Develop critical thinking skills with these fun and challenging Treasure hunt clues for kids. Get kids thinking outside the box and working to crack codes and solve riddles.

In my after school program I have created many treasure hunts.  I offer them often because the kids enjoy the critical thinking and teamwork aspects of the activity.   Also, because I love creating treasure hunts! Below you will find what I have found to be the best treasure hunt clues for kids.  

How to Make a treasure hunt for kids

Work backwards. Start where the treasure hunt will end. From there use one of the many clues or riddle ideas below to make a hint that will lead kids to that location. Then decide where that clue will be hidden, and so on until you have at least five different riddles or clues.

For example: Lets say you want to hide the final treasure under the stairs. You need to make a clue that send the kids under the stairs, for the sake of this example lets pretend you created a pictogram clue (see below) to send the kids to the final treasure.

Next you decide to hide the pictogram clue in the oven, you then create a riddle that leads to the oven, and so on and so forth until you have a complete treasure hunt.

A good treasure hunt will have at least six steps but more is better. Keep in mind the difficulty of the hints and puzzles and the age and abilities of the children.

Alphabet Code Scavenger hunt Puzzle

An alphabet code puzzle is a good clue for school age children who can read. These puzzles require you to connect numbers with letters of the alphabet. For example A=1, B=2 and so on. Below is an example I used during a school treasure hunt.

ANSWERS: UNDER THE WASHING MACHINE

Key Pad Treasure Hunt Puzzles

Key pad puzzles are similar but tougher than an alphabet puzzle. These puzzles are good for older school age children. Using the numbers provided crack the key pad code. If you choose to use the key pad clue keep the answers short. I used the following clue for a summer camp treasure hunt.

2453 – 7225

ANSWER: BIKE RACK

X marks the spot

This clue is more straight forward than some others, it is great for younger children.  Just find a map of the building or your home and put a big on the location of the next clue. Kids will have to use their spacial awareness to understand where they are in relation to the x.

Treasure Hunt Riddles

Riddles are a great way to get kids using their critical thinking and problem solving skills in a fun way. Below are a few classic examples of treasure hunt riddles perfect for school age kids.

​I start with an E I end with  an E but I usually contain just one letter.

• Envelope

I have four legs, but no feet….you come here when it’s time to eat.

• Snack table

I keep time and when I’m done I beep, my main function is heat.

• Oven

I have no lock but many keys, you next clue is under me.

• Keyboard

Click here to see more riddles like this from KidsActivities.net

First Letters treasure hunt clues for kids

Create a list of anything.  The catch is the first letters are the only part that matters.  You can see here I made the first letter larger to make it easier for my younger kids.  If you leave them the same size this clue can be challenging.

ANSWER: COAT HOOKS

Pictograms Treasure Hunt Clues

Pictograms require you to use the pictures and words to figure out the answer to the clue. These clues are great for higher level thinking kids who enjoy puzzles.

Answer: GLOBE

In this example: you start with the word glue then take away the ue, you then have gl then add lobe from the ear. Phonetically you then have Gl-lobe. 

ANSWER: SINK

In this example: you start with the word sing and remove the ng leaving you with si. Then you add pink creating sipink subtract the pi you are left with sink.

ANSWER: HOSE

In this example: start with the word horse then subtract the rse, leaving you with ho. Then add seal, no you have hoseal. Subtract the al and you are left with hose.

Click here for a printable version of these pictograms.

Mad Gab

A Mad Gab puzzle was made popular by the hilarious Mad Gab game. Theses puzzles consist of small words that, when said quickly together sound like other words. When developing these clues start by saying the answer and try to change the way you enunciate the symbols.

ANSWER: UNDER THE RUG

Mirror Treasure Hunt Clues for Kids

These clues reveal themselves when held up to a mirror. To create a mirror clue open a word document. Type the clue you want to appear when held up to a mirror. Open the snip tool and snip a picture. Copy the snip and paste it back into the word document. Under picture format click the rotate button and scroll down to flip horizontally. Then print.

ANSWER: Look Under the Table

Math Treasure Hunt Clues for Kids

Make the kids use math skills.  Make the problem as easy or as difficult as you want! Use simple addition and subtraction problems for younger children and more difficult complex equations for older children. Number clues can represent room numbers, locker numbers, door numbers or anything else you have around school that have designated numbers.

Trivia Treasure Hunt Clues for kids

Create trivia questions.  When the players answer the question they write it in the boxes to the right.  The answers will have one letter highlighted, or in the example below there is one letter that will be in a box.  When they figure out all of the trivia questions they will have a word that will lead them to their next clue.

Make it harder: In the example below the answer spells out a nonsensical word. Kids have to unscramble the letters in the clue to spell slide.

More Activities like Treasure Hunts

You will love creating your own escape room with these puzzles and challenges for kids.

If you enjoy putting together treasure hunts you may enjoy making your own Ispy books. Click here to see how!

You may also like making a Rube Goldberg Machine. Encourage teamwork by asking kids to build a chain reaction machine.