The fun thing about treasure hunts is the thrill of the chase. The 'treasure' doesn't have be a big, expensive prize. A piece of candy or something small is enough reward because of the fun of the hunt. Even children who can't read can participate if you have old magazines or catalogs from which you can cut pictures of furniture, appliances, or household items. The hunt works very simply. Begin by giving your child a written clue or a picture of an item, say a coffee maker. When the child gets to the coffee maker, he or she'll find the next clue, a picture or description of another item, like a T-V. At the T-V is a picture or description of a bookcase, and so on, until the treasure is found. With older children, you can write cryptic clues like riddles. If your child is just beginning to read, the game can be used to help improve vocabulary by involving words already learned, such as blue bed or dog dish. As a word of warning, this game can be addictive to the kids because they enjoy it so much, so don't tell them it's educational! You may even need to get a head start on the clues while the kids are asleep!
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