Nikki,
Yes, we had our Treasure Hunt on 11/18. I had a little panic moment for the preparation since we didn't quite know what to get and stuff, but with great help of my 15-year-old daughter on that day, we could make it to a very exciting, fun treasure hunt. So everything went well after all. Thank you.
Rie Bach, California, USA
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Hi Nikki -
Thank you so much, I used the scavenger hunt this past weekend to entertain my niece and nephew at the shore.
I loved your ideas, and will be using your book as a reference for special activity days for my daughter and friends. When my daughter is a little older (she's only 4 now), I will probably host a Scavenger Hunt birthday party for her.
If I need any help in the future, I will contact you.
Thank you again for all your support. I felt your ideas were very creative.
Sincerely,
Christina Desanto, USA
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The party was on Sunday and everyone enjoyed it. Thanks.
Ingrid Kunze, Texas, USA
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Hi Nikki,
I was in a bind for a party TODAY that I promised my daughter a scavenger hunt for. I was not able to focus on any ONE idea to get me started when I pulled your info up on the internet. I'm so excited because we are the "party home" of both my daughters' schools and now I feel I can do this by tonight. Thanks for sharing--and you're right...it's well worth the money in hours of time saved in planning alone. And all this is said before I've even gone through all your info. I can tell it's been well-planned though and that's huge to me.
Shelley Springhetti, Wisconsin, USA
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Hi Nikki,
The party is being held on Memorial day week-end, at a local park, for well over 100 people. We are planning to have 2 hunts going at the same time. Captain Dead Legs and Pirates of the Vernon.
After the hunt we are having a large picnic and will ask our guests to bring a blanket for their family's to eat on. It is going to be an introduction for our family and friends to meet the daughter my husband and are planning to adopt this summer. She is 12 but the ages of guests will run the gamut. Thank you for your interest.
June Paquette, Massachusetts USA
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Nikki,
I have been working on the Treasure Hunt all week, and I'm finishing the final touches on the map tonight.
I am going to have 18 children ages 5-10 years. We are having the hunt at our farm around a creek. I will set up the stations tomorrow. I am excited about using the mummy challenge. My son wanted to have all physical challenges so I put all the younger children in a group, all the girls in a group and split the boys into two groups. I think there will be less competition within the groups. Sometimes boys tend to get too competitive. I have chosen five other physical challenges including a multilegged race, a musical water glass, an egg race, a water balloon toss, the mummy challenge, and a water race.
I am going to hide a key for each team, which will open the treasure chest with their goody bags in them.
I have enough adults for each station. I think that will help.
The rest of the party includes a hotdog cookout, a hay ride, a hike in a really cool creek with caves, frogs, and lizards, and the treasure hunt, not to mention the cake and icecream and the presents. I hope it doesn't get dark before we're finished.
I used many good ideas from your ebook. I copied the station names onto yellow cardstock and laminated them. We will attach them to posts which are in place already.
Thanks for the great ideas.
Sincerely,
Shelley Grellner, Oklahoma 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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It was a great success and the girls (18) HAD A WONDERFUL TIME. Couldn't have done it without your treasure hunt game/ideas.
A beautiful way to spend a fall evening in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Denise Cox, Alberta, Canada
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Nikki, just wanted to let you know that my son's birthday party went really well. I had a lot of fun putting the treasure hunt together and the boys enjoyed all the challenges and especially digging up the treasure! All the instructions and the question puzzle were a bit challenging for them even though I modified some of the questions (they were 8 year olds) but they had fun! I used your 'matching items' game to pair up the boys before the treasure hunt started, which worked out well. Thanks for the ideas and putting it all out on 'paper' for me. I will definitely use it for other parties.
Deanne Benetz, California USA
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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
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The Treasure hunt went well. I intermixed some clues we personalized. I think this went over well and they were the more exciting clues for us. All had a great time and it got the kids out of the house enjoying fresh air. Cheap at the price! Thank you! Sorry no photos taken, too busy keeping up with the kids!
Cathy McDermott, New York, USA
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Dear Nikki,
We are planning a Block Party at our church and your ideas really started my creative juices flowing!! Here are some "stations" we are considering as a way to involve the whole family in some fun together. Thanks so much for your great ideas! The planning/organizing part was THE BEST!
