Treasure hunt clues · ages 3 to 9

Rhyming scavenger hunt clues for kids

60 clues for the house and garden, with pictures for little ones and free printable cards.

A treasure hunt is the best rainy day plan we know. You hide something small, leave a trail of clues, and for twenty minutes the fridge, the sofa and the sock drawer are full of secrets.

Every clue here rhymes, and the place does the talking. Each one comes in two parts: a tricky couplet for big kids, and an easy one that almost gives it away for little ones. All you have to do is hide the cards, hand over card 1 and watch them RUN.

Start in the kitchenBuild a hunt

Hunting for eggs? Easter scavenger hunt clues, with Spike's dinosaur egg hunt

Fridge, a paper cut-out

Kitchen

Fridge

Next card goes on the door, under a magnet

I hum all day, and my belly is cold.I keep the milk fresh, so it never grows old.
Easier clue
Open me up and a light shines bright,but your clue's on my door, stuck on tight!

How it works

How to set up a treasure hunt with clues

  1. 1

    Pick the treasure. A small present, a snack, a book, a basket of eggs. Hide it first.

  2. 2

    Work backwards. The last clue leads to the treasure. The clue before it leads to where the last clue waits. Six to eight clues is plenty.

  3. 3

    Hide the cards. Each card waits at the place the card before it describes. Every clue below tells you where the next card goes.

  4. 4

    Hand over card 1. Read it together, then let them run. Little ones need you right beside them.

For little ones (3 to 5)

Read both couplets and show the picture. Keep it to four to six stops in one or two rooms, and go together.

For big kids (6 to 9)

Read the first couplet only, and the second if they're stuck. Spread the hunt over the whole house and let them read the cards themselves.

Who's playing?

Free, no sign-up

Build your hunt in a minute

Tick the places you have at home and pick how many clues. We'll put them in an order that never sends them to the same room twice in a row, and you print the cards with a setup sheet. It all happens on your phone, tablet or computer; nothing is uploaded.

1. Who's playing?
2. What's the hunt for?
3. Tick the places you have

Only safe places are on the list. 48 ticked.

5. The treasure

Your hunt: 8 clues

  1. 1Start cardHand it over to start the hunt
  2. 2Clue 1: leads to the fridgeHand it over with the start card
  3. 3Clue 2: leads to the laundry basketFridge, on the door, under a magnet
  4. 4Clue 3: leads to the towelLaundry basket, under the lid
  5. 5Clue 4: leads to the pillowTowel, in the folds
  6. 6Clue 5: leads to the shoesUnder the pillow
  7. 7Clue 6: leads to the bookshelfInside one of the shoes
  8. 8Clue 7: leads to the mirrorBookshelf, between the books (a low shelf)
  9. 9Clue 8: leads to the coat pocketOn the mirror (tape) or next to it
  10. 10Last cardCoat, inside a pocket, with the treasure

A setup sheet and 2 pages of cards. Nothing is uploaded, no email needed.

Around the house · 48 clues

Indoor scavenger hunt clues, room by room

One clue for every hiding place. Each card says where it leads, and tells you where to put the next card. Mix rooms as you like; just don't send them to the same room twice in a row.

No time? Use this one

A quick house hunt in 8 clues

Hide the treasure under the kitchen table, then put each card here:

  1. 1The fridge clue: hand it over to start the hunt
  2. 2The pillow clue: fridge, on the door, under a magnet
  3. 3The sofa clue: under the pillow
  4. 4The bath toys clue: sofa, under a cushion
  5. 5The shoes clue: bath toys, under the rubber duck
  6. 6The toy box clue: inside one of the shoes
  7. 7The curtain clue: toy box, on the lid
  8. 8The kitchen table clue: behind the curtain
  9. ★The treasure: under the kitchen table

Kitchen · 9 clues

Kitchen scavenger hunt clues

Start where the snacks are. Nothing goes inside the fridge, only on its door.

