How to make a treasure hunt?

4 steps to create and organize a treasure hunt!

In the living room, outdoors, at school or even at a birthday party, in a park or garden, treasure hunts come in many forms and for any occasion.

Psst, it’s the kids’ favorite activity! They love this type of animation, as it can turn any space into a great experience – scavenger hunts allow kids of all ages to learn while having fun! Preparing a treasure hunt requires a lot of organization.
In fact, you have to do a little research beforehand and take care of the day’s preparations. What if you opt for a printable treasure hunt? Ideal for saving time with ready-made riddles and puzzles!

Saves time and energy for parents organizing the activity 😉

I. What is a scavenger hunt?

Scavenger hunts are a must-have and a timeless activity that kids can’t get enough of. But did you know that there are ready-to-play printable kits? Indeed, this fun and simple activity exists in printable format!

Often in PDF format, you will find everything on the Internet: free riddles, treasure hunts to color, clues to solve mysteries (hehe, it can help you find ideas)… These options are easily accessible, but not always very complete.

Do you know Escape Kit? It is an innovative concept that mixes treasure hunt and board games. These are complete kits that you just have to print, install and play!

A cheap activity, with reusable and ready-to-use kits for only 24.90 euros, containing everything you need to have a great time with as many players as you want!

All you have to do is print it out and assemble it all, without forgetting the essential: the treasure!

Discover our free countdown to liven up your treasure hunt.

A 60-minute countdown!

Although the success of a life-size Escape Room lies mainly in the fact of having solved the mystery within the time limit, and if you add some goodies or a nice gift at the end it’s a prize that everyone will appreciate… And, above all, let’s not forget that the real treasure of this activity is the possibility of having a good time with friends or family!

Want to organize your own treasure hunt? You’ve come to the right place.

All you have to do is find the theme you want to make (or imagine it for the more inventive ones), download it, print it and the scavenger hunt can begin!
Whether it’s for a birthday, Easter, a bachelor or bachelorette party, a wedding or an important announcement, any occasion is a good time to organize a scavenger hunt!

To organize the perfect scavenger hunt (or your children’s) you will need to follow a few simple steps.

Discover the 4 steps to organize a fun scavenger hunt!

II. Create your own scavenger hunt:

1. Find a theme for your printable scavenger hunt

The theme is the key to the treasure hunt and also defines the final treasure.

Choose the one that inspires you the most to create your own animation around it. 🙂

Want to create your own treasure hunt? You’ll have to spend time, but above all, be creative!

For the treasure hunt to be successful, you’ll have to invent clues to help participants find the places where the riddles and other puzzles are hidden.

2. Choosing the riddles

When it comes to riddles, there is no choice but to choose. Anagrams (mixing up the letters of a word for people to guess), Morse code or an alphabet you’ve created from scratch, photos, puzzles, riddles… So many good ideas that you can combine, modify and adapt to your theme as you see fit!

Here are some examples that will surely inspire you to create your own riddles and puzzles.

Examples of anagrams:

• TREASURE = SUREATRE
• CASTLE = LETSAC
• PRINCE = CEPRIN
• GHOST = TSGHO

There are as many English words available as there are possible subjects for your anagrams, so let your imagination run wild!

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Examples of riddles:

Riddle: What do you get when you mix lemons with gunpowder?
Answer: Lemonade.

Riddle: What color can you eat?
Answer: Orange

Riddle: What have many words, but cannot speak?
Answer: A book

Riddle: What have many keys, but cannot open a door?
Answer: A toolbox

Riddle: What goes up and down, but never moves?
Answer: A ladder

Riddle: What have feet, but can’t walk?
Answer: A table

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Examples of coded messages:

If creating a new alphabet seems too tedious for you (and we understand!), you can simply reverse the letters of the alphabet.

A becomes B, B becomes C, C becomes D and so on….
This little exercise will give you coded messages like this: “UIF FTDBQF TPO BSF HSFBU!”.

Have you managed to crack our secret code? Answer at the end of the article. 😉  

3. Find clues

This phase of creation is important, as you have to be careful not to make it too easy for the treasure hunters. You can also help them orally by using the famous hot/cold: “There, you’re boiling! But if you go to the right, you’ll get cold…”.

4. Organize the treasure hunt

Now that you have all the elements you need to create your scavenger hunt, do you want to know how to organize it? You’re in the right place.

Finding good hiding places

What would a scavenger hunt be without hiding places? Finding good hiding places can be a real headache, especially when space is limited.
If your activity takes place in a room in your house, use all the space and objects in it!