(These are some ideas for station activities. The activities on the lists would be shuffled around so everyone does not head for the same station at the same time. A few simple prizes would be awarded using the completed papers for a drawing. Older children could help younger ones and families could do the activities together. Volunteers would place simple bug stickers on the papers to show that a station was completed. Some of the stations are easy enough for one person to handle two activities. Each station would be clearly marked with its name and directions on how to complete the activity. Nobody complained about the bug theme so I just ran with it!!)
Nothings Bugging Me!!
Family Activity Stations
Move to each station in the order listed on your paper. Complete the activity and receive a sticker from the "Pest Control Officer". Turn in your completed paper for our prize drawing.
Ladybug Station Make a bug cookie
Buzzing Bee Station Sing a bug related song
Exterminator Station Use a spray bottle(Pressurized) to knock over
the "bugs" (Empty bottles decorated like bugs)
Bug Infested Swamp Cross the "swamp" by walking on a
plank(a long board) and hopping over bugs
Bug Tattoo Station Choose your favorite bug for a tattoo
Fly Swatter Station Move (plastic)bugs to a bucket using a fly
swatter
Fill the Hive Use a paper cup to fill your "hive"(small bowl)
with "honey"(water)
Bug Search Find at least 5 plastic bugs hiding in
the church lawn
Pat Swanson, Minnesota, USA
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Thanks Nikki,
Yes, I was able to download it and printed it off yesterday. My party is going to be on Sunday, the 3rd of July. I've already started planning the treasure hunt. I live in San Jose, California and my husband and I are throwing a b-b-q for some people that were very involved with the relandscaping of our yard.
It was a huge undertaking and we wanted to give them all a big thank you. So, it'll pretty much be all adults, with the exception of a few little ones (3 and under). We're changing the station names and officers to things that apply to yard work and landscaping. The treasure will be gift certificates for the winners to a local home improvement store.
Please, please, if you have any ideas for me on this theme, let me know . . .
Thanks,
Mona Boomer, California USA
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Nikki,
Just wanted you to know that our 4th grade treasure hunt was a great success. The kids had a ton fun and requested that we have another one later in the year. Thanks for putting together such a well organized party.
Kim Licken, Ohio, USA
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The treasure hunt was great. I downloaded the new adobe version, and then it worked.! Every thing went smoothly and the boys loved it! I will be doing more treasure hunts in the future!
Thanks,
Laura Morreale, New Jersey, USA
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Thanks for asking, our hunt was a little non traditional, but went well. It was a mixture of geo caching, orienteering, and scavenger.
We hid zip l6 locks that contained 13 items, scattered over our 15 acres. Nothing was buried or covered over. All the zip locks were identical. We had a map with X marks the spots where bags were hidden, and the list of the 13 items you needed to find and cross off.
There were 12 kids, all second graders. Each kid had to end up with the 13 different items in his bag, and he had 16 bags to make his cache. i.e.: You could only take one item from each zip lock you found. If you needed the whistle to cross off your list, and you went to three bags and no whistles, you needed to keep searching for a zip lock that contained one. That's where the strategy came in. We were afraid just finding them would be too easy. We also thought that having all whistles in one bag; all pencils, etc, would also be too easy. This kept the kids busy for 1 1/2 hours. Each kid had an adult tagging along, so I didn't need search and rescue! The kids loved it and I even had one little girl say, she LOVED having to find her goodie bag!
I had award gold medals to place around the necks as each kid finished. They then took a hayride to our campfire area where we ate, had cake, and opened presents. As we live in the Rockies in Colorado, the weather held out beautifully. It could have been a snow scavenger hunt and plan B.
Thanks for all the ideas,
Karen Lasher, Colorado, USA
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Hey Nikki,
Thanks for your emails. I purchased and downloaded your Treasure Hunt Party Game Planner Sunday night and got right to work. You see, I needed a great Treasure Hunt for our Memorial Day church picnic and I only had one night and a morning to get it all done! Your material was a great help and made it both fun and substantive. Everyone seemed to have a great time.
Let me share one quick highlight: my son had a kid's "spy" safe with a changeable number-pad combination. This worked great for hiding the map in. Type in the wrong number and the thing alarms and flashes lights--and of course won't open! It was perfect. What was a blast at our Treasure Hunt was one team put all their clues together and raced to unlock the map. But they kept getting the combination wrong, so a second team ended up getting it. We really had a blast! Thanks so much!
Michael De Leon, pastor
Lighthouse Baptist Church
P.S. for others using your ideas, I was able to make it work with only me as a helper. I used a lot of puzzle type games which was easier for one person--me--to check off then watching people do stuff.