Fridge, a paper cut-out

Kitchen

Fridge

Next card goes on the door, under a magnet

I hum all day, and my belly is cold.I keep the milk fresh, so it never grows old.
Easier clue
Open me up and a light shines bright,but your clue's on my door, stuck on tight!
Fruit bowl, a paper cut-out

Kitchen

Fruit bowl

Next card goes under the fruit

I'm shaped like a nest, but no birds live in me.I'm holding a rainbow. Now what can it be?
Easier clue
Bananas and apples and pears sit in me.Look under the fruit, and a clue you will see!
Cereal box, a paper cut-out

Kitchen

Cereal box

Next card goes behind the box

I'm tall and I'm thin, and I rattle and shake.I'm the first thing you pour when you're barely awake.
Easier clue
Pour me with milk for a crunchy surprise,then peek behind me with your sleepy eyes!
Kitchen table, a paper cut-out

Kitchen

Kitchen table

Next card goes under the kitchen table

I have four legs, but I never go walking.I hear every dinner and all of the talking.
Easier clue
You eat all your meals on my top every day.Now crawl underneath, where the fallen crumbs stay!
Chair, a paper cut-out

Kitchen

Chair

Next card goes on the seat

I've got four legs and a back, but no face.When you're tired of standing, I'm your favorite place.
Easier clue
Pull me out from the table, then sit down and rest.But first check my seat for your clue. You're the best!
Bread, a paper cut-out

Kitchen

Bread

Next card goes next to the bread

I start out as flour, then I rise and I grow.I bake in the oven, all golden and slow.
Easier clue
Toast me or spread me with jam on the top.Look next to me now. It's your very next stop!
A pot in a low cupboard, a paper cut-out

Kitchen

A pot in a low cupboard

Next card goes inside a cold pot

Tap on my lid and I ring like a bell.I bubble with soup, and I make a nice smell.
Easier clue
In the cupboard I'm cold, I'm not cooking today.Lift up my lid! There's a clue tucked away.

Grown-up: use a low cupboard with pots only, no cleaning products.

Lunch box, a paper cut-out

Kitchen

Lunch box

Next card goes inside the lunch box

I go off to school, but I don't learn a thing.I wait for the bell for the snacks that I bring.
Easier clue
A sandwich, some fruit and a drink ride in me.Unzip me or open me. What will you see?
Recycling box, a paper cut-out

Kitchen

Recycling box

Next card goes next to the recycling box

I eat empty bottles and boxes all day,and they come back as new in a magical way!
Easier clue
Paper and plastic, I gobble them all.Look right beside me, down low by the wall!

Grown-up: next to it, never in it (glass and cans can be sharp).

Bathroom · 7 clues

Bathroom clues

The bath is a great hiding place, as long as it's empty and dry.

Bath, a paper cut-out

Bathroom

Bath

Next card goes inside the empty, dry bath

I fill up with water, but I never drink.I'm bigger than a bucket and deeper than the sink.
Easier clue
Bubbles and ducks and a splash and a scrub!Your clue's waiting in the big empty tub!

Grown-up: empty and dry.

Toothbrush cup, a paper cut-out

Bathroom

Toothbrush cup

Next card goes in the cup

I've a long handle and bristles on top.I dance on your teeth, and the germs have to stop!
Easier clue
Morning and night, with a squeeze of paste,look in my cup! There's no time to waste!
Towel, a paper cut-out

Bathroom

Towel

Next card goes in the folds

The wetter I get, the more I can dry.Now there's a puzzle! Can you tell me why?
Easier clue
Step out of the bath and I'll wrap you up tight.Look in my folds, where your clue's out of sight!
Bath toys, a paper cut-out

Bathroom

Bath toys

Next card goes under the rubber duck

I float and I bob, but I've never once flown.I'm a bird made of rubber, not feathers and bone.
Easier clue
Squeeze me: SQUEAK! I'm the king of the scrub.Look under me and my bath toy club!
Mirror, a paper cut-out

Bathroom

Mirror

Next card goes on the mirror (tape) or next to it

Whatever you do, I will do just the same.I copy your faces. It's my favorite game!
Easier clue
Brush your hair and look at me, shiny and clear.Your clue is on me, or somewhere near!
Toilet paper, a paper cut-out

Bathroom

Toilet paper

Next card goes inside the cardboard tube

Around and around, I unroll and unroll.I'm soft and I'm white, and I sit on a pole.
Easier clue
Next to the toilet, I'm always on call.Peek in my cardboard tube! Your clue's rolled up small.
Soap, a paper cut-out

Bathroom

Soap

Next card goes next to the soap

I make lots of bubbles, but I'm not a drink.I'm slippery, and I sit by the side of the sink.
Easier clue
Rub me and rinse, and the germs run away!Look right next to me, where I sit all day.

