Hi Nikki,
We had the party last weekend. I had a hunt in our neighborhood park for some 10 year olds. They had a really good time. I decided to have it at the last minute so your list was a big help in planning a hunt in one day. Next year with more time I'll make it much bigger.
Diana Reed, USA
More details on a great Scavenger Hunt Party Game here
Hi,
The party is this Sat. for a group of 17-18 year old teenagers. My son just turned 18 today. We are hoping to do the video scavenger hunt if the weather cooperates. I'll let you know how it went.
Juliane Lewis, california, USA
More details on a great Teen Treasure Hunt here
Dear Nikki, many thanks. The party is over, and the treasure hunt went well. It was a very nice change from my usual treasure hunts. Good product. I actually bought and downloaded three different hunt games, and yours was by far the best. The calculator worked brilliantly! I changed it to match the combination on the lock which I already had, and it worked like a charm. How long did it take you to work out all the connections so every team would wind up with the same combination?
Thanks again
Laura Gordon, Pennsylvania USA
More details on a great Treasure Hunt Party Game here
Hi Nikki, I did log on and enjoyed the clues. What a time saver. Can't wait to play around with it some more. So many wonderful combinations.....
Trish Nickerson, New Mexico USA
More details on a great Instant Treasure Hunt using Riddles here
The kids loved the treasure hunt, and it was great to have the clues age-appropriate.
Thanks!
Elizabeth Dessen, Pennsylvania, USA
More details on a great Instant Treasure Hunt using Riddles here
Hello Nikki,
Thanks for the e-mails and suggestions. I have enjoyed your treasure hunt ideas and games and gave them a try at my daughters birthday party. She is 9 and the girls had a ball. We had a backwards party and it was definately the hit of the party. I also run a kids program at a guest ranch in Colorado and look forward to using many of your ideas with them. I have done many "on skis" treasure hunts and look forward to incoporating many of your ideas with my own outdoor twists. It is a nice way to spark new ideas as well as using the ones you provided.
Thank you for the follow up!
Kelli, Colorado, USA
More details on a great Childrens Treasure Hunt here
Hi Nikki
- Yes, I used your treasure hunt ideas for my friend's retirement pirate party. We live on the Chesapeake Bay and had the party at a beach club on the water. It was absolutely the best fun ever and the highlight of the party. People haven't stopped talking about it for weeks now. I designed the challenges to be like the ones on "Survivor," one of our favorite TV shows.
There was a "Walk the Plank" challenge, (a board on sawhorses over a kid's swimming pool); a "Shooting Gallery" challenge, (shooting cans with a slingshot); a "Toss the Anchor" challenge, ( who can throw it the farthest); a "Peg Leg Pickup" challenge, (2 people blindfolded with legs tied together have to be directed by the 3rd team member to pick up scattered items), a "Pirate Word Scramble" challenge, (unscramble pirate terminology); and a "Pirate Memory" challenge, (30 seconds to study 25 items, then remember as many as you can). I made the clues for the map location rather cryptic--some of the players were teachers and scientists.
They all ended up in a little secluded patch of pine trees on the beach where the treasure was buried (in an actual chest). Three teams actually reached the right spot around the same time --I wish we had thought to have a video camera to document it all! The treasure chest was filled with fake gold coins, a gold plate, silver candlesticks and tons of mardi gras necklaces.
I spent A LOT of time (all enjoyable) designing the hunt based on your ideas and it couldn't have been more successful and memorable. People have already asked me to do another one for next year--sounds like our pirate party will become an annual event! Again, thanks for your great ideas.
Jan Werner, Maryland, USA
More details on a great Treasure Hunt Party Game here
Thanks Nikki-
This is actually the 6th one for my son who is 11 but the past have been a little on the younger side and they are ready at this age for more difficulty and I'm going to make it an hour long at my house for his pool/scavenger/manhunt party...
I have to read through your stuff and as I'm traveling up to CT for the weekend I will have more comments by Monday and maybe ask for some assistance or I will definitely let you know all the details, etc. I'm also enlisting my neighbors, using a camera, and a park behind my house...this is
more work than my real job :)
This was one of the best I saw, so I look forward to this~
Thanks!
Elsa Pine, Connecticut, USA
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I made a game for Easter. I do it every year, but your website helped me tremendously!! It has become a tradition in our house that the Easter Bunny leaves clues throughout the house for the children to find
their Easter baskets. I used to spend so much time making the clues, but your website cut down on the time tremendously.
Katie Ohlmann, Indiana, USA
More details on a great Instant Treasure Hunt using Riddles here
Hi - We had a great party last night! We decided to have four stations with four groups of two boys (ages 11 and 12). This was for a sleepover so when the kids sat down for dinner they each had either a red, green, orange, or blue flashlight with them. Their flashlight determined the teams. Also, each team had it's own had unique treasure maps so they would all win the same treasure eventually. Armed with the map pieces and a clue on the back, they all found their treasure of nerf guns and then spent at least an hour outside playing after the treasure hunt. The boys had a great time and the structure your documents provided for the treasure hunt was really helpful. After the boys traisped through the woods and found their treasure, one boy shouted "This is the best party ever!". I was thrilled and my son had a great time. Thanks for your help!
Alison McLaughlin, Massachusetts, USA
Mo re details on a great Treasure Hunt Party Game here
Hi Nikki
Thanks for being so prompt in replying to the problem I had downloading the e book. I used some ideas from the e book and it gave me a good idea on how to plan the party. I then modified it to suit our party, which we held around our local area.
My son loved the party and I think his friends will be talking about it at school today!
Yvette Atkinson, Auckland, New Zealand
More details on a great Treasure Hunt Party Game here
This was designed for the participants to buy a gift for the birthday girl, during their hunt. We were at a upscale outdoor mall.
