Sweetie Pie and I thought it was fun. The Babes was too young to understand and the Spencinator was in a bad mood or something and didn't want to participate. At least I have one kid who appreciates my efforts.
It took a bit of preparation to hide the clues, I had to make sure the kids were distracted and not watching me or following me around.
Once all the clues were hidden, I announced that we were having a Christmas treasure hunt and told them that the first clue was hidden in the Christmas tree.
There were 10 clues in total and the whole activity went by pretty fast.
I got the idea from here and modified it a bit.
Here are the clues. I used mostly ornaments to represent the clues, but you could also use pictures if you don't have the real thing.
1 Tree
(Hide this in your Christmas tree to begin the treasure hunt.)
A fir tree is so
pretty and green
All through the year,
Just like God’s love for us
that is so dear
Your next clue you will find where your parents rest their
mind.
2 Star
(Hide this clue on/under the parent's
pillows)
The star that sparkled in the night
showed shepherds where to go.
To find another clue for you, look where you watch a show.
3 Candle
(Hide this clue near the TV)
Candles sparkle at Christmas time
we see them everywhere.
It’s time to find
another clue look where you wash your hair.
4 Wreath
(Hide this clue in the shower)
Wreaths bring warmth and joy to all,
Their colors bright and bold
To find a clue that’s meant for you, look where food is
always cold.
5 Ornament
(Hide this clue in the refrigerator)
Ornaments shine in Christmas trees
they shimmer, glow, and gleam.
Now off to find
another clue, look where your hands you go to clean.
6 Holly
(Hide this clue near/in the bathroom sink)
Holly green, holly
red,
Holly on your head.
For your next clue, go look under the cushion of the couch.
7 Gift box
(Hide this clue under the cushion of a couch)
Gifts are wonderful to receive,
but to give is even better.
To find a gift that was meant for all, look where you would
find a letter.
8 Candy cane
(Hide this clue in the mailbox)
A candy cane is red
and white,
it’s a favorite Christmas treat.
To find another clue for you, look where guests you always
greet.
9 Bell
(Hide this clue near the front door)
When bells you hear at Christmas time,
it puts you in the mood.
Now off again to find
a clue, look where you eat your food.
10 Treat
(Hide this and your plate of treats under the kitchen table [or on a
chair])
Yay! You found the treat!
Now eat quietly while mom and dad share a lesson about Christmas
While the kids ate their treats (homemade chocolate chip cookies), we told them about various symbols of Christmas and what they mean.
It was fun and I really liked the treasure hunt idea. I think the Spencinator would have liked it more if it was just for him so he wouldn't have to compete with his sister to find the clues. Maybe next year we'll have three treasure hunts, one for each kid.
What fun things are you doing with your kids this Christmas season.
I'd love to hear about it and get ideas for next year.
Thanks for stopping by,
Christa