Bedroom · 10 clues

Bedroom clues

The bedroom is full of soft places to tuck a card: under a pillow, inside a slipper, in a teddy's paws.

Pillow, a paper cut-out

Bedroom

Pillow

Next card goes under the pillow

I'm soft and I'm squishy and full of your dreams.I hold up your head, and I'm stuffed to the seams.
Easier clue
At night on your bed, you rest your head on me.Lift me up gently. There's something to see!
Under the bed, a paper cut-out

Bedroom

Under the bed

Next card goes under the bed

I have a head and a foot, but no body at all.I stand in your room with my back to the wall.
Easier clue
Hop into me when the day is all done.Now peek underneath me. Go on, it's fun!
Sock drawer, a paper cut-out

Bedroom

Sock drawer

Next card goes inside the sock drawer

I'm full of pairs that go out every day,but somehow one twin always runs away!
Easier clue
Stripy or spotty, they cover your toes.Open the sock drawer and follow your nose!
Closet, a paper cut-out

Bedroom

Closet (or wardrobe)

Next card goes inside the closet, at the bottom

I'm a room for your clothes, with a door you can close.Your jackets and dresses hang up in rows.
Easier clue
The hangers go clink when you open me wide.Look down at the bottom, just there inside!
Toy box, a paper cut-out

Bedroom

Toy box

Next card goes on the lid

I'm full of friends who come out to play,then back in they go at the end of the day.
Easier clue
Blocks and cars and teddies live in me.Look on my lid! Is a clue there? Let's see!

Grown-up: on the lid, not inside (lids can slam).

Bookshelf, a paper cut-out

Bedroom

Bookshelf

Next card goes between the books (a low shelf)

I'm full of stories, but I can't read one.I hold up the dragons and pirates for fun.
Easier clue
The books stand on me, some fat and some thin.Look where they lean. Has a clue slipped in?
Teddy, a paper cut-out

Bedroom

Teddy

Next card goes in its paws

I'm furry and cuddly, but I don't eat honey.I've got button eyes and a soft, stuffed tummy.
Easier clue
I sleep in your bed and I hug you all night.Your clue's in my paws! Hold it nice and tight.
Slippers, a paper cut-out

Bedroom

Slippers

Next card goes inside one of the slippers

I'm soft and I'm fuzzy, and I come in two.I wait by the bed for your toes to come through.
Easier clue
Warm on your feet when the floor is cold.Look inside one! What does it hold?
Pajamas, a paper cut-out

Bedroom

Pajamas (or pyjamas)

Next card goes under or inside the pajamas, folded

You wear me to bed, but never to the park.I'm cozy and soft, and I love the dark.
Easier clue
With stars or with stripes, I'm the clothes for the night.Unfold me and look! Is a clue out of sight?
Crayons, a paper cut-out

Bedroom

Crayons

Next card goes inside the box

I'm a box full of colors that fit in your hand.I draw you a sun and a sea and some sand.
Easier clue
Red, blue and yellow, all lined up in rows.Look in my box! Is your clue there? Who knows!

Living room · 11 clues

Living room clues

Every living room has a dozen hiding places, from the sofa cushions to the back of a photo frame.

Sofa, a paper cut-out

Living room

Sofa

Next card goes under a cushion

I'm the comfiest seat in the whole of the house.Coins and crumbs hide in me, quiet as a mouse.
Easier clue
Sit down on me to read or to watch a show.Look under my cushions. What's hiding below?
TV remote, a paper cut-out

Living room

TV remote

Next card goes under the TV remote

I've got lots of buttons, but I'm not a coat.I talk to the screen, but I don't have a throat.
Easier clue
Everyone looks for me under the chair!Now you look under me. Is your clue there?
Lamp, a paper cut-out

Living room

Lamp

Next card goes next to the lamp

I wear a hat, but I don't have a head.I glow in the evening when it's nearly bed.
Easier clue
Click! I switch on, and the room gets bright.Look right next to me, in my circle of light!

