At home! Outdoors! Treasure Hunt Game Idea Collection
Treasure hunt games…
When you think back to your childhood, some of you might remember getting oddly enthusiastic and throwing yourselves into them.
Even if the treasure isn’t a real gemstone, just finding it is exciting and fun.
In this article, we’ll introduce treasure hunt games you can make at home by hand, as well as outdoor versions that really get you moving!
They’re great to do with your kids, and they also make excellent recreation ideas for seniors!
Be sure to read through to the end.
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- Play ideas kids can enjoy from 1st to 6th grade [indoors & outdoors]
- [Elementary School] Quick and Easy! Indoor Recreational Activities Perfect for Lower Grades
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- [Simple Games] Recommended Indoor Recreational Activities for Adults
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- A simple and fun co-op game that enhances teamwork
- Recommended outdoor games and recreational activities for lower elementary school children
- [Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
- Outdoor Recreation Popularity Rankings
- Fun activities for junior high school students. Recreation games.
At Home and Outdoors! Treasure Hunt Game Idea Collection (1–10)
Treasure hunting by the riverbank
A treasure hunt held on a riverbank can be enjoyable even for adults, thanks to the wide playing field.
You can hide small treasures among the stones in advance, or, for young children, make a game of seeing how many brightly colored or interestingly shaped stones they can find.
Also, toy metal detectors are sold nowadays, so it might be fun to search for real treasure.
However, since uneven ground can be hazardous just to walk on, adults should keep a close eye on children while they play.
Park Puzzle Treasure Hunt
A puzzle-solving treasure hunt set in a park you often play in is a game that calls for observation and deduction.
Each time you solve one puzzle, the next one appears, letting you enjoy the excitement of gradually getting closer to the treasure.
If the park is nearby, you can even start from inside your home; if it’s farther away, you might make the park the final goal.
Just be careful: if you set things up too early, other park users might find them.
Treasure hunt in a ball pit
A treasure hunt game where you look for a winning ball in a ball pit is simple yet exciting, so it’s highly recommended.
If you prepare enough balls to fill the pit and mark just one with a sticker or similar sign, it becomes harder to find.
A tabletop-sized pool is fun, but for small children, searching through a large inflatable pool filled with balls can be even more enjoyable.
Conversely, you can easily have fun by putting ping-pong balls in a small pool, so try adjusting the setup and rules to suit your participants and location.
At Home! Outdoors! Treasure Hunt Game Idea Collection (11–20)
Beanbag Treasure Hunt
This is a game where you hide a beanbag under one of several overturned paper cups and guess which one it’s in.
Since you only need a tabletop and minimal preparation, it’s enjoyable for a wide range of ages, from children to seniors.
You can play head-to-head by taking turns lifting cups, or compete to see who can find the beanbag hidden under the cups placed in front of each player first.
It’s nice that the simple rules allow for many variations.
By increasing the difficulty—such as by re-covering cups after they’ve been opened—it also becomes a memory-training activity.
It’s an easy-to-play treasure-hunt game.
Treasure hunt with magnets
It’s a game where you place a magnet under a prepared treasure map and find the treasure by tracing the map with a magnet until it sticks.
You can enjoy a treasure hunt using just a single map spread out on a table, and because it uses the properties of magnets, it can feel like a mysterious experience for younger children.
You can also make maps of your home or a park and hide treasures where the magnet reacts, making it fun for older children with a wider range of activities.
With a little creativity, it’s an enjoyable treasure hunt game both indoors and outdoors, and highly recommended.
Pull-and-Find Treasure Hunt Game
It’s a treasure-hunt game where you pull a basket or box filled with various items using a string or similar, and search inside for the target item.
Because it simultaneously trains different abilities—arm strength for pulling the string, listening skills to accurately catch the prompt, and eyesight to find the presented item—it’s highly recommended as a recreational activity for older adults.
If you make it competitive, it also requires quick reaction, which can boost abilities while having fun—another big advantage.
Of course, young children can gain the same benefits, so give it a try!
Gem-Digging Game
A gemstone excavation game, where you chip away at a stone to uncover the raw gem hidden inside, offers the thrilling excitement of not knowing what you’ll find until you discover it.
In recent years, various types have been sold at 100-yen shops, so why not look for one? The anticipation of not knowing which rough stone will appear and the exhilaration of hitting a rare item will get you pumped, just like a real treasure hunt.
It’s easy to play indoors, so give it a try when rain keeps you from going outside.