I divided the teams into two groups, and changed the order of things on the second list so the teams would not run into each other.
This took one team 45 minutes, and the other team and hour and 25 minutes. We waited for them at lunch, while sipping on champagne... I received thank yous, and gushing kudos from everyone, they all had a fantastic time.
Sincerely,
Mary Guleserian, USA
More details on a great Scavenger Hunt Party Game here
Nikki,
Thanks for your suggestions I'm well on my way to piecing together a custom treasure hunt for my stepdaughter's sweet sixteen.
Thanks for all your help.
Best Regards
Adrienne Loder, California, USA
More details on a great Teen Treasure Hunt here
Hi Nikki -- I'm finally getting around to answering your emails! We finally completed our Treasure Hunt last week! We had so much fun -- thank you for the great kick-start!!!
I ordered your Treasure Hunt software package way back in February.
Your software was just what I needed to get started, get me thinking about what I wanted to do -- and it was GREAT fun! Everyone, from kids to adults, had a great time! For me, it was like Christmas, having chosen wonderful presents for all -- and watching everyone Ooooh and Aaaah. My participants had a ball! Of course, now that everyone had so much fun, next year I have to come up with a game for EVERYONE -- the grownups want to play, too!!!
Ah, the challenge!
Here's what I did with your ideas:
I used your ideas for the 6 teams and 6 ports -- to avoid them running into each other. However, since I knew I'd be running the treasure hunt during out group camping trip (4 families, 26 people), I had to wait until we got to this year's campground to set it up. Didn't know where I'd bury the treasure or what the site was like until I got there!
I had six adults manning the six 'ports' of call... and four teams. I paired the two teenagers with younger same-sex kids (girls and boys ages 7 - 10)plus a teen = (2 teams). A third team was the moms and 'little ones' under age 2, and the fourth team was the dads and little guys (two boys age 4).
We had the 'group campsite' for 40+ people, so we had our six stations spread out throughout the campsite, in the woods, and on the trail leading to our campsite.
At each location, each young pirate could earn a doubloon by completing the task. After each trial, they had to bring their doubloons to the Master of Arms to buy a piece of the puzzle for their team. After collecting all six pieces of the puzzle -- they then had to use the puzzle to find the treasure map. Once they found the treasure map, they had to use the map to search for the buried treasure.
I made several copies of the treasure map, so as each team completed their puzzle, they could find the parchment map and begin the search for the treasure. You should have seen them combing through the woods! (I made parchment maps ahead of time from wrinkled, coffee stained paper -- then used burgundy marker to draw on the map once we were in the campsite and I knew where the treasure was -- I had one of my sons pace out the path to the
treasure.)
I worked it out so that each group could search for the treasure, but the team that found it had first pick of the treasure. The 'treasure' was a box of gifts from the dollar store. After the first team picked over the treasure, the rest of the teams chose their treasure, in youngest to oldest order.
This is what we did:
Pirate Beach -- each young pirate had to decorate a pirate head-scarf to wear and create a team Pirate flag to carry on their journey.
Doubloon Inn -- Learn to tie a pirate's ship knot -- all pirates need to know how to tie ship's knots. We had the younger children learn to tie a square knot, and the older children learned to tie a bowline. Each child received an 8 ft. length of rope to learn their knots, and wear as a pirate belt. Their ropes went with them everywhere!!!
Gold Digger's Island -- The 'logic' island. (The captain needs a pirate crew that can think!) Sudoku puzzle for the older kids (4 and 6 square for kids, 9 square for adults, 25 piece jigsaw puzzle for non-number kids.) This was the log-jam station. Too hard for most -- I'll change it next time I do this.
Five Mile Lookout -- I had 4 boxes sealed with one of the puzzle-pieces inside. Each box was tied up in 100' of rope knots... they had to really work to untie the knots to get into each box! My husband and son spent an evening tying up these boxes!
Smuggler's Cove -- this is where they had to learn to walk the pirate ship's rope rigging for the sails. Rope stretched out on the ground, the young pirate's must walk the rigging looking through the wrong end of binoculars.
A great favorite!
Hideaway Harbor -- Set up two rope swings (age appropriate). The young pirates in training needed to learn how to run and jump with a rope swing and land on the King's treasure ship (at target on the ground) -- ready to do battle for treasure! (Also a great favorite.)
I used the gold foil wrapped chocolates for doubloons, and although I had expected (and built) the game for three teams, I ended up with four teams.
This meant that the teams had to negotiate (with doubloons) near the end of the game to form a melded team with enough pieces of the puzzle to find the treasure map.
We had great fun!
Eileen Blackwood, Minnesota USA
More details on a great Pirate Treasure Hunt here
Hey Nikki,
The hunt was tonnes of fun, the crowd was 7 and 8 year olds so fairly easy to please. The treasure was a big box of loot bags full of candy, so like I said they were easy to please. Plus the tasks we came up with were fun.
Everyone thinks I am a genius, and I didn't share my secret because I know everyone would said " you paid for a treasure hunt game? You could have thought that up yourself." Which might be true, since I am a creative sort of person, but I was in such a bind, and finding your website so randomly totally saved the day. It's easy to say I could have done this or that, but it is entirely another to actually do it and put it all together like you have. Thank you so much. There were many aspects that I wouldn't have thought of myself.
There were a few adults who seemed like they might be interested in have a scavenger hunt/rally i will definitely be checking your site for anything new and interesting if we get something together. I would love to host something like that, plain old dinner parties are so boring.
Cheers, Beena
PS I will try to get some pics for you soon.