Grown-up: next to the base, never touching the bulb.

Houseplant, a paper cut-out

Living room

Houseplant

Next card goes next to the pot

I drink when you water me, but I have no mouth.I eat only sunlight, and I never go out.
Easier clue
Green leaves on top and my roots down below.Look by my pot, where I sit and I grow!
Clock, a paper cut-out

Living room

Clock

Next card goes under the clock (a clock on a low shelf)

I've got a face and two hands, but no nose.I tick and I tock, and I never doze.
Easier clue
My big hand and small hand go round and around.Look under me! Tick tock, what a sound!
Rug, a paper cut-out

Living room

Rug

Next card goes under a corner

I lie on the floor, but I'm never asleep.Everyone walks on me. I don't make a peep.
Easier clue
I'm soft on your feet, and I'm square or I'm round.Lift up my corner! What's there on the ground?
Window sill, a paper cut-out

Living room

Window sill

Next card goes on a low sill, window closed

I'm a hole in the wall, but I keep out the rain.You can see right through me. I'm made of a pane!
Easier clue
I show you the sun and the clouds and the snow.Look on my ledge, where the sunbeams glow!
Curtain, a paper cut-out

Living room

Curtain

Next card goes behind the curtain

I open each morning and close up at night,like big sleepy eyelids that shut out the light.
Easier clue
I hang by the window, I swish and I sway.Peek behind me! Your clue's hiding away.
Blanket, a paper cut-out

Living room

Blanket

Next card goes inside the folds

I'm a hug you can fold and leave on a seat.I keep you warm from your nose to your feet.
Easier clue
Snuggle in me on a cold, rainy day.Unfold me and look! There's a clue tucked away.
Board games, a paper cut-out

Living room

Board games

Next card goes under a game box

I'm a box full of dice and cards and a board.You roll and you move, and you never get bored.
Easier clue
Pieces and spinners and dice rolling round.Look under my box, where the clue can be found!
Photo frame, a paper cut-out

Living room

Photo frame

Next card goes behind the photo frame

I keep a moment that never moves on,a smile from a day that's already gone.
Easier clue
Faces you love are smiling from me.Look behind my frame. What do you see?

Hall and laundry · 11 clues

Hall and laundry clues

Shoes, coats, keys and the washing machine (on top, never inside).

Shoes, a paper cut-out

Hall and laundry

Shoes

Next card goes inside one of the shoes

I have a tongue, but I never talk.I've laces and soles, and I take you to walk.
Easier clue
Left and right, we go out as a pair.Look inside one! Is your clue hiding there?
Coat pocket, a paper cut-out

Hall and laundry

Coat pocket

Next card goes inside a pocket

I'm a small cozy cave that you carry around.Keys, tissues and pebbles in me can be found.
Easier clue
Hang up your coat when you come through the door.Check in its pocket! Your clue's there for sure.
Doormat, a paper cut-out

Hall and laundry

Doormat

Next card goes under the doormat (the inside mat)

I say WELCOME to all, but I don't make a sound.I lie by the door, flat down on the ground.
Easier clue
Wipe your feet on me when you come in from outside.Lift me up! Underneath is a place to hide.
Bottom step, a paper cut-out

Hall and laundry

Bottom step

Next card goes on the bottom step

I go up and I go down, but I never go far.I'm a hill made of steps, right here where you are.
Easier clue
Hold on to the rail as you go up to bed.Look on my bottom step, not up ahead!
Umbrella, a paper cut-out

Hall and laundry

Umbrella

Next card goes next to the umbrella

When the sky starts to cry, I open up wide,and I keep you all dry when you step outside.
Easier clue
Folded and waiting by the door, I stand.Look next to me! Is your clue close at hand?
School bag, a paper cut-out

Hall and laundry

School bag

Next card goes inside the front pocket

I ride on your back, but I'm not a baby.I carry your books, and a snack, maybe!
Easier clue
Zip me up tight when it's time for school.Look in my front pocket. That's the rule!
Washing machine, a paper cut-out

Hall and laundry

Washing machine

Next card goes on top, never inside

I have a round window, but I'm not a boat.I spin all the socks and I tumble your coat.
Easier clue
Soap and some water, then round and around!Look on my top, not inside, and your clue will be found!
Laundry basket, a paper cut-out