Michael De Leon, Ohio, USA
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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
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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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We had a Mall Scavenger Hunt for my daughters 12th birthday last Friday. It was a blast. I used some of your ideas and then added some of my own. They divided up into two teams by pulling a color out of a basket. Each team was given a gift bag with $2, a digital camera (we have keepsake photos), a pen and the list of items they needed to obtain. I gave them one hour. Some of the items were pictures of different things with the group. They were very cute and the girls had a blast. Each team came back with stories and as the evening went on at our home, the stories got funnier and funnier. Thanks for the help. It was a really good time. We are going away this weekend and there are 3 families traveling in 3 different cars. We are thinking of doing the interstate scavenger hunt. Just not sure if I will have the time to get it together before we leave.
LouEllen Michel, Maryland, USA
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Hey Nikki,
Thanks for your emails. I purchased and downloaded your Treasure Hunt Party Game Planner Sunday night and got right to work. You see, I needed a great Treasure Hunt for our Memorial Day church picnic and I only had one night and a morning to get it all done! Your material was a great help and made it both fun and substantive. Everyone seemed to have a great time.
Let me share one quick highlight: my son had a kid's "spy" safe with a changeable number-pad combination. This worked great for hiding the map in. Type in the wrong number and the thing alarms and flashes lights--and of course won't open! It was perfect. What was a blast at our Treasure Hunt was one team put all their clues together and raced to unlock the map. But they kept getting the combination wrong, so a second team ended up getting it. We really had a blast! Thanks so much!
Michael De Leon, pastor
Lighthouse Baptist Church
P.S. for others using your ideas, I was able to make it work with only me as a helper. I used a lot of puzzle type games which was easier for one person--me--to check off then watching people do stuff.
Michael De Leon, Ohio, USA
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Nikki,
Due to the size of our treasure hunt (140 participants) we found it difficult to use everything that was in the kits. We did use the pattern for the puzzle and made our own clues. We had to run two games at the same time. Both having 7 teams in each game with 10-14 players on each team. We used ciphers, cryptograms, Mad Gab clues, riddles, word searches you name it. We had the games travel all over our town. The games took about 2 1/2 hours to complete. At the end location, no matter where a team ended up, their last clue sent them on a final trek to gain the last puzzle piece. The timing worked out great. This was my greatest concern. Cars/buses you name it started rolling in one right after the other. Remember I told you weeks ago that our theme for the weekend was the Bailout.
Jesus Christ bailed us out. There was no way that any of us could pay the debt that we owe for our sins. He paid it for us.
Keeping with the theme, our last clue on a list they followed read like this. To "B" or not to "B" that is the question. Whether tis nobler to.... Oh forget it, I need a bailout! Go to the bucket and draw out your last clue. Once they climbed up into our "B" lettered bucket truck and gained the last piece, they were frantically taping them together. The first team from each game to read it to me out loud me got an envelope that declared them the winner of their game. They however needed to follow another map to the location to gain the treasure map. Cars were frantically driving everywhere. The energy was amazing. Everyone was having a great time, even when they didn't win. Once they got their respective treasure maps. The hunt was on. We buried two treasures with a backhoe and when they
finally found the right location, the digging began. The girls were able to pull their box out without a big mess. The guys team saw the lid and pulled it out letting all the dirt fall in on the treasure. The note in both boxes read. Jesus Christ died one for all and the treasure is to be shared by all.
There was a grand prize for the winning teams which was CDs from the Christian Band that was here for the weekend. There were thumbs up from everyone. Good game. My only fear now is that I know they are going to want another one.
Thanks for getting us started.
Karen Bowles, Alabama, USA
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Nikki,
I have been working on the Treasure Hunt all week, and I'm finishing the final touches on the map tonight.
I am going to have 18 children ages 5-10 years. We are having the hunt at our farm around a creek. I will set up the stations tomorrow. I am excited about using the mummy challenge. My son wanted to have all physical challenges so I put all the younger children in a group, all the girls in a group and split the boys into two groups. I think there will be less competition within the groups. Sometimes boys tend to get too competitive. I have chosen five other physical challenges including a multilegged race, a musical water glass, an egg race, a water balloon toss, the mummy challenge, and a water race.
I am going to hide a key for each team, which will open the treasure chest with their goody bags in them.
I have enough adults for each station. I think that will help.
The rest of the party includes a hotdog cookout, a hay ride, a hike in a really cool creek with caves, frogs, and lizards, and the treasure hunt, not to mention the cake and icecream and the presents. I hope it doesn't get dark before we're finished.