Beena Patel, Ontario, Canada
More details on a great Treasure Hunt Party Game here
Nikki,
Hi, this Laresa Depew. Tonight, Wednesday, I went on the site and planned the treasure hunt stuff for Thursday afternoon. It was so easy, and so much better than racking my tired brain to put one together. I can not wait to use it on Thursday. I also looked at the games and loved them. Over the weekend I will work on the magic show, for next week also. Thank you so much for all the hard work that you did. I will let you know how it went.
Laresa Depew, Missouri, USA
More details on a great Instant Treasure Hunt using Riddles here
The treasure hunt went great! All the girls dressed up in pirate garb. My daughter was totally surprised. They all enjoyed the treasure hunt part and everything worked out perfectly. Your e-book was a great guide to planning an exciting party. Thank you!
RobAnne Burns, California USA
More details on a great Pirate Treasure Hunt here
Yes. we are well on our way. I absolutely LOVE what you have put together.
With a couple of minor tweaks, we are set for our big Youth Group Bonfire and Night Treasure Hunt. We are hosting it on a farm outside with the stations and some added riddles to spice up the hunt and excitement. The date is October 28th and the kids are really getting excited.
Thank you again for such a great product and for checking in on me, I really appreciate it.
Sincerely, Bridget Taft
Youth Director, Abiding Word Church
Bridget Taft, Illinois, USA
More details on a great Church Treasure Hunt here
Hi Nikki
- Yes, I used your treasure hunt ideas for my friend's retirement pirate party. We live on the Chesapeake Bay and had the party at a beach club on the water. It was absolutely the best fun ever and the highlight of the party. People haven't stopped talking about it for weeks now. I designed the challenges to be like the ones on "Survivor," one of our favorite TV shows.
There was a "Walk the Plank" challenge, (a board on sawhorses over a kid's swimming pool); a "Shooting Gallery" challenge, (shooting cans with a slingshot); a "Toss the Anchor" challenge, ( who can throw it the farthest); a "Peg Leg Pickup" challenge, (2 people blindfolded with legs tied together have to be directed by the 3rd team member to pick up scattered items), a "Pirate Word Scramble" challenge, (unscramble pirate terminology); and a "Pirate Memory" challenge, (30 seconds to study 25 items, then remember as many as you can). I made the clues for the map location rather cryptic--some of the players were teachers and scientists.
They all ended up in a little secluded patch of pine trees on the beach where the treasure was buried (in an actual chest). Three teams actually reached the right spot around the same time --I wish we had thought to have a video camera to document it all! The treasure chest was filled with fake gold coins, a gold plate, silver candlesticks and tons of mardi gras necklaces.
I spent A LOT of time (all enjoyable) designing the hunt based on your ideas and it couldn't have been more successful and memorable. People have already asked me to do another one for next year--sounds like our pirate party will become an annual event! Again, thanks for your great ideas.
Jan Werner, Maryland, USA
More details on a great Treasure Hunt Party Game here
Hi Nikki,
So, just to let you know, everything went well. Easter is a big deal at our house.....always has been. My husband and I don't have any kids, but my sisters do, and have been coming to our home for Easter brunch for years...probably 15 years or so. I have always made a game of some sort for the kids...there are 8 of them. When they were little we had yarn woven in, around, under, on top of etc furniture, and knick knacks within our bottom two rooms....family room and recreation room. Slightly hidden along the trail where gifts/chocolate etc for the kids. As the kids got bigger it became more challenging. I've done Kim's games with them, word quizzes....oh many things....just can't think of them off the top of my head. I keep kidding the kids, that they are getting too old for this...the game...the gifts...the treats. But of course, they don't think so :) So, each year, it takes me awhile to come up with something a little different. Basically, what I'm looking at are 8 kids, each of whom is getting about 10 gifts (my Mum and sisters drop off their gifts to me to be included). This works out to 60 "places" within our home that I need to identify as the prize location somehow.
I don't know if this is making much sense to you, as I'm writing it. So I'd thought of a scavenger hunt of some sort for some time. So, I bought yours this year....and I was able to use the ideas. I took suggestions from the "Scavenger Hunt - Around the Home" and the "Memory Hunt". The kids
range in ages from 10 to 18. The oldest 2 brought their boy friends this year! I came up with 60 questions (5 questions per kid) ranging in difficulty eg. "How many holes are in the air tub?", "What brand name toaster oven is in the kitchen?" to "What was tested on November 13, 1996?". The answer to the last one is "the gas regulation pressure test". There is a tag that hangs off the gas pipe in the laundry room. Another one that had one of them stumped for awhile was, "Where do you find the number 39615119?". The answer is the "water meter". The kids like the challenge...they won't give up. I also had them each find 5 particular items in the house. For example....everyone had to find a tea light. These are normally around the house, but by the time eight kids have picked one up, kids #9 and 10 are having more difficulty finding one. I had a couple of other things for them to do as well.
So, it went well. I think they'll be 30 years old and I'll still be doing it. I'll read through your material again next year and come up with something else for them to do.
Thanks for the hunt/games and your emails. As I said, it went very well.
Tracey Stamp, Ontario, Canada
More details on a great Easter Treasure Hunt here
Hi Nikki
- Yes, I used your treasure hunt ideas for my friend's retirement pirate party. We live on the Chesapeake Bay and had the party at a beach club on the water. It was absolutely the best fun ever and the highlight of the party. People haven't stopped talking about it for weeks now. I designed the challenges to be like the ones on "Survivor," one of our favorite TV shows.
There was a "Walk the Plank" challenge, (a board on sawhorses over a kid's swimming pool); a "Shooting Gallery" challenge, (shooting cans with a slingshot); a "Toss the Anchor" challenge, ( who can throw it the farthest); a "Peg Leg Pickup" challenge, (2 people blindfolded with legs tied together have to be directed by the 3rd team member to pick up scattered items), a "Pirate Word Scramble" challenge, (unscramble pirate terminology); and a "Pirate Memory" challenge, (30 seconds to study 25 items, then remember as many as you can). I made the clues for the map location rather cryptic--some of the players were teachers and scientists.
