We are having the egg hunt for the 4 cousins, having the girls in the back boys in the front to cut down on sibling rivalry. But I would like to do some kind of scavenger hunt type thing that would force the kids to work as a team in order to get the prize. Any ideas on how to do this? The kids are boys 14, girl 10 & 11.

By Mommyof4 on Monday, April 5, 2004 - 03:02 pm:

I'd like to do that as well so somebody please post some ideas. :-)

By Rayanne on Monday, April 5, 2004 - 03:09 pm:

The only thing that I can think of is to have plastic eggs and put clues inside each egg.

By Ladypeacek on Monday, April 5, 2004 - 03:14 pm:

Well if you have alot of hiding places, maybe hide some clues in eggs, that will lead to a treasure of some kind. they have to get all the clues to figure it out. Figure out where you will hide the treasure and then think of silly riddles about that spot, and make sure you tell them that they must have ALL the clues before the get to the treasure.
OR
You can make 2 puzzles or get one of those paper easter posters that you tape to windows or door, and cut it up. then hide the pieces, put one team in back and one in front and whoever gets theie puzzle together first wins!

By Mommyathome on Monday, April 5, 2004 - 03:17 pm:

DH and I were just talking about doing this. We are going to put the clues in plastic eggs. My kids are young and only my oldest (5) reads so our clues will be very simple.
We'll give them the first clue in the house, and then they will go from there. We haven't sat down to figure out the clues yet.
I was thinking......*you will find the next egg under something very tall with blossoms all over it* (the apple tree) I think they'll be able to figure it out
Then they'll get the next clue and it will say *the next egg is hiding where horses live* it will be in the corral.
That's about it so far LOL

Where your kids are all older, you could really have some fun with it and come up with clues that are tricky!

By Pamt on Monday, April 5, 2004 - 03:36 pm:

Well if you want to be more elaborate and have adults to drive the kids around you can play "Here Eggie." My dh is a youth minister so he is the king of scavenger hunts! This one is more of a wild goose chase though. You start with an egg with the same clue for both teams. For example, "Beef sandwich royalty" (Burger King) or "I don't know WHY people go here to workout!?" (The local Y-MCA). You have to adjust them to your children's age, but you get the idea. Going with the above examples....okay they figure out the first one is Burger King, so they drive to Burger King and go in and say "Here Eggie" to someone at the counter. If they are correct then the BK employee hands them the egg with the next clue (which you have placed there previously and told the employees about--most places really get a kick out of helping out with this. We have NEVER been refused and have been doing this for 9 years). If they get it wrong, then the employees look at them like they are crazy and everyone gets a good laugh. They are back to square 1 trying to figure out where else the clue may lead. At BK, they are given an egg with the clue to the YMCA, and so on. We usually have about 5 stops, with the last one being a big egg filled with candy or something and the fine distinction of being the "Here Eggie" champion. There are enough eggs with clues in them for each team at each location EXCEPT the last one...only on egg for the winners. I hope this makes sense--it's kind of hard to explain by writing it out. Anyway, it's a lot of fun for kids and adults!

By Ladypeacek on Monday, April 5, 2004 - 03:40 pm:

WOW pam that is a great idea!! I think i will suggest that for our church too, being in England might make it even crazier! It may be a good way to teach the kids about some things here. And they can get out and see new things!

By Texannie on Monday, April 5, 2004 - 04:31 pm:

Pam, great idea, but not going to work for this gathering. I think I will pass that on to our youth leaders.
I want something that all four kids will have to do together in order for any of them to get their prize...kind of team buidling stuff but just for 4. Am drawing a blank! LOL

By Mara on Monday, April 5, 2004 - 05:08 pm:

Maybe there could be a special egg for each kid that has part of a sentence in it. When all the kids find the eggs and put the words together it would be a sentence about where the last eggs are. Then in that place you could put a special treat with the childs name on it. Just something off the top of my head. I hope you think of something

By Texannie on Monday, April 5, 2004 - 05:16 pm:

That's getting closer to what I want to do Mara, but something that would take them working together for a little longer to solve.

By Coopaveryben on Monday, April 5, 2004 - 08:19 pm:

If you wanted to do it outside I would hand them each a first clue and make it something like "if I were a dirty bird I would want to go here" of course a birdbath, have an egg taped our sitting in the birdbath with the next clue...
You could do things like:
Come sleet, snow, rain I'll always arrive...Mailbox
Itsy's bitsy spider climed up the .....waterspout
I have never seen a poem as lovely as a....tree
Gathering place of birds....bird feeder

keep going with things you have around your house you can make it inside or out and at the end let them find a chocolate Rabbit, basket, gift certificate, or whatever is price appropriate for you, make sure you have these hidden very well...in a closet or under something so they don't find them first. Give each group their own trail to follow.

I did this at my DS b-day party and they loved it...we were inside though.

By Mara on Monday, April 5, 2004 - 10:01 pm:

Hmmm, you could start of by giving them on egg, Have one child open the egg and read what it says, something like "Yellow and blue make this color", then the next egg they have to find is the green egg, in that egg you could say , "Big Bid is this color" then they find yellow, go though all the plastic eggs in this fashion making up something so they know what color to look for next. The last egg left can lead them to the place where their prizes await them.
How does this sound?

By Texannie on Monday, April 5, 2004 - 10:44 pm:

I think it needs to be harder so they have to work together..these kids are 10-14.

By Mara on Monday, April 5, 2004 - 11:35 pm:

Sorry, I have little ones and the questions I asked are more for my aged kids. If the idea is still something you would like just make up questions based on the childrens ages.
Maybe someone else will have a better idea.

By Texannie on Tuesday, April 6, 2004 - 12:01 am:

No..you are doing great Mara..helping me to brain storm! Of course, at my age, I have no brain left! LOL
How could we do it that would force them to work together, not the older one's leaving out the youngest?

By Texannie on Tuesday, April 6, 2004 - 08:35 am:

I think I've got it..tell me how this sounds.
Gonna tie the four of them together side by side at the ankle and the wrist. Gonna take a children's cheapie Easter puzzle and put the pieces in eggs and hide them in the yard. They have to, tied together, find the eggs, then still tied together, solve the puzzle to get the prize.
What do you think???

By Coopaveryben on Tuesday, April 6, 2004 - 03:58 pm:

That is a good idea.

By Cat on Tuesday, April 6, 2004 - 04:06 pm:

Oh, Annie! I like that! I might try that with my two boys. Think they could do that without killing each other??? ROFL

By Texannie on Tuesday, April 6, 2004 - 04:19 pm:

Well, I am making sure that I place the youngest on the inside so she doesn't get killled! LOL

By Cat on Tuesday, April 6, 2004 - 04:27 pm:

Make sure to take lots of pictures! (evidence--so you don't get blamed for beating them!lol) My boys tend to either really enjoy each other and play together really well or they are beating on each other. I guess that's normal for brothers.

By Texannie on Tuesday, April 6, 2004 - 04:59 pm:

Since mine are boy/girl, they go more for the psychological torture!