For example, in the living room:

• Hide an enigma under the sofa.
• Hide another one behind your favorite plant.
• Hide it behind the TV
• Hide another one under a chair
• And many other possibilities! 

Do you prefer to play outdoors to enjoy the nice weather?

In your garden or in a park, use the environment around you:

• The apple tree at the bottom of the garden
• The children’s hut
• The table
• The park bench
• The slide in the playground

Let your imagination run wild and, above all, adapt your hiding places to the age of the players!

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The animation

When preparing a treasure hunt, the preparations and, in particular, the creation of the riddles can take so long that the surrounding entertainment is almost forgotten. 

ndeed, you already have the main activity, but have you thought about the decorations, the music and especially the snack or aperitif that will accompany your search for a clue? Don’t panic, Escape Kit has thought of everything. 😉

Have you chosen a pirate theme? You can ask the children (and adults) to dress up as pirates.
For the snack, opt for a chocolate cake in the shape of a chest to continue the theme.
And what about the treasure that will reward their tireless search? Insert small chocolate coins and candies at the bottom of a chest full of delicacies.
The immersion effect will be immediate and participants will be amazed.

Want to organize a Halloween treasure hunt with your friends, and the kids are already in bed? Opt for a dark and spooky decoration. You can play with lights, add fake spiders and bloody cocktails.

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You already have plenty of ideas to organize your scavenger hunt from start to finish.

Whether it’s a birthday party, a wedding, a picnic or a night out with friends, or even an Easter egg hunt, any occasion is a good time to host a scavenger hunt, and now that you have everything on hand, there are no excuses!

It’s a simple and cheap activity that will delight your children and friends.

The answer to our little riddle was: THE ESCAPE KIT ARE GREAT!

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Everything You Need to Know to Run a Great Treasure Hunt (Without Losing Your Mind!)

Organizing a treasure hunt is an absolute hit with kids, whether it’s for a birthday party, a rainy day at home, or an outdoor activity. Got questions? We’ve got answers!

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1. Is Creating My Own Treasure Hunt Really That Complicated?

Honestly, it mostly comes down to how much time you have!

• The DIY route: If you have the time and the creativity, designing your own activity from scratch (riddles, theme, map, etc.) is super rewarding. But fair warning, it often takes several hours of prep time.
• The Printable Kit: This is the go-to solution for most busy parents. A printable treasure hunt kit (like an Escape Kit) gives you everything—the story, the design, and the ready-made riddles. It’s much easier and lets you focus on the animation and taking great photos!

2. How Long Should This Activity Last with The Kids?

The ideal duration is just enough time for them to be fully engaged, but not so long that they get tired.

• Ideal Duration: Aim for about 45 minutes to 1 hour of actual gameplay. Children’s attention spans are limited; if it goes on too long, they might get bored before finding the treasure.
• Pro Tip: If you use an Escape Room format with a countdown timer of 60 minutes, it creates positive pressure that encourages them to collaborate and finish on time!

3. How Do I Adapt The Difficulty of The Riddles for Different Ages?

This is the trickiest step! The secret is to vary the puzzles and use the right age classifications.

• For the Littles (Ages 4–6): Focus entirely on visual and auditory clues. Use very simple clues based on drawings, photos of objects, or sounds. Skip complex anagrams.
• For the Older Kids (Ages 7+): You can introduce secret codes, rebus puzzles, and logic or general knowledge riddles. Ready-to-play kits are often sorted by age, which guarantees you the right difficulty level.
• The “Hot/Cold” Hint: If the team is stuck, don’t hesitate to chime in verbally using the classic “hot/cold” method to guide them without giving away the solution.

4. Is This a Cheap Activity Compared to Other Birthday Party Entertainment?

Yes, it’s one of the big advantages!

• Economical: Whether you do it yourself (you only pay for paper and the treasure) or buy a complete kit, it’s a very affordable option compared to renting a venue, hiring an entertainer, or taking them out somewhere.
• The Treasure: The final reward doesn’t have to be expensive. Chocolates (especially for Easter!), small toys, or candy will delight everyone. After all, the real treasure is the great time spent with friends or family!

5. Where Should I Hide The Clues If My Space Is Small (Just The Living Room)?

Even in a small apartment, you can create magic!

• Use Your Objects: Hide them behind a book, under the couch, inside a sock, behind a plant… The rule is to use everything accessible and ideally connect it to the theme if possible.
• Height Matters: Remember to adjust the height of your hiding places to the size of the children. Avoid shelves that are too high for the little ones.
• Outdoors (Garden/Park): The environment is your best friend! Under a rock, tied to a tree, next to a bench. It’s a chance for them to explore the space in a new way.