They all ended up in a little secluded patch of pine trees on the beach where the treasure was buried (in an actual chest). Three teams actually reached the right spot around the same time --I wish we had thought to have a video camera to document it all! The treasure chest was filled with fake gold coins, a gold plate, silver candlesticks and tons of mardi gras necklaces.
I spent A LOT of time (all enjoyable) designing the hunt based on your ideas and it couldn't have been more successful and memorable. People have already asked me to do another one for next year--sounds like our pirate party will become an annual event! Again, thanks for your great ideas.
Jan Werner, Maryland, USA
More details on a great Treasure Hunt Party Game here
We had the party last night. Around 20 something seventh graders with a few other ages thrown in. They had a blast. We used our yard and a neighbor's yard for the play area (not too big, but some room to run) and buried the treasure on the edge of the property. The planning was relatively easy with your planner. The kids hadn't done anything similar at any other party they've been to - which is exactly what my daughter wanted. The checklist was a blessing - it helped me make sure I had everything ready... I think the party was a great success.
The game started at 5:45 and they were completely finished by 6:30 - which was much faster than I had anticipated. But it worked out fine.
The treasure hunt was a great idea and your planner certainly helped make it possible. I never would have found the time to coordinate all the timetables, challenges, clues and instructions without it. It was worth my investment.
Sheri Williams, Montana, USA
More details on a great Treasure Hunt Party Game here
Our scavenger hunt was GREAT!!!!!!!!! Thanks. The book was priceless :)
Sherita McLamore, Maryland, USA
More details on a great Scavenger Hunt Party Game here
We are planning the hunt for May - the last day of school for my 11 yr old daughter there will be 10-15 children for the hunt and they are very excited!, We have a 75 acre farm so the hunt will keep them busy finding the clues and especially the treasure!
My daughter loves pirates, and the whole concept of treasure hunting, can you give me some more ideas on what to put in the treasure box?
I plan on burying the treasure by an old cabin that's been here since before Oklahoma was a state! I call it blackbeard's haunted hideout! Makes things more interesting for the kids!
Rob Waddle, Oklahoma USA
More details on a great Pirate Treasure Hunt here
The treasure hunt went great! All the girls dressed up in pirate garb. My daughter was totally surprised. They all enjoyed the treasure hunt part and everything worked out perfectly. Your e-book was a great guide to planning an exciting party. Thank you!
RobAnne Burns, California USA
More details on a great Pirate Treasure Hunt here
Hi Nikki -- I'm finally getting around to answering your emails! We finally completed our Treasure Hunt last week! We had so much fun -- thank you for the great kick-start!!!
I ordered your Treasure Hunt software package way back in February.
Your software was just what I needed to get started, get me thinking about what I wanted to do -- and it was GREAT fun! Everyone, from kids to adults, had a great time! For me, it was like Christmas, having chosen wonderful presents for all -- and watching everyone Ooooh and Aaaah. My participants had a ball! Of course, now that everyone had so much fun, next year I have to come up with a game for EVERYONE -- the grownups want to play, too!!!
Ah, the challenge!
Here's what I did with your ideas:
I used your ideas for the 6 teams and 6 ports -- to avoid them running into each other. However, since I knew I'd be running the treasure hunt during out group camping trip (4 families, 26 people), I had to wait until we got to this year's campground to set it up. Didn't know where I'd bury the treasure or what the site was like until I got there!
I had six adults manning the six 'ports' of call... and four teams. I paired the two teenagers with younger same-sex kids (girls and boys ages 7 - 10)plus a teen = (2 teams). A third team was the moms and 'little ones' under age 2, and the fourth team was the dads and little guys (two boys age 4).
We had the 'group campsite' for 40+ people, so we had our six stations spread out throughout the campsite, in the woods, and on the trail leading to our campsite.
At each location, each young pirate could earn a doubloon by completing the task. After each trial, they had to bring their doubloons to the Master of Arms to buy a piece of the puzzle for their team. After collecting all six pieces of the puzzle -- they then had to use the puzzle to find the treasure map. Once they found the treasure map, they had to use the map to search for the buried treasure.
I made several copies of the treasure map, so as each team completed their puzzle, they could find the parchment map and begin the search for the treasure. You should have seen them combing through the woods! (I made parchment maps ahead of time from wrinkled, coffee stained paper -- then used burgundy marker to draw on the map once we were in the campsite and I knew where the treasure was -- I had one of my sons pace out the path to the
treasure.)
I worked it out so that each group could search for the treasure, but the team that found it had first pick of the treasure. The 'treasure' was a box of gifts from the dollar store. After the first team picked over the treasure, the rest of the teams chose their treasure, in youngest to oldest order.
This is what we did:
Pirate Beach -- each young pirate had to decorate a pirate head-scarf to wear and create a team Pirate flag to carry on their journey.
Doubloon Inn -- Learn to tie a pirate's ship knot -- all pirates need to know how to tie ship's knots. We had the younger children learn to tie a square knot, and the older children learned to tie a bowline. Each child received an 8 ft. length of rope to learn their knots, and wear as a pirate belt. Their ropes went with them everywhere!!!
Gold Digger's Island -- The 'logic' island. (The captain needs a pirate crew that can think!) Sudoku puzzle for the older kids (4 and 6 square for kids, 9 square for adults, 25 piece jigsaw puzzle for non-number kids.) This was the log-jam station. Too hard for most -- I'll change it next time I do this.
