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Team relay

Treasure Hunt

Also called Clue Hunt, Hunt the Treasure

A trail of clues leads from one hiding spot to the next until the players find the hidden treasure.

people
4–40
time
30 min
energy
High
materials
Needs prep
Kids-safeHR-safeChurch-safe
Watch it played
What you need3
How to play4

Before you start

Write rhyming or picture clues that each point to the next hiding spot. Hide them the day before or before guests arrive, and hide the treasure last.

  1. 1Each team gets its first clue.
  2. 2Teams solve the clue, run to that spot and open the next envelope of their colour.
  3. 3Teams must leave other teams' envelopes where they are.
  4. 4The first team to reach the treasure wins, but the treasure is shared with everyone.
Cards for this game25

Edit them now. Host mode deals them one at a time, big enough for the room.

25 cards
  • I have hands but cannot clap.→ A clock
  • I have keys but open no doors.→ A keyboard or piano
  • I have a face but no head. I tell you the time.→ A clock
  • I run but never walk. I have a mouth but never talk.→ A river or tap
  • I am full of holes but I hold water.→ A sponge
  • You throw me out when you need me and take me in when you don't.→ An anchor
  • I have pages but I am not a page.→ A book
  • The more you take, the more you leave behind.→ Footsteps
  • I get wetter the more I dry.→ A towel
  • I have a neck but no head, and a cap but no hair.→ A bottle
  • I have a spine but no bones. People read me.→ A book
  • I cool you but I am not ice. I spin but I have no legs.→ A fan
  • I have teeth but I do not bite.→ A comb
  • I stand in the corner yet travel the world.→ A stamp
  • The more you use me, the shorter I get. I leave marks on paper.→ A pencil
  • I have a bed but never sleep, and a mouth but never eat.→ A river
  • I have four legs but cannot walk. You sit on me.→ A chair
  • I light up the room but I do not need a switch when burning.→ A candle
  • I come in through the window each morning and warm the room.→ Sunlight
  • I have a head and a tail but no body.→ A coin
  • I hold your things and carry them on your back.→ A backpack
  • I have branches but no leaves, and I hold your money.→ A bank
  • I am taken from a mine and shut in a wooden case, yet I am used by almost everyone.→ Pencil lead
  • You can see through me and I protect your eyes.→ Glasses
  • I come down but never go up.→ Rain
What to say3
  1. 1“Read your first clue together — where does it point?”
  2. 2“Only take envelopes in YOUR colour!”
  3. 3“They found it! The treasure is here — and everyone gets a share!”
Host tips3
  • Walk the whole route yourself after hiding the clues. One clue moved by a cleaner or a curious toddler stops the entire hunt.
  • Give each team the clues in a different order so they do not just follow the fastest team.
  • Share the treasure with everyone at the end — at a kids' party, one team taking all the prizes ends in tears.
Variants2

  • Picture clues

    For children who cannot read yet, use photos of each hiding spot instead of words.

  • Escape-room trail

    Each clue gives a digit of a lock code; teams open a locked box at the end. Great for teens.

Safety2
  • Do not hide clues near stairs, pools, roads, electrical outlets or the kitchen stove.
  • For young kids, have an adult with each team.
Good for

Occasions

BirthdaySchoolChristmasReunionRetreat

Venues

Indoor, smallIndoor, largeOutdoorChurch hall
If this one dies early1