Hall and laundry

Laundry basket

Next card goes under the lid

I'm full of clothes, but I don't wear a thing.I'm a nest made of socks. Oh, the smells they can bring!
Easier clue
Your dirty clothes wait in me for washing day.Look under my lid, where the socks like to stay!
Rain boots, a paper cut-out

Hall and laundry

Rain boots

Next card goes inside one of the rain boots

We love a big puddle. We jump and we splash,and your feet stay dry while the raindrops crash.
Easier clue
We're a tall rubber pair, one for each foot.Look down inside one, where your clue has been put!
Keys, a paper cut-out

Hall and laundry

Keys

Next card goes next to the keys

We jingle and jangle, we open the door,but we're not a hand, and we don't have a paw.
Easier clue
"Where are they?" grown-ups say when it's time to go.Look next to them now, and your clue will show!
Broom, a paper cut-out

Hall and laundry

Broom

Next card goes next to the broom

A witch likes to ride me, but I'd rather stayright here, pushing dust and the crumbs away.
Easier clue
Swish, swish, I sweep, and the floor is so neat.Look next to me, where I rest my feet!

Garden · 12 clues

Outdoor scavenger hunt clues for the garden

Twelve clues for the backyard. Play them with a grown-up outside, inside the garden and away from the road.

Swing, a paper cut-out

Garden

Swing

Next card goes under the seat

I go forwards and backwards, but never get far.I fly you up high, near a bird or a star!
Easier clue
Hold on to my ropes and kick up your feet.Look under my seat! Your next clue is... sweet!
Slide, a paper cut-out

Garden

Slide

Next card goes at the end, on the ground

You go up the steps just to come zooming down.I'm the quickest ride in the garden around!
Easier clue
Wheee! Down my back to the ground you glide.Look at the end, where you land from your ride!
Trampoline, a paper cut-out

Garden

Trampoline

Next card goes next to a leg

I'm a floor you can't stand still on. Try if you dare!The harder you jump, the higher you go in the air.
Easier clue
Boing, boing, boing, with a net all around.Look next to my legs, down low on the ground!

Grown-up: next to a leg, never on it or under it.

Flowerpot, a paper cut-out

Garden

Flowerpot

Next card goes next to or under the flowerpot

I've got no front door, but a flower lives in me.I'm full of brown soil for its roots, you see.
Easier clue
Water my flower and watch it grow tall.Look under or next to me, down by the wall!
Watering can, a paper cut-out

Garden

Watering can

Next card goes under the watering can

I've got a long nose that sprinkles like rain.The flowers all cheer when I come round again.
Easier clue
Fill me with water to give plants a drink.Look under me, quicker than you can blink!
Hose, a paper cut-out

Garden

Hose

Next card goes in the loops

I'm a long green snake, but I don't have a bite.I spray the whole garden when summer is bright.
Easier clue
Curled up in circles, I lie on the ground.Look in my loops, where your clue can be found!
Big tree, a paper cut-out

Garden

Big tree

Next card goes at the foot of the trunk

I've got bark, but I'm not a dog, not at all!I wave my green arms, and I'm ever so tall.
Easier clue
Birds build their nests way up high in my hair.Look round my trunk, down low, over there!
Gate, a paper cut-out

Garden

Gate

Next card goes by the post, garden side

I'm a door with no house, and I swing to and fro.I say who comes in and I say who can go.
Easier clue
Click! goes my latch in the garden fence.Look by my post. It makes perfect sense!
Wheelbarrow, a paper cut-out

Garden

Wheelbarrow

Next card goes next to the wheel

I've one wheel and two handles, but I'm not a bike.I carry the leaves and the soil where you like.
Easier clue
Push me around, full of leaves and of stones.Look next to my wheel, where I rest my old bones!
Bike, a paper cut-out

Garden

Bike

Next card goes next to the wheels

I can't stand alone, but I'll take you so far.I've two wheels and a bell, but I'm not a car.
Easier clue
Pedal me, ring me, ding ding, off we go!Look by my wheels, near the ground, down low!
Sandbox, a paper cut-out

Garden

Sandbox (or sandpit)

Next card goes on the edge

I'm a beach with no sea, and a castle or two.I'm scratchy and golden, and I stick to your shoe.
Easier clue
Dig with your bucket and build something grand.Look on my edge, not deep in the sand!
Garden bench, a paper cut-out

Garden

Garden bench

Next card goes under the seat

I'm a seat for two friends, out under the sky.I watch all the birds and the bees flying by.
Easier clue
Sit down on me and rest your tired feet.Look under me, under my wooden seat!