Five Mile Lookout -- I had 4 boxes sealed with one of the puzzle-pieces inside. Each box was tied up in 100' of rope knots... they had to really work to untie the knots to get into each box! My husband and son spent an evening tying up these boxes!
Smuggler's Cove -- this is where they had to learn to walk the pirate ship's rope rigging for the sails. Rope stretched out on the ground, the young pirate's must walk the rigging looking through the wrong end of binoculars.
A great favorite!
Hideaway Harbor -- Set up two rope swings (age appropriate). The young pirates in training needed to learn how to run and jump with a rope swing and land on the King's treasure ship (at target on the ground) -- ready to do battle for treasure! (Also a great favorite.)
I used the gold foil wrapped chocolates for doubloons, and although I had expected (and built) the game for three teams, I ended up with four teams.
This meant that the teams had to negotiate (with doubloons) near the end of the game to form a melded team with enough pieces of the puzzle to find the treasure map.
We had great fun!
Eileen Blackwood, Minnesota USA
More details on a great Pirate Treasure Hunt here
Yes. we are well on our way. I absolutely LOVE what you have put together.
With a couple of minor tweaks, we are set for our big Youth Group Bonfire and Night Treasure Hunt. We are hosting it on a farm outside with the stations and some added riddles to spice up the hunt and excitement. The date is October 28th and the kids are really getting excited.
Thank you again for such a great product and for checking in on me, I really appreciate it.
Sincerely, Bridget Taft
Youth Director, Abiding Word Church
Bridget Taft, Illinois, USA
More details on a great Church Treasure Hunt here
Thank you for your interest. Our National Treasure Hunt was a success.
We had an awards ceremony and the winning team received medals. We also had a balloon toss, horseshoe games, a coloring contest and a chili cook-off, all those contestants receiving awards. A magic show capped the evening. 60-70 people were in attendance, ages 2-80 years old.
Our event was a success. Thanks.
Sandra Stegen, USA
More details on a great Scavenger Hunt Party Game here
I really appreciate the game. We used the game for youth church activity. The group ranging from 12- 18 years old had a fun time together. The puzzle pieces had a riddle on it that led them to the key to the treasure chest. We had a wonderful time.
Justin Peters, Massachusetts USA
More details on a great Church Treasure Hunt here
We had the party last night. Around 20 something seventh graders with a few other ages thrown in. They had a blast. We used our yard and a neighbor's yard for the play area (not too big, but some room to run) and buried the treasure on the edge of the property. The planning was relatively easy with your planner. The kids hadn't done anything similar at any other party they've been to - which is exactly what my daughter wanted. The checklist was a blessing - it helped me make sure I had everything ready... I think the party was a great success.
The game started at 5:45 and they were completely finished by 6:30 - which was much faster than I had anticipated. But it worked out fine.
The treasure hunt was a great idea and your planner certainly helped make it possible. I never would have found the time to coordinate all the timetables, challenges, clues and instructions without it. It was worth my investment.
Sheri Williams, Montana, USA
More details on a great Treasure Hunt Party Game here
Hey Nikki,
The hunt was tonnes of fun, the crowd was 7 and 8 year olds so fairly easy to please. The treasure was a big box of loot bags full of candy, so like I said they were easy to please. Plus the tasks we came up with were fun.
Everyone thinks I am a genius, and I didn't share my secret because I know everyone would said " you paid for a treasure hunt game? You could have thought that up yourself." Which might be true, since I am a creative sort of person, but I was in such a bind, and finding your website so randomly totally saved the day. It's easy to say I could have done this or that, but it is entirely another to actually do it and put it all together like you have. Thank you so much. There were many aspects that I wouldn't have thought of myself.
There were a few adults who seemed like they might be interested in have a scavenger hunt/rally i will definitely be checking your site for anything new and interesting if we get something together. I would love to host something like that, plain old dinner parties are so boring.
Cheers, Beena
PS I will try to get some pics for you soon.
Beena Patel, Ontario, Canada
More details on a great Treasure Hunt Party Game here
I'm a procrastinator and the treasure hunt party is tomorrow night!!! So no time to write much now - but, I'll try to let you know how it all went! I am loving the package and it is working out nicely - so far - so good! THANKS! And, thanks for having something IMMEDIATELY available for a procrastinator like me! It's for a group of freshman girls and I think it will be tons of fun! THANKS!
Lynne Allenspach, Montana USA
More details on a great Treasure Hunt Party Game here
I used the Treasure Hunt Game ('The Great Hunt for Summer Vacation') for a group of 1st through 5th graders (about 80 kids) as part of our last day of school activities. They had a great time. Several kids asked me if we'll be able to do it again next year. Some of the parent volunteers and teachers encouraged me to keep all the props and signs so we can use the game again. The teachers really enjoyed it.
I'm planning to use the game once again for a class party for my son this summer ... probably with a different theme. It was easy to set up, and the challenge ideas were awesome. Thanks!
Julie Keller, Wisconsin USA
More details on a great Treasure Hunt Party Game here
I had the treasure hunt. Although we made changes from what you suggested, I was able to use many suggestions from your material. It was so awesome, I'll be doing another one for the family children at Thanksgiving (about 12 kids from 4-12).
Eric Waddell, North Carolina, USA
More details on a great Family Treasure Hunt here
Nikki,
The party started off great until a group of the kids ran into a security guard who insisted that it was against mall policy and would not let them continue. I had already checked the mall website and code of conduct as well as spoke to some of the retail stores so that they knew what was going
on and all were ok with it. I did not call the mall office which I should have done but the stores were very open to the hunt so I saw no reason to do that as well. The security guard would not let me speak to his supervisor nor was there any mall management there on a Saturday. I gave up and took
the kids bowling but the kids loved the idea and insisted on figuring out the clues that they had not gotten to yet. I have since spoken to mall management, it was not against mall policy and they are sending out apologies to all kids involved as well as rescheduling the hunt and giving the kids gift cards and other things to help make up for the rude, stupid security guard.
