treasure. All our treasure hunts are built upon coherent scenarios, which are adapted to the age of the children (4-6 years, 6-7 years and 8-10 years). All the different steps of the game are an integral part of the story (invitations, riddles, challenges, brain teasers, diplomas, etc.).

Once you will have read the first three documents in full (BOOKLET No.1, No.2 and No.3), you will know exactly how to conduct the treasure hunt.
You can follow the instructions step-by-step but you can also adapt the game at your own convenience by adding personalised riddles, challenges, codes, events. This is the time to let your imagination run wild!

What matters here is to immerse yourself in the structure of the story and to play your role correctly. This way, not only children will be delighted to follow you but you will also enjoy the party yourself. Shall we bet on it?

Print the documents

The whole set of printable items is included in booklet No.4: invitation, envelope for the invitation, “scenario” letters, diplomas, jigsaw puzzles and other brain teasers, parchments for the hiding places, riddles, challenges, decorations, arts and crafts, cake stencils, etc.

Of course, for your preparation, you do not need to print everything (this booklet frequently exceeds 100 pages). You have to determine precisely and beforehand what your needs are. Nearly 100 parchment riddles are for instance available for the hiding places. Choose well in advance the nooks where you will hide the riddles. This way, you will only have to print the 7 or 8 parchments that are really necessary.

For a better printing quality, we strongly advise you to use thicker sheets than usual (standard printing paper usually weighs 75 or 80 g). For an optimal quality, we recommend to print on sheets weighing 100 or 120 g.

Some of the printings for the arts & crafts (crowns, masks, boxes, etc.) require even thicker paper (160 or 180 g). All this is of course specified in the description of the treasure hunt.

Enhance the riddles

The riddles as they are already look great (I know this because I’m the one who conceived them ☺). But you can decide to enhance them even more with preparation: for example, a parchment rolled-up in a bottle looks right away more “adventurous”. You can also print them on coloured or textured paper (parchment, stones, marble, etc.). Likewise, feel free to present riddles, puzzles and other materials in a fun and original way.

Don’t expect the children to take too much care of the sheets in the heat of the moment…They will indeed be excited by the game and will have many other things to think about during the party. You may therefore want to insert the paper sheets into transparent plastic covers to protect them.

These preparations require a little bit of material and imagination. But, believe me, they greatly contribute to create a nice atmosphere and help the children to live their treasure hunt more fully.

Set up the teams

All our treasure hunts have been designed to be played with one or two teams. For the youngest participants (under 8 years old), I strongly advise you to group them under one single team.

Should you decide to set up two teams, all you need is then to print the two series of riddles in different colours. You’ll then have to hide them in different locations while ensuring that one team does not discover the clues meant to be found by the other team. Do not forget to invert the order of the riddles as well. In this configuration, the first team to answer all questions is the winner of the game.

It is more difficult to play with two teams but the emulation resulting of it can be really funny. My advice: at least 2 adults (one per team) must be present to help the children completing the game.

Hide the riddles

For the children, looking for and discovering a riddle is at least as funny as resolving it. Do not overlook this aspect of the game.

All our games have been developed to take place indoor or outdoor, depending of your needs and on the weather! To help you hiding the clues, a list of potential hiding places (in your house, flat or in the garden) is available to you. As we do not know the layout of the place where the hunt will be held, we cannot suggest riddles to access it. We therefore provide you with a selection of generic codes and clues which you can use according to your needs.

You can also decide to simply indicate where the hiding place is lo

Create an atmosphere

There is no obligation to do so of course but a paper chase is so much captivating and magical with a nice atmosphere!

For example, you can ask your guests to dress up according to the theme of the treasure hunt. In such case, make sure you have some dress up accessories for those who would come with no costume. You can also organise a makeup session at the very beginning of the party: this allows to immediately generate a good atmosphere and to have fun while waiting for the latecomers!

Take a little bit of time to create a decoration based on the theme of the game. Numerous ideas and easy-to-make arts and crafts are available from booklet No.3:

• Plates, glasses, dishes and table for the party
• Home decoration
• Special cake

Of course, all these party preparations will require a little bit of your time. But you can believe me when I say that you will not regret your investment!

Bring the game to life

You are the one who will be leading the game and will therefore be all the time present with the children.

After having read the launching story of the treasure hunt, direct the children to the hiding place of the very first riddle. The children read the message (or you read it to the youngest ones) and discuss amongst themselves to find the right answer. Once the riddle is solved, the children come back and share with you the outcome of their discussions.

The answer is correct? Direct the children to the 2nd hiding place.
The answer is wrong? You can help them understanding why their answer was erroneous and/or give them a forfeit.

If you wish so and if you have time for it, you can also organise sports events or games between two riddles.

Children move that way forward, solving one riddle after the other, up to the end of the game. It is now time to read the concluding story and to distribute the rewards: diplomas, little gifts, candy bags, etc.

Give a reward

A treasure hunt necessarily implies a… treasure! It would be inconceivable for a child who has gone through, step-by-step, all the different riddles of the game not to get a reward worthy of the name.

Some of the hunts (pirates, knights, explorers, etc.) are leading to a real treasure chest, which you will have to fill in with candy bags, small toys in relation with the theme of the game, chocolate coins, marbles, pearls, small books, etc. Some others allow the children to prepare a magic potion or a particular craft.

For all hunts, a printable diploma is available, which you will award to the children at the very end of the game, during a special ceremony, with applause, handshake and photo with the king or the queen of the day. This will remain as a fabulous experience!

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