Ages 2 to 4

A picture scavenger hunt for kids who can't read yet

A two year old can't read a clue, but they can spot a picture of the bath. Switch the cards to Little ones and every card shows the place it leads to, with one small word: on, under, behind, next to or inside. That word is the whole clue.

Point at the picture, say the word together, and off you go. It's sneaky practice for those little position words, too.

  • · Four to six stops, all in one or two rooms.
  • · Hide the cards where they can SEE them, half sticking out.
  • · Or snap your own fridge, sofa and bath on your phone or tablet and print the photos small, for a picture hunt of your very own home.

A ready-made hunt · 10 cards

Birthday present scavenger hunt

The birthday present has run away to play hide and seek. Hide the cards in this order and put the present in the bath (empty and dry!) with the last card. The start note and card 2 go straight into the birthday child's hands.

  1. Start card

    A note from the present

    Hide it: Hand it over to start the hunt

    I'm your birthday present, but I ran away!I wanted to play hide and seek today!
    Solve every riddle and follow each clue,and at the very end, I'll be waiting for you!
  2. Fridge, a paper cut-out

    Card 2

    Fridge

    Hide it: Hand it over with the start card

    Next card goes on the door

    Where does a birthday cake wait to be cut?Somewhere cold and dark, with the door tightly shut!
    Easier clue
    It hums in the kitchen and keeps the milk cool.Your clue's on its door, stuck up there like a jewel!
  3. Chair, a paper cut-out

    Card 3

    Chair

    Hide it: Fridge, on the door

    Next card goes on the seat

    When the music stops, you must find a seat!Where do you sit? Quick, move your feet!
    Easier clue
    Four legs and a back, at the table it stands.Look on its seat, and pick it up in your hands!
  4. Kitchen table, a paper cut-out

    Card 4

    Kitchen table

    Hide it: Chair, on the seat

    Next card goes under the kitchen table

    Party plates, balloons and a cake, what a treat!Where does the party sit down to eat?
    Easier clue
    It has four legs, but it never runs around.Crawl under it! Is your clue on the ground?
  5. Mirror, a paper cut-out

    Card 5

    Mirror

    Hide it: Under the kitchen table

    Next card goes on the mirror or next to it

    One year older! Are you taller? Let's see!Go look at the twin who copies you. Whee!
    Easier clue
    Smile at it, and it smiles right back at you.Look near it now for your very next clue!
  6. Shoes, a paper cut-out

    Card 6

    Shoes

    Hide it: On the mirror or next to it

    Next card goes inside one of the shoes

    Your feet got a little bit bigger this year.What do they wear when you go out? Look here!
    Easier clue
    A pair by the door, one left and one right.Look inside one! Is your clue tucked in tight?
  7. Toy box, a paper cut-out

    Card 7

    Toy box

    Hide it: Inside one of the shoes

    Next card goes on the lid

    All of your old toys are wondering whois the new friend coming to play with you!
    Easier clue
    Blocks, cars and teddies live inside, snug and neat.Look on its lid for your next birthday treat!

    Grown-up: on the lid, not inside (lids can slam).

  8. Pillow, a paper cut-out

    Card 8

    Pillow

    Hide it: Toy box, on the lid

    Next card goes under the pillow

    Last night you dreamed of balloons and of cake.Where was your head before you were awake?
    Easier clue
    Soft and fluffy, it sits on your bed.Look under it, where you rested your head!
  9. Bath, a paper cut-out

    Card 9

    Bath

    Hide it: Under the pillow

    Next card goes inside the bath, empty and dry

    After the party, you'll be sticky from cake!Where will you wash? In a warm, bubbly lake!
    Easier clue
    Splash, splash, splash, with a rub and a scrub.Look in it now, in the big empty tub!