Here is a list of the clues and activities that they were supposed to do. I had made a scrapbook with the clues in it for each kid and left places for the pictures that they were supposed to take during the hunt. There were 4 groups of kids and each group had the same clues for the first half of the
hunt but were all in a different order so that they would not be running into each other and such. We were meeting halfway and switching teams so that they could hang out with different kids for the second part of the hunt. The kids loved it and were very disappointed with the security guard (he is no longer employed there as well).
Your information helped me stay organized and I do appreciate it!
Thanks,
Cindi Brackins, North Carolina, USA
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Nikki,
We are planning a company picnic on July 30 of this year in Morrison, Illinois, USA. We usually have around 175 people there with ages ranging from 0-70. I'm sure not everyone will want to play, so everything should work out well.
I read the book over once on Friday, but today I will actually sit down with a committee and start planning.
Thank you for support!
Christy Hackett, Illinois USA
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The treasure hunt went great! All the girls dressed up in pirate garb. My daughter was totally surprised. They all enjoyed the treasure hunt part and everything worked out perfectly. Your e-book was a great guide to planning an exciting party. Thank you!
RobAnne Burns, California USA
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Nikki - you are a life saver! I really love it and as a result of your packaged managed to switch gears and really make my hunt something special, it happens on Tuesday, now I have full confidence it will be a winner!!
In Victoria, BC - Tues Apr 10 (I'd already done a lot of pre-planning) for Company Team Building, all adults/
Cheers!
Chris Hill, British Columbia Canada
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Nikki,
The party started off great until a group of the kids ran into a security guard who insisted that it was against mall policy and would not let them continue. I had already checked the mall website and code of conduct as well as spoke to some of the retail stores so that they knew what was going
on and all were ok with it. I did not call the mall office which I should have done but the stores were very open to the hunt so I saw no reason to do that as well. The security guard would not let me speak to his supervisor nor was there any mall management there on a Saturday. I gave up and took
the kids bowling but the kids loved the idea and insisted on figuring out the clues that they had not gotten to yet. I have since spoken to mall management, it was not against mall policy and they are sending out apologies to all kids involved as well as rescheduling the hunt and giving the kids gift cards and other things to help make up for the rude, stupid security guard.
Here is a list of the clues and activities that they were supposed to do. I had made a scrapbook with the clues in it for each kid and left places for the pictures that they were supposed to take during the hunt. There were 4 groups of kids and each group had the same clues for the first half of the
hunt but were all in a different order so that they would not be running into each other and such. We were meeting halfway and switching teams so that they could hang out with different kids for the second part of the hunt. The kids loved it and were very disappointed with the security guard (he is no longer employed there as well).
Your information helped me stay organized and I do appreciate it!
Thanks,
Cindi Brackins, North Carolina, USA
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Hi Nikki,
our birthday scavenger hunt was a GREAT success. Your material gave me lots to choose from and I was grateful. I used the treasure map for the invitations and rolled them up to hand out. The list was on the treasure map and it was 8 items to look for or info to find and 8 were photos to take to make memories & proof of it getting done. It was a teen girl team against teen guy team and the playing field was the city of Wichita, KS so they had a certain time to be back complete or not and the one with the most done was the winner. They all came back with wonderful stories and had lots of fun. I learned though that the guy against girl wasn't the best cause the guys were too COOL to do some of the list, but the things they did they had FUN! Whereas if they had mixed teams the girls would have persuaded them into doing everything.
While planning this double birthday party it has prompted other ideas one for our leadership Christmas party at church promoting unity & working together to accomplish a task.
Also I have talked with our the coordinator who is up for the idea of a scavenger hunt during next summer's Family Reunion. Should be loads of fun.
Thanks for the great info! I am going to try to send a photo let me know if it makes it.
Dena Hudson, Kansas USA
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Hi, Nikki! I have received the party planner The party will take place in Concord, North Carolina, USA, and it will be on August 5th 2006. The occasion is our 40th wedding anniversary party. The age range, I think, will be 'no kids', but I'm not sure about that, yet. And the theme of the treasure hunt is your pirate theme! We think it's going to be a lot of fun!
Judy Quickel, North Carolina USA
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The Kids enjoyed The treasure hunt and has a big hit. The venue was changed the day before from a woodland to a farm . I had 12 teams of 4 ranging in age from 6 - 15 with a total of 48 all on horse
back. The oldest kids were the leaders and had to wait for the younger kids. It taught the kids leadership, teamwork and took the fear away from the nervous kids and made them competent riders, They had cross country fences to jump. I had 8 paid instructors who I used as helpers and safety officers.
I set the game out as in the book but added a challenge per station and each instructor had to judge the challenge and give then a piece of the puzzle and added the Guard and the gate keeper.
The challenges were
1.- The mummy game
2 -the tight rope
3. -4 x Hula hoops hanging from the trees and they passed a baton through from one end to the other using all members of the team. They remained on horse back
4 - 12 plastic ducks on a fence post and they had 4 water pistols and had to knock 4 down ,
5- I tied an inflatable boat in a flowing river and put 25 plastic balls in the boat and gave them 4 fishing nets . they had to remove all the balls and place them in bucket on the bank
6 - Answer the backward questions and fishing for 4 jelly snakes from a plate of sugar using only their mouth
2 teams found the treasure chest in under 2.5 hours while the rest did not complete until 4 .
We hide the chest again and all teams got a bag of candy.