I used many good ideas from your ebook. I copied the station names onto yellow cardstock and laminated them. We will attach them to posts which are in place already.
Thanks for the great ideas.
Sincerely,
Shelley Grellner, Oklahoma 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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Dear Nikki,
Thanks for your email. Just to let you know, I am planning a treasure hunt for pupils at my school in Derby, England. We are celebrating 50 years in our current building and I am in charge of planning a party for girls aged 14-16 on the afternoon of February 8th. I am hoping that I will be able to use the ideas in your book, although I still need to think up my challenges! We have 85 girls in total, so our teams will be quite large, however I think that I will be able to adapt your ideas, so thanks!
Carole Riley, Derby, England
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Nikki- The scavenger hunt is tonight. we are so excited. We are hosting a New Years Eve Party for our oldest daughters soccer team and their parents. Each family will be a team and will have two hours to complete the hunt through our town. The last item on the hunt requires each family to visit their favorite pizza place and bring back a large pizza to share with every one. My husband and I complied a list on 36 items that need to be gathered, made or have a picture taken of it. Most of things have to pertain to things that relate to the soccer team. I will let you know how it goes. Thank you for all your helpful information.
Tanya Stoney, North Carolina, USA
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The Treasure hunt went well. I intermixed some clues we personalized. I think this went over well and they were the more exciting clues for us. All had a great time and it got the kids out of the house enjoying fresh air. Cheap at the price! Thank you! Sorry no photos taken, too busy keeping up with the kids!
Cathy McDermott, New York, USA
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Nikki,
Just wanted you to know that our 4th grade treasure hunt was a great success. The kids had a ton fun and requested that we have another one later in the year. Thanks for putting together such a well organized party.
Kim Licken, Ohio, USA
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Nikki-
I planned our treasure hunt for our Family Reunion. Our reunion this year had a Western Theme, so our Treasure Hunt was based on a train robbery. Each team had a "gang" name . We had 6 teams of five The Dalton Gang, the Hole in the Wall Gang etc... I had everyone pick their team then they all had to draw different colored bandannas out of an over sized novelty cowboy hat. What ever color bandanna they got was what gang they were in. I thought the idea of a family reunion was to get to know your entire family and this way we just didn't stay with the cousins we were familiar with, it was a neat "trick" and very funny! Each station was a train depot and they all had Western town names, Laredo, Death Valley, Dodge City etc..
At each station the tasks also stayed within our theme. We had hoppy balls that looked like horseys, there was a course they had to bounce along (it was so funny!), stick horse races, one station they had to apply a brand tattoo and wear a cowboy hat, it was all simple, fast and FUN. The final clue was placed on a swing at the campsite and the swing was shaped like a horse (that wasn't planned, it just happened!). The treasure wasn't buried, but hidden under a HUGE bush so the winning team had to actually burrow under the foliage to find the chest. The chest was a replica of a train chest, complete with a big ole rusty padlock.
The winning gang had to return to the shelter house to open the chest after we had gathered all the teams back. The treasure was play money, gold nugget gum, bubble gum foil coins and foil chocolate coins. I also had suckers shaped like stars, and cactus and cowboy boots, and mardigras beads. I curled metallic ribbon and when they opened the chest there were a lot of oohhh's and ahhh's. This game was a BLAST and everyone was talking about it, I can't wait to see the pictures! It was a lot of prep time, but it was SO worth it. My cousin and I are talking about doing a version for Homecoming this fall!
Thanks so much.
Debbie Leaming, Oklahoma, USA
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Dear Nikki,
Thanks for your email. Just to let you know, I am planning a treasure hunt for pupils at my school in Derby, England. We are celebrating 50 years in our current building and I am in charge of planning a party for girls aged 14-16 on the afternoon of February 8th. I am hoping that I will be able to use the ideas in your book, although I still need to think up my challenges! We have 85 girls in total, so our teams will be quite large, however I think that I will be able to adapt your ideas, so thanks!
Carole Riley, Derby, England
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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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Hello.