    Grown-up: empty and dry.

  10. Last card

    Happy birthday!

    Hide it: Inside the bath, empty and dry, with the present

    Surprise! It's me! You found where I hide.Happy birthday! Now open me up. Look inside!
    You solved every riddle, you followed each clue.The world's best detective? It's YOU!

A ready-made hunt · 10 cards

Christmas scavenger hunt clues: a present hunt from an elf

One of Santa's elves has hidden a big present, and left a trail of rhymes to find it. Great for Christmas morning, or for the one present you save for last. The present waits on the sofa, under a cushion (or next to it, if it's a big one).

  1. Start card

    A note from an elf

    Hide it: Hand it over to start the hunt

    Ho ho, hello! I'm one of Santa's elves.I hid a big present. Not here on the shelves!
    Solve every riddle, one clue at a time.Your first one is waiting. Just follow the rhyme!
  2. Christmas tree, a paper cut-out

    Card 2

    Christmas tree

    Hide it: Hand it over with the start card

    Next card goes under the branches, by the pot

    It stays green all winter and never goes bare,and this month it's sparkling with lights everywhere.
    Easier clue
    Ornaments, tinsel, a star on its top.Look under its branches. That's your next stop!
  3. Fridge, a paper cut-out

    Card 3

    Fridge

    Hide it: Christmas tree, under the branches, by the pot

    Next card goes on the door

    Santa drinks milk, and the reindeer eat carrots.Where are they kept cold? Not up with the parrots!
    Easier clue
    It hums in the kitchen, as cold as the snow.Look on its door, where the magnets go!
  4. Window sill, a paper cut-out

    Card 4

    Window sill

    Hide it: Fridge, on the door

    Next card goes on a low sill

    Frost draws its pictures on it when it's cold,little white feathers and ferns, I am told.
    Easier clue
    You watch the snow fall through its glass, so clear.Look on its ledge, down low. It's near!
  5. Rain boots, a paper cut-out

    Card 5

    Boots

    Hide it: Window, on a low sill

    Next card goes inside one of the boots

    In some lands, kids leave out a boot or a shoefor a treat in the night. Let's try that too!
    Easier clue
    Big, warm boots for stomping in snow.Look inside one, down in the toe!
  6. Coat pocket, a paper cut-out

    Card 6

    Coat pocket

    Hide it: Inside one of the boots

    Next card goes inside the coat pocket

    Where do your mittens and hat go to hidewhen you come back from playing in snow outside?
    Easier clue
    It hangs by the door, all puffy and warm.Check in its pockets for a clue, safe from harm!
  7. Pillow, a paper cut-out

    Card 7

    Pillow

    Hide it: Inside the coat pocket

    Next card goes under the pillow

    On Christmas Eve, it's so hard to sleep!Where do you rest your head, counting sheep?
    Easier clue
    It's soft and it's squishy and sits on your bed.Look under it now, where you lay your head!
  8. Bookshelf, a paper cut-out

    Card 8

    Bookshelf

    Hide it: Under the pillow

    Next card goes between the books

    I love Christmas stories read out loud at night.Where do the books sleep, all tucked in tight?
    Easier clue
    Rows full of stories, the short and the long.Look in between them. You can't go wrong!
  9. Sofa, a paper cut-out

    Card 9

    Sofa

    Hide it: Bookshelf, between the books

    Next card goes under a cushion

    After the presents, the grown-ups need rest.Where do they flop? In the comfiest nest!
    Easier clue
    Blankets and cushions, a cozy old seat.Look under a cushion to find your next treat!

  10. Last card

    Merry Christmas!

    Hide it: Sofa, under a cushion, with the present

    You found it! Hooray! You solved every rhyme.You're the cleverest elf-helper of all time!
    Merry Christmas from me, with a jingle and cheer.Now open your present. I'll see you next year!
Easter egg hunt clues26 rhyming clues from the Easter Bunny, a picture hunt for toddlers, and Spike's dinosaur egg hunt that ends with a T. rex in your room.Easter clues →

Free, no sign-up

Print the clue cards

Six cards on a page, each with its clue, a picture of the place and a small “answer” corner for you. Every set comes with a setup sheet to tick off as you hide, a start card, a last card with a little certificate, and blank cards to fill in. The A4 files use British words (pyjamas, wardrobe, sandpit).