They want to have again next year
Thanks again
Gordon Clarke, Ireland
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Thank you - "It was the best birthday - -EVER" - my 15 year old had a total of 6 girls and they went around the neighborhood to 6 different house to complete the tasks. We had the party last week and the girls at school are still talking about it. Thank you sooooo much.
Siobhan Fox, Florida, USA
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it was a hit and I will be using it again in June and September. :-)
Sandy Andrew, Wisconsin, USA
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Hi,
The party is this Sat. for a group of 17-18 year old teenagers. My son just turned 18 today. We are hoping to do the video scavenger hunt if the weather cooperates. I'll let you know how it went.
Juliane Lewis, california, USA
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Hi Nikki,
So, just to let you know, everything went well. Easter is a big deal at our house.....always has been. My husband and I don't have any kids, but my sisters do, and have been coming to our home for Easter brunch for years...probably 15 years or so. I have always made a game of some sort for the kids...there are 8 of them. When they were little we had yarn woven in, around, under, on top of etc furniture, and knick knacks within our bottom two rooms....family room and recreation room. Slightly hidden along the trail where gifts/chocolate etc for the kids. As the kids got bigger it became more challenging. I've done Kim's games with them, word quizzes....oh many things....just can't think of them off the top of my head. I keep kidding the kids, that they are getting too old for this...the game...the gifts...the treats. But of course, they don't think so :) So, each year, it takes me awhile to come up with something a little different. Basically, what I'm looking at are 8 kids, each of whom is getting about 10 gifts (my Mum and sisters drop off their gifts to me to be included). This works out to 60 "places" within our home that I need to identify as the prize location somehow.
I don't know if this is making much sense to you, as I'm writing it. So I'd thought of a scavenger hunt of some sort for some time. So, I bought yours this year....and I was able to use the ideas. I took suggestions from the "Scavenger Hunt - Around the Home" and the "Memory Hunt". The kids
range in ages from 10 to 18. The oldest 2 brought their boy friends this year! I came up with 60 questions (5 questions per kid) ranging in difficulty eg. "How many holes are in the air tub?", "What brand name toaster oven is in the kitchen?" to "What was tested on November 13, 1996?". The answer to the last one is "the gas regulation pressure test". There is a tag that hangs off the gas pipe in the laundry room. Another one that had one of them stumped for awhile was, "Where do you find the number 39615119?". The answer is the "water meter". The kids like the challenge...they won't give up. I also had them each find 5 particular items in the house. For example....everyone had to find a tea light. These are normally around the house, but by the time eight kids have picked one up, kids #9 and 10 are having more difficulty finding one. I had a couple of other things for them to do as well.
So, it went well. I think they'll be 30 years old and I'll still be doing it. I'll read through your material again next year and come up with something else for them to do.
Thanks for the hunt/games and your emails. As I said, it went very well.
Tracey Stamp, Ontario, Canada
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Nikki:
Have purchased your guide, and am I'm planning the treasure hunt for this weekend. Details are below.
Number of children: 8
Ages: Mostly 5-6 year old boys, plus 2 3-year old girls (who won't probably participate as much as just 'run with the pack')
Theme: Lewis & Clark/Exploring (it's my son's 6-year birthday party and he's very 'into' Lewis & Clark at present). He is also a big fan of treasure hunt-type TV programs, e.g. The Amazing Race and Treasure Hunters.
Location: We have a very large garden (>1 acre) on a hill so there are plenty of places to hide things. It's fairly 'woody' (lots of trees) around the house, so I thought to bury the treasure in one of the more woody sections, with the clues hidden more in the garden proper.
Ideas: It's not a big group so I'm not sure it makes much sense to do teams. Rather I thought (in keeping with the Lewis & Clark theme) the boys could be a band of explorers, and they all have to work together to solve the puzzles, find the clues, and locate the treasure.
What with the size of the garden and the hilly locale, the game could be pretty tiring. I'm thinking about 6 clues total - does that sound about right? Basically this is the basic plan:
* hide a series of 'artifacts' around the garden in the form of foreign coins or similar items. (This is stolen from the 'Treasure Hunters' TV show.) When the team finds the artifact, they can turn it in to me for their next clue.
The 'artifacts' would be hidden at locations that lend themselves to clues - for example, 'I'm white and curvy and used to live in the sea' (seashell), 'Where the birds go to eat' (bird feeder), etc.
* when each artifact is found, the team gets a clue to the next artifact, and a piece of the treasure map. At a couple of points in the game, the team has to either solve a puzzle or complete a task in order to get the next clue. Ideally, the tasks would be ones where the whole team could participate simultaneously (for example, the picking-up-peas game) and then once any one person (or perhaps two people?) have completed the task, then the entire team gets to move on. Other ideas I have in this genre would be kicking a soccer ball into a goal from a distance.
Thanks for your help!
Howard Sewell, Washington USA
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No problems with the downloads! I've printed off the materials and will read through them tonight. My party is for 8 boys ages 9 - 12. It is a pirate themed bday party for my 10 year old son. We are holding it at our cabin at a lake. Lots of sand so the whole pirate theme should be great!
Our cabin is near Columbus, NE. The party is on Saturday, July 15th so I need to get going on the preparations!!!
Jill Geisler, New England USA
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Hi Nikki!
Thank you so much for your help in getting me the Instant Treasure Hunt. It's perfect for us! I plan to try it out on some neighborhood friends next weekend.
Thanks again! I appreciate your help. We are looking forward to many fun and exciting treasure hunts around here - for birthday parties and those days that we need a fun activity!
Warm Regards,
Lynne Hamilton, Pennsylvania, USA
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Hi Nikki!