I read your book yesterday. I will being doing the Scavenger Hunt some time in July. I have until then to get it together. I am doing it for an age group of 12-17 both boys and girls. There should be approximately 6 girls and 6 boys. If invite another group it could potentially be more. For two years I had a neighborhood girls ministry. We use to do all kinds of things. That has been over for about 2 years. Recently I had a bible study for 12 year old boys in my home. That's been over for a month or so. Both groups have asked me to have 'something' for them this summer. They miss me, ahhhh. ha ha just kidding - they like being entertained. Anyway, both were bible study type deals in the past. The hunt doesn't have to do with the bible BUT I am sending them a paper with some short scripture fill in the blanks...that will be their ticket to come to the hunt. I'm thinking about having it in our downtown area - we live a small community. We can be at the park and they will have access to the city building, library, post office, tennis courts, river front, businesses, restaurants, etc... They can work for a while - break for lunch - and go again. I think it will be the boys against the girls. I have a lot of ideas running through my head. I'm going to need to go back through your book and write things down this time. I still need to think about what they have to do, why, what the prizes are etc... Lots to do yet.
Thanks for taking the time to help.
Michelle Green, Kentucky USA
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Dear Nikki,
Thanks for your email. Just to let you know, I am planning a treasure hunt for pupils at my school in Derby, England. We are celebrating 50 years in our current building and I am in charge of planning a party for girls aged 14-16 on the afternoon of February 8th. I am hoping that I will be able to use the ideas in your book, although I still need to think up my challenges! We have 85 girls in total, so our teams will be quite large, however I think that I will be able to adapt your ideas, so thanks!
Carole Riley, Derby, England
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Hi Nikki,
Yes, I have downloaded the Treasure Hunt Party game Planner and bonus gifts. I actually downloaded them right after I ordered the product. It was great. Very fast and very easy. I have briefly read thru the Planner and I think it will make my next Treasure Hunt Party MUCH easier. I am planning one for my daughter's birthday which is not until February so I have plenty of time. I have done a couple of treasure hunts prior to this and they were ALOT of work. The first two I did were like yours where there were stations to go to and some kind of challenge to perform. The last one I did was for my daughter's birthday this past February. It was a Harry Potter Treasure Hunt party and I did not have a lot of time so I just did riddles/cryptograms that led them to another clue in the house and eventually to the treasure.
I like the idea of stations and challenges, however. I think the party in Feb 09 will be much better than the one I did last year. My daughter will be turning 11 in February just to give you an idea of the age group. Last year I found the girls to be quite sharp which is why I purchased the adults/any age group planner. They all really love treasure hunts so this may become an annual event.
Saroja Raman, Maryland, 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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The Treasure hunt went well. I intermixed some clues we personalized. I think this went over well and they were the more exciting clues for us. All had a great time and it got the kids out of the house enjoying fresh air. Cheap at the price! Thank you! Sorry no photos taken, too busy keeping up with the kids!
Cathy McDermott, New York, USA
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Hello Nikki,
Yes we just had our treasure hunt this weekend for 12 boys age 7 (1st graders). they were divided into 4 teams (red, green, blue and white bandanas which they wore on their heads and doubled as blindfolds when needed ). it was a huge success. I appreciate the information you sent to us, it helped guide us to create our own treasure hunt.
We had 5 stations numbered (not using the cities, kids this age can't read well enough) with challenges; 1) a small obstacle course they had to do blindfolded 2) a top of a xerox box which we made a paper maze in which they had to blow a jawbreaker with a straw to homebase 3) a board that they had to attach 4 puzzle pieces with screws and bolts (holes were predrilled for large lag bolts) and 4) apple dunking (which the apples were too large so all they really did was get wet. #5 was the final area where they dug the treasures up. Each team was given a list of stations in the order they were supposed to go, so all they had to do was find #1, then #2, #3, etc. it was a shotgun start and they all went to different stations, no kids were at the same station at the same time but we would see each team coming and going as our team arrived and left...
At the successful conclusion of each station, they got 1/4 of a paper treasure map puzzle which told them all to go to #5. when they got to #5 (they all arrived about the same time) there were 4 clues on a fence each by color and they told them to walk 5 steps to the left or 10 fenceposts away etc where they had to dig. My husband and i had pre-buried about 1 foot into the ground 4 treasure boxes i found at hobby lobby ($4 each) spraypainted gold and filled with 3 cans of silly string, pirate paper money and coins)
I gave them hand shovels to dig up the treasures and after they did so they had a silly string battle. they loved it. We also had a treasure chest pinata ready in a nearby tree and they banged on that. we had chicken nuggets and tater tots and cake and ice cream and then they all left! phew.
Here is my advice. for this age group you have to remember they are just learning to read. clues and challenges were age appropriate and each team had an ADULT leader to help them understand the challenge if there was a problem and find the challenge on our property (we spread them out over 2 acres). We also had teenagers/adults at each challenge to adminster the challenge and hand out the treasure map puzzles. All adults wore name tags.