Free for home and classroom use. Please share the link to this page rather than the file.

The best part

How to write your own scavenger hunt clues

Our favorite hunts are the ones where the kids write the clues and the GROWN-UPS have to find the treasure. Here's how we write ours:

  1. 1

    Pick a place and ask what it DOES. It hums, it swings, it keeps you dry. That's your tricky couplet.

  2. 2

    Then say what it looks like and where to look. On, under, behind, next to, inside. That's the easy couplet.

  3. 3

    Find two words that rhyme. Bed and head. Door and floor. Sock and clock.

  4. 4

    Let the place talk. “I” and “me” turn a clue into a game. The sofa gets to show off.

  5. 5

    Save the answer for the very end. Never start with the place's name. Let them hear it last, if at all.

Fill in the blanks

I all day, and I at night.
Look me, and you'll find the next clue all right!

Try it with the lamp: it sleeps all day, and it shines at night. Look next to it...

Print blank cards:US LetterA4

Before you hide anything

Keep the hunt safe

Some popular clue lists send children into the microwave, the oven, the dryer or the freezer. Please don't. Children have died trapped inside freezers, dryers and refrigerators, and front-loading washing machines are a known danger for small children. So our clues put cards on top of or next to an appliance, never inside.

US Consumer Product Safety Commission; Consumer Reports

  • Never inside an appliance.

    On top of or next to it, never in the fridge, freezer, oven, microwave, dishwasher, dryer or washing machine.

  • No climbing.

    Every hiding place is at a child's height. High shelves and the top of the wardrobe are for grown-ups.

  • Outside with a grown-up.

    Garden clues stay inside the garden, away from the road, with someone watching.

  • Low cupboards: pots only.

    If a clue goes in a cupboard, check there are no cleaning products or medicines in it.

  • Count the treats.

    Write down how many chocolates you hid, so the dog doesn't find the last one in June.

Questions

Grown-ups ask

Want more rhymes? Try our 63 animal riddles. They make a great hunt too: each answer tells you where the next card hides.

What are some easy clues for a scavenger hunt?
Clues that say what a place does. “I hum all day, and my belly is cold” is the fridge. On this page the second couplet of every clue is the easy one; for little ones, read both and show the picture.
How many clues should a treasure hunt have?
Six to eight is right for most children. Four to six for 3 and 4 year olds, up to twelve for big kids who want a long one.
How do you do a scavenger hunt for kids who can't read?
Use pictures. Switch the cards to Little ones and every card shows the place it leads to and a word like under or behind. More picture hunt ideas.
How do you write clues for a treasure hunt at home?
Pick a place, say what it does, then what it looks like and where to look. Find two rhyming words, let the place talk, and save its name for the end. Here's how.
How long does a scavenger hunt take?
With six to eight clues, about fifteen to thirty minutes of running around. Hiding the cards takes about ten minutes once they're printed.
What's a good scavenger hunt for a birthday present?
Let the present run away and hide. Our birthday hunt has a start note from the present, eight clues and a last card that goes on the present itself.
Where should you not hide scavenger hunt clues?
Inside any appliance (fridge, freezer, oven, microwave, dishwasher, dryer, washing machine), anywhere a child has to climb, near the road, or in cupboards with cleaning products or medicines. Why.
Is it a scavenger hunt or a treasure hunt?
Both. American families mostly say scavenger hunt, British and Australian families say treasure hunt. Strictly, a scavenger hunt is a list of things to find and a treasure hunt follows clues to a prize, but nobody minds.
Can I print these clue cards?
Yes. They're free for home and classroom use, in US Letter and A4, color and black and white. Please share this page's link rather than the file.
Cover of Dinosaurs Are Back, an interactive 3D dinosaur book in augmented reality

The book · ages 6 to 10

Dinosaurs Are Back

A book makes a lovely treasure at the end of the trail. In this one, a young Triceratops called Spike follows clues from dinosaur to dinosaur to find his missing egg brother, and every dinosaur climbs off the page when you scan it with a phone or tablet.

Buy on Amazon · $14.99Look inside