It went very well. Because we are a heritage building, I was able to find lots of unusual and interesting questions. For example there are pictures of the classes on the three floors dating back to 1907. One question was how many colours had the double front doors been (class pictures were always taken on the front steps). There are many facts/stories lining the walls up to the attic so I was able to pick out a few interesting questions from there. Anyway the students had a blast. I had also created a treasure map puzzle and as they searched for answers to the scavenger hunt they were also looking for puzzle pieces. At the end they put all of the pieces together and there was a riddle about where to find "treasure". They loved it!
Beverly Ruberg, British Columbia, Canada
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I have been searching the internet for ideas for my Mothers 50th birthday....I thought this might be a fun way to celebrate.... we love to dance, drink some and are wild!
Christyl Seymour,
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Our party will be a week long event held in Italy (Tuscany) during the last week of July. We have hired two large villas each for a week in close proximity to each other for our daughters wedding. As most of the guests will be travelling from Australia (bride) and the U.S. (grooms family) and we haven't met I was looking for a lighthearted theme.
My idea was that everyone could be given a list of items and/or questions that had to been collected over the week as guests toured the area (a red wine label from a famous local winery, a ticket to a Florence museum etc) along with some quiz questions/puzzles etc.
Regards
Jill Hill, Hyogo Japan
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Nikki,
I have read through the game planner and it was helpful. I am having a 9th birthday party for my son this month and I have invited 13 other guests. It is a road rally scavenger hunt, so we will be driving around in teams. I am currently compiling the list. I've decided to set a time limit and have plenty of tasks that are each worth a point value. I hope this works well. I'm not sure how long to make the game, it's difficult to judge how long it will take to drive around and do each task. The list isn't meant to be completed. I am planning on having 3 teams of 4-5 boys each. I have purchased bandanas in 3 colors and will have the boys pick one out randomly from a bag to choose teams. We also plan on having them decorate the cars with glass paint and streamers. If the weather here in Chicago area is terrible the day of the party, we have a back-up plan to move the party to the mall. Because I am so insane, my 12 year old daughter is having her party the next ni ght and we are also doing a neighborhood scavenger hunt for that (15-18 boys and girls). Not as complicated, but we are trying to keep them occupied until the DJ arrives for a 2 hour dance party at our home. Wish me luck!
Cathy Wilson, USA
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Hi Nikki,
Thanks so much for your info! We had a beach party for 3 graduates with all ages attending and had a great time.
Since we weren't in a familiar area, I made a list of "Something (with) ______." The small kids had a wonderful time and felt very included.
With appreciation,
Gail Fletcher, USA
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I am in Montreal, NC, USA planning a birthday party for my grandson and his friends ages 10-12, though some younger brothers and sisters and parents will probably join in. I am the grandmother writing on the grandfathers e-mail. We live on the side of a mountain with steep slopes, lots of stone steps, a creek, a large goldfish pond and lots of good places to hide things. The party is an annual occasion with most of the children running wild, chasing each other, in what appears to an adult to be an aimless fashion. A few stay inside quietly playing board games. So...
this year the treasure hunt seems like a good idea and maybe all will engaged. I think they are definitely old enough! The party is scheduled for Sunday, June 5. I like the fact that you are interested in feed back and so enthusiastic about what you do! Sincerely,
Gale Hussey, North Carolina USA
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The scavenger hunt that I'm holding is scheduled to occur on 18 July. I'll let you know how it goes. I got a lot of good ideas from the materials.
Sandra Buckley, Massachusetts, USA
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Hi Nikki
Thanks for being so prompt in replying to the problem I had downloading the e book. I used some ideas from the e book and it gave me a good idea on how to plan the party. I then modified it to suit our party, which we held around our local area.
My son loved the party and I think his friends will be talking about it at school today!
Yvette Atkinson, Auckland, New Zealand
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Hi Nikki,
The scavenger hunt is taking place in NYC on May 6; it is a night time activity for a corporate event during that week. Age range is 22-50's and there are about 25-35 people participating.
The part I am still trying to figure out is if groups should just use their phone cameras to take pictures or something else. Any thoughts?
The theme is really just sight around the city - this is the list of places and the clues that I have so far. I got a few ideas from the planner and most of them are just from research. I am trying to keep it to midtown and lower manhattan and will provide subway cards for each person but I tried to keep some of the sights within walking distance of each other.
Whitney Chernoff, New York, USA
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Hi Nikki,
Our treasure hunt on the 4th of July was a lot of fun. We had 35 kids(and adults) running all over the yard in the rain.!! After they solved their riddles the hunt then took them into the woods with compasses and shovels and they had to find the "buried" treasure. It certainly was a memorable day--thanks for the help in getting me organized.
Sharon Kloter, Connecticut, USA
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Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the instant treasure hunt game-it was a blast and so much fun! For next time, we will need to better prepared-my daughter wanted to do it all and selected 45 clue-too many for this party. She also wanted to have colored envelopes which I made from paper-that was fun but too time consuming. I am looking forward to using this again for my little one's 6th birthday in October. Or maybe we will try out the scavenger hunt.
Thanks so much!
Karen Kruidenier, Pennsylvania, USA
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We all had a great time on the Treasure Hunt. Memorial Day Weekend was all family and fourth of July will be all of our friends and their kids. We plan to do another treasure hunt then with some different challenges. (beer drinking, doughnut eating off a clothes line with no hands allowed and a few others). Planning it was as fun as being in it. It was a great time! Thanks Again!
Diane Gregor, Michigan USA
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I made a game for Easter. I do it every year, but your website helped me tremendously!! It has become a tradition in our house that the Easter Bunny leaves clues throughout the house for the children to find
their Easter baskets. I used to spend so much time making the clues, but your website cut down on the time tremendously.
Katie Ohlmann, Indiana, USA
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