What you sent was certainly adjustable for any age or intelligence level. I made the treasure map puzzles, numbers for the stations and maps on a powerpoint program but i could have drawn them as well. You need to follow your schedule and it will be a hit. Thank you it was worth the money and i did have several people ask me the process.
I have attached the powerpoint stuff you can use it or disregard it. I packed up my treasure map table cloth, extra paper plates, napkins, cups and cake topper and am bringing it to the resale shop with a little instructions to reuse if they want to have a treasure chest party for their child.
thank you very much
Karen Rowan, Colorado, USA
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Hi Nikki -
Thank you so much, I used the scavenger hunt this past weekend to entertain my niece and nephew at the shore.
I loved your ideas, and will be using your book as a reference for special activity days for my daughter and friends. When my daughter is a little older (she's only 4 now), I will probably host a Scavenger Hunt birthday party for her.
If I need any help in the future, I will contact you.
Thank you again for all your support. I felt your ideas were very creative.
Sincerely,
Christina Desanto, USA
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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
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Nikki-
I wound up dividing the two groups and the party was an absolute blast!!!! I really appreciate you emailing me back. You have WONDERFUL follow up! It is good to know that in the future having a one group hunt is always an option.
I gathered many tips from your book and added, changed, revised, etc. It was an incredible layout for brainstorming. I can't thank you enough. I was unsure of my age group (15-16 yrs). They are at a really delicate age... but one of the boys from the party told my daughter that now all future parties are to be at our house!!!
Thanks again and God Bless!
Laura Veri, Missouri, USA
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The Treasure hunt went well. I intermixed some clues we personalized. I think this went over well and they were the more exciting clues for us. All had a great time and it got the kids out of the house enjoying fresh air. Cheap at the price! Thank you! Sorry no photos taken, too busy keeping up with the kids!
Cathy McDermott, New York, USA
More details on a great Instant Treasure Hunt using Riddles here
I am planning a surprise 16th birthday party with a pirate theme for my daughter. The pirate treasure hunt will take place in a park in Yucaipa, CA. The party is for girls around my daughter's age. I have planned a treasure hunt around the park, enlisted some helpers and plan to 'bury' the treasure in a painted styrofoam chest filled with gifts from the .99 cent store under some bushes. We will begin by kidnapping my daughter from a local ice cream shop and proceed to the park for the treasure hunt. I think it will be great fun and I hope the girls will dress up in pirate garb. If not, I have some props for them. I'll let you know how it went after Friday.
RobAnne Burns, California USA
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We had a Mall Scavenger Hunt for my daughters 12th birthday last Friday. It was a blast. I used some of your ideas and then added some of my own. They divided up into two teams by pulling a color out of a basket. Each team was given a gift bag with $2, a digital camera (we have keepsake photos), a pen and the list of items they needed to obtain. I gave them one hour. Some of the items were pictures of different things with the group. They were very cute and the girls had a blast. Each team came back with stories and as the evening went on at our home, the stories got funnier and funnier. Thanks for the help. It was a really good time. We are going away this weekend and there are 3 families traveling in 3 different cars. We are thinking of doing the interstate scavenger hunt. Just not sure if I will have the time to get it together before we leave.
LouEllen Michel, Maryland, USA
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I am planning a surprise 16th birthday party with a pirate theme for my daughter. The pirate treasure hunt will take place in a park in Yucaipa, CA. The party is for girls around my daughter's age. I have planned a treasure hunt around the park, enlisted some helpers and plan to 'bury' the treasure in a painted styrofoam chest filled with gifts from the .99 cent store under some bushes. We will begin by kidnapping my daughter from a local ice cream shop and proceed to the park for the treasure hunt. I think it will be great fun and I hope the girls will dress up in pirate garb. If not, I have some props for them. I'll let you know how it went after Friday.
RobAnne Burns, California USA
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Nikki
We had the party and it was great. Appreciate all the suggestions in the book. Have a great holiday weekend
Tracey Ivaldi, New Jersey, USA
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Hi Nikki,
We had our Easter theme Treasure Hunt at church and everyone including adults had a great time. I made a few changes to the stations making them all assocated with Biblical Easter, such as the Cross, the Road to Emmaus, Garden of Gethsemane, and so on.Our team names were the Angels, Roman Soldiers, and so on. As one of the kids put it. THIS IS AWSOME. Everyone is asking when the next one will be!!
