Sometimes we parents get stuck and start looking for ideas. Something that makes life more fun- anything more than movies and video games (which we use, I just get a little jealous). Because of such a quest, an idea struck my mind. The roots of it are probably from the TV show Psych, where the dad plays all these games to sharpen his kid’s mind.

Anyway, I thought to make a treasure hunt-type thing, only it wasn’t treasure, the goal was a toy they already knew they had. But the toy had a story, maybe it lost something or it was in trouble. It needed help, and that’s where the adventure begins. By writing hints on rolled up pieces of paper that I would hide throughout the house, my kids would follow them to solve the mystery.

Here’s one I made for my kids today. It kind of rhymes, but kind of doesn’t. It started to take me too long so some of the hints got very short.

1. “Once upon a time there was a princess who lost her magical wand. (the treasure, which was an actual toy wand) So she asked 3 heroes to help her even though it was too big for her hand. (see, kind of rhymes- wand, hand)
When they asked her which place to look first would be best, she said, “Maybe in Batman’s treasure chest!”

2. When they opened it what did they find? A pink little bunny who said, “Do you mind?” When they asked her about a wand that was magical, she said she might have seen it by a wookie and a pink whistle. (magical, whistle eh whatever. Its your game, make your own rules)

3. They found the wookie whose cape was blue, (this was a picture of a wookie my son made) and when they asked him what next they should do. He said he knew of a wise old butterfly who lives on a shelf, “I’ll bet she’ll know” he said, “Or I’m a fuzzy elf!”

4. At last they found her, that wise old butterfly. And when they asked her, they said, “Please don’t lie.” She said, “Don’t worry, I’ll be true. I know where you’ll find your next clue. Look first in what your Dad puts on his feet. And there a friend you will meet.”

5. They found their next clue in their daddy’s shoe. And very close by sat a laughing blue fuzzy guy. They said, “Laugh it up fuzz ball.” (my kids watched Star Wars this weekend, and they loved that line) “Oh, but that’s not all!” it said, “He knows, he knows! Who is he you say? He lives in the water down by the bay. He’s the one to whom you say, ‘See you later…'” (Ya I know, rhyming say with say, o well, time was short)

6. The alligator was tricky, and also quite picky with one thing he said, “Look in the cave, but you better be brave or else you’ll end up dead!” (its a bit dark I know, but it was an easy rhyme and if you use a silly voice it makes it ok…)

7. Deep in the cave a clue it gave to look on the princess’s bed. 8 legs it has or arms it has and is the color red. (a toy red octopus)

8. The octopus sang a song about the princess’s magical wand. And how 4 turtles knew what next they should do. If only they could find them, then he sang, “Look up, the 4 turtles can be found on a cup.” (TMNT cups my kids use)

9. Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo knew where they should go. “Go ask the fox, who’s by your dad’s socks, if you really want to know.”

10. The fox sure did tell them where they should go. He said a panda has it who’s name is Po. Now why did he take it? He didn’t know. Maybe he thought the princess was purdy and he wanted her to come to his party! (yep, purdy/party was the big finish) I had the wand hidden under the Kung Fu Panda DVD. I stuck some other DVDs by it to make it a party. It worked.

The only problem with it is, I’ve been doing this with my kids for over 4 years and they are too quick. What takes me hours to think up they figure out in minutes. But listening to them get excited and watching them figure it out is totally worth it. Hopefully this is an idea you can use.

-Brian Carter