Treasure Hunt

About the activity

We all love the fun of finding treasure and we hope that this book will have ‘treasure’ for you to discover. But your grandchildren will enjoy a different sort of treasure hunt!

UNDER 2 AND MOBILE

Get a few containers such as buckets or ice-cream containers. Under each container hide something that the child may be interested in. Examples of things to hide: a toy, something from the kitchen that is safe to go in the mouth, a cork, an empty small box, a musical instrument.

Make a trail of containers with things hidden under each one. Encourage them to look under and find the treasure When the child moves to another container, you can reset the discovered container.

Benefits:

  • Children like discovering things and this game feeds their curiosity.
  • Children are learning about object permanence, “Even though I can’t see something does it still exist?”
  • Moving from one container to another is good for spatial awareness (“Where am I in relation to the container I want to look under?”) and locomotion (“How can I get from here to over there?”)

Over 2

Make a pictorial list of things you could find at the park. You can make this before the child arrives, and you could ‘find’ the list together, or you could make the treasure hunt list together. Either draw items or cut out pictures. Suggested items; 2 leaves, one stone, 3 blades of grass etc. Use small numbers that you know the child will be able to manage. Walk to the park/garden with a bag for the ‘treasure’.

Benefits:

  • Children love being part of an adventure. You may be able to make some art with the treasures when you get home.
  • Walking to the park is good for muscle tone (using our muscles makes them stronger) and spatial awareness (“I need to walk around that tree”).
  • Simple counting activities help establish mathematical concepts used later at school, “How many leaves do we need?”