Also for Easter I had a treasure hunt for my little ones that I babysit. They are 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 using pictures, a tree, a trampoline, and put the clues in Easter eggs. As soon as it was over the 3 1/2 year old started jumping up and down saying LETS DO IT AGAIN, LETS DO IT AGAIN.
Thank you again Nikki for all you do to bring joy and fun to peoples lives may you be as blessed as much as I have seen others blessed for the fun they have had doing THE TREASURE HUNTS.
Brenda Morgan, West Virginia, USA
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Hi Nikki:
Thanks for your help. I am responsible for a treasure hunt as a family activity for a country club. One Friday every month we have family fun night. I would like to include ages of all. We will have to have the hunt inside. I was thinking about making written clues with keys at the location. They take a key and at the last clue is the treasure box with a lock on it and they try their keys. Only one key will work. Or I could have multiple treasure boxes so more than one family win.
Thanks again
Cathy Nemec, Ohio, USA
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Dear Nikki,
We are planning a Block Party at our church and your ideas really started my creative juices flowing!! Here are some "stations" we are considering as a way to involve the whole family in some fun together. Thanks so much for your great ideas! The planning/organizing part was THE BEST!
(These are some ideas for station activities. The activities on the lists would be shuffled around so everyone does not head for the same station at the same time. A few simple prizes would be awarded using the completed papers for a drawing. Older children could help younger ones and families could do the activities together. Volunteers would place simple bug stickers on the papers to show that a station was completed. Some of the stations are easy enough for one person to handle two activities. Each station would be clearly marked with its name and directions on how to complete the activity. Nobody complained about the bug theme so I just ran with it!!)
Nothings Bugging Me!!
Family Activity Stations
Move to each station in the order listed on your paper. Complete the activity and receive a sticker from the "Pest Control Officer". Turn in your completed paper for our prize drawing.
Ladybug Station Make a bug cookie
Buzzing Bee Station Sing a bug related song
Exterminator Station Use a spray bottle(Pressurized) to knock over
the "bugs" (Empty bottles decorated like bugs)
Bug Infested Swamp Cross the "swamp" by walking on a
plank(a long board) and hopping over bugs
Bug Tattoo Station Choose your favorite bug for a tattoo
Fly Swatter Station Move (plastic)bugs to a bucket using a fly
swatter
Fill the Hive Use a paper cup to fill your "hive"(small bowl)
with "honey"(water)
Bug Search Find at least 5 plastic bugs hiding in
the church lawn
Pat Swanson, Minnesota, USA
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Ms. Wilson,
I want to thank your for sending us the ebook on scavenger hunts. We are excited about having the first digital photo scavenger hunt in Brevard. This is geared toward families having fun time together and learning about their county.
I'll be happy to put a link to your website on our web pages and give you property acknowledgment.
Again, thank you so much
Sherry Meaders, Brevard, Florida
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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
Hello Nikki,
Yes we just had our treasure hunt this weekend for 12 boys age 7 (1st graders). they were divided into 4 teams (red, green, blue and white bandanas which they wore on their heads and doubled as blindfolds when needed ). it was a huge success. I appreciate the information you sent to us, it helped guide us to create our own treasure hunt.
We had 5 stations numbered (not using the cities, kids this age can't read well enough) with challenges; 1) a small obstacle course they had to do blindfolded 2) a top of a xerox box which we made a paper maze in which they had to blow a jawbreaker with a straw to homebase 3) a board that they had to attach 4 puzzle pieces with screws and bolts (holes were predrilled for large lag bolts) and 4) apple dunking (which the apples were too large so all they really did was get wet. #5 was the final area where they dug the treasures up. Each team was given a list of stations in the order they were supposed to go, so all they had to do was find #1, then #2, #3, etc. it was a shotgun start and they all went to different stations, no kids were at the same station at the same time but we would see each team coming and going as our team arrived and left...
At the successful conclusion of each station, they got 1/4 of a paper treasure map puzzle which told them all to go to #5. when they got to #5 (they all arrived about the same time) there were 4 clues on a fence each by color and they told them to walk 5 steps to the left or 10 fenceposts away etc where they had to dig. My husband and i had pre-buried about 1 foot into the ground 4 treasure boxes i found at hobby lobby ($4 each) spraypainted gold and filled with 3 cans of silly string, pirate paper money and coins)
I gave them hand shovels to dig up the treasures and after they did so they had a silly string battle. they loved it. We also had a treasure chest pinata ready in a nearby tree and they banged on that. we had chicken nuggets and tater tots and cake and ice cream and then they all left! phew.
Here is my advice. for this age group you have to remember they are just learning to read. clues and challenges were age appropriate and each team had an ADULT leader to help them understand the challenge if there was a problem and find the challenge on our property (we spread them out over 2 acres). We also had teenagers/adults at each challenge to adminster the challenge and hand out the treasure map puzzles. All adults wore name tags.
What you sent was certainly adjustable for any age or intelligence level. I made the treasure map puzzles, numbers for the stations and maps on a powerpoint program but i could have drawn them as well. You need to follow your schedule and it will be a hit. Thank you it was worth the money and i did have several people ask me the process.
I have attached the powerpoint stuff you can use it or disregard it. I packed up my treasure map table cloth, extra paper plates, napkins, cups and cake topper and am bringing it to the resale shop with a little instructions to reuse if they want to have a treasure chest party for their child.
thank you very much
Karen Rowan, Colorado, USA
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Hi Nikki,
You have a great product. We just might be your first customers to conduct our treasure hunt in the nude. Our events calendar had a kids' treasure hunt scheduled for Saturday afternoon. I used some of your ideas to design the hunt, but I am saving the full version for next season when we will have better attendance in the warm weather months. The kids (ages 5,6, & 9) loved it, and I can't wait to put on the full program next year. Thank you.
Stuart Antrim, Georgia USA
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It was a great success and the girls (18) HAD A WONDERFUL TIME. Couldn't have done it without your treasure hunt game/ideas.
A beautiful way to spend a fall evening in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Denise Cox, Alberta, Canada
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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
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The treasure hunt was great. I downloaded the new adobe version, and then it worked.! Every thing went smoothly and the boys loved it! I will be doing more treasure hunts in the future!
Thanks,
Laura Morreale, New Jersey, USA
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Hi Nikki,
We had our Easter theme Treasure Hunt at church and everyone including adults had a great time. I made a few changes to the stations making them all assocated with Biblical Easter, such as the Cross, the Road to Emmaus, Garden of Gethsemane, and so on.Our team names were the Angels, Roman Soldiers, and so on. As one of the kids put it. THIS IS AWSOME. Everyone is asking when the next one will be!!
Also for Easter I had a treasure hunt for my little ones that I babysit. They are 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 using pictures, a tree, a trampoline, and put the clues in Easter eggs. As soon as it was over the 3 1/2 year old started jumping up and down saying LETS DO IT AGAIN, LETS DO IT AGAIN.
Thank you again Nikki for all you do to bring joy and fun to peoples lives may you be as blessed as much as I have seen others blessed for the fun they have had doing THE TREASURE HUNTS.
Brenda Morgan, West Virginia, 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
Thanks Nikki,
Yes, I was able to download it and printed it off yesterday. My party is going to be on Sunday, the 3rd of July. I've already started planning the treasure hunt. I live in San Jose, California and my husband and I are throwing a b-b-q for some people that were very involved with the relandscaping of our yard.
It was a huge undertaking and we wanted to give them all a big thank you. So, it'll pretty much be all adults, with the exception of a few little ones (3 and under). We're changing the station names and officers to things that apply to yard work and landscaping. The treasure will be gift certificates for the winners to a local home improvement store.
Please, please, if you have any ideas for me on this theme, let me know . . .
Thanks,
Mona Boomer, California USA
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Hi Nikki,
Yes, I have downloaded the Treasure Hunt Party game Planner and bonus gifts. I actually downloaded them right after I ordered the product. It was great. Very fast and very easy. I have briefly read thru the Planner and I think it will make my next Treasure Hunt Party MUCH easier. I am planning one for my daughter's birthday which is not until February so I have plenty of time. I have done a couple of treasure hunts prior to this and they were ALOT of work. The first two I did were like yours where there were stations to go to and some kind of challenge to perform. The last one I did was for my daughter's birthday this past February. It was a Harry Potter Treasure Hunt party and I did not have a lot of time so I just did riddles/cryptograms that led them to another clue in the house and eventually to the treasure.
I like the idea of stations and challenges, however. I think the party in Feb 09 will be much better than the one I did last year. My daughter will be turning 11 in February just to give you an idea of the age group. Last year I found the girls to be quite sharp which is why I purchased the adults/any age group planner. They all really love treasure hunts so this may become an annual event.
Saroja Raman, Maryland, USA
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Nikki! You're the best! Thanks so much!
Rachel Lawry, Alabama, USA
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