Photo: Evgenia GUSEVA
On the May holidays, many Russians open the summer season. Question number one - what to do with the kids? Try quests. It’s fun and interesting, brings people closer together, develops logical thinking and intelligence, distracts you from your tablet and phone - it’s a real benefit. You can prepare in advance by downloading puzzles, pictures, and coloring books from the Internet. You can come up with a fun adventure game on the go using paper, markers, and scissors. We scoured the forums and blogs of adventure moms who are already proficient in quests, and collected a collection of ideas.
TIPS OR MAP
The simplest quest is to search for a prize using a chain of picture clues. You need images of objects that you have on your site: a cart, a Christmas tree, a gazebo, etc. These will be hiding places with clues. If they find a picture of a Christmas tree, they run to the tree, where they find a picture of firewood. They run to the firewood and there they find a card with a watering can. And so on until the final. The last picture will indicate where the prize is hidden.
The options are more complex - search on the map and quest with tasks. You can come up with a theme: we are looking for pirate treasure, lost paper airplanes, things hidden by a troll for swimming in the pool, a princess who was stolen by a dragon.
To make the search even more interesting, tell them that you dug up a mysterious map in the ground when you were planting flowers. Or put a message in a bottle and “accidentally” find it on the shore of a lake while walking with your children. Or ask one of your neighbors to knock or ring the doorbell and hand over an envelope with an important message.
Stick to your action plan. Write down the order in which you need to find the caches so as not to get confused. Be sure to prepare a prize: a new toy, book, coloring book, sweets, put it in a bag or box and hide it in a secluded place.
Aged paper
To make the card, I bought a large piece of dark parchment paper. The map does not have to be large, it all depends on the age of the children; the older they are, the more difficult it is to depict the route. You can replace the parchment paper with any thick packaging paper or a cut brown paper grocery bag.
I advise you not to cut a straight piece of parchment, but on the contrary - crooked edges make it more realistic.
How to age a sheet:
- The paper is crumpled and wrinkled. If desired, the edges can be torn, so it will appear shabby and old. Even just a torn strip along the edges of the parchment is more interesting than a perfectly even, smooth sheet.
- I tried to lightly scorch the edges, making it look like it had been stolen from a burning ship. If you don’t want to get involved with fire, the edges of the parchment can be painted with black paint.
- Then the paper needs to be squeezed, crumpled and twisted into the tightest possible ball. You can even throw it on the floor and stomp on it a little. As a result, it will become tattered and fragile, as most people imagine an old pirate treasure map to be.
- After these steps are completed, the paper is straightened out on the work surface and the next step is started.
CLUE KEYS
Write the task on two sheets of paper so that it can be read by placing the sheets on top of each other and looking at the light. That is, on different sheets there may be not only individual words, but also syllables and even letters.
Guess a riddle. (“What kind of miracle, what kind of box? The singer himself is a storyteller. And at the same time he shows a movie.” Look behind the TV for a clue.)
Cut the picture into strips, write a letter or word on each strip. I collected the picture and found out the key.
What's missing from the picture? (For example, draw a car without wheels and place a hint near the car’s wheel.)
On the clothesline you attach the letters that make up the clue with clothespins. You can use a ready-made word right away, or you can use a word backwards. Or mix up the letters so that the child can make up a clue himself.
A small crossword puzzle with highlighted letters that make up the key.
Secret cipher. Options: write the words of the task, removing all vowels. Or put the spaces incorrectly - not between words, but inside. Or assign serial numbers to the letters of the alphabet and write the word in numbers (do not forget to include a numbered alphabet, because the child will not decipher it in his head). Or guess a secret word from a book, indicating the code for such a plan “Harry Potter. Goblet of Fire” - 25 s, 5 a, b, 7 s”, which means page 25, fifth paragraph from the top, seventh word.
Take two photos of the same place on the site, but change something in the second one. This is where the key will be.
Encrypt the key into an anagram (a word transformed from another word): baroque - box, boar - jar.
Write a clue word on a piece of paper. Place a transparent container with a thin layer of sand or semolina on top so that the inscription is not visible. The child needs to rake the sand with a brush to find out the key.
Photo: Vladimir VELENGURIN
Responsibilities of the presenter
The leader plays a key role in this game. It depends on him how the process will proceed. The presenter must:
- Give each team sheets with tasks and props for completing them.
- Ensure that participants cope with the tests. If necessary, you can give hints.
- Time the completion of certain tasks.
- Announce the winners at each stage and give out sweet souvenirs.
- Consistently follow the scenario with tasks.
TASKS
Tear the map indicating the cache into pieces. Give out the pieces for completed tests (overcoming an obstacle course, walking around a section backwards, repeating a tongue twister, making something out of plasticine, etc.).
Obstacles can be: a slide, a log, a swing. A hoop suspended from a tree branch through which you must climb. You can also make a labyrinth: stretch a long rope in a zigzag between the trees, put a canopy on one end (hair tie, bracelet, keychain) - the child will need to go through the entire maze without letting go of the canopy.
Take a few photos of the locations while you go to hide the prize. Then give the phone to the players, let them stomp towards the goal, scrolling through the photos.
The search path can be described in words: from the birch tree 10 steps towards the gazebo, go around, turn right, another 8 steps forward.
Hints can include numbers of a phone number that the child does not know. For example, ask your neighbor in the country to help. When children guess the number, they will need to send an SMS using it, and from the response message they will learn where to look for the treasure.
Write the name of the cache or the search plan for the treasure with invisible ink - milk, lemon juice or soda solution (1:1). Dip a cotton swab and apply it without being too greasy - otherwise the paper will shrink. The letters will appear when heated: if you iron the paper with an iron, hold it over an electric stove or candle, or blow with a hairdryer. The method is interesting, but it is not advisable to trust the “development” to a child.
The task can be sent via SMS, messenger or via social networks.
Photo: Yulia PYKHALOVA
Adding color
To give the paper an antique color, you need to do the following:
- Mix some brown watercolor paint in a cup to matt the parchment. If you don’t have brown paint on hand, you can replace it with strong brewed coffee or tea and thus paint the canvas.
- Then the sponge is dipped into the resulting solution, wrung out until it becomes wet, and the paper begins to soak.
- It is necessary to paint the parchment unevenly, creating a stained look, but at the same time not allowing the paper to become wet. Otherwise, you will have to wait a long time for it to dry, otherwise the drawings will blur.
SEARCH-AND-FINDER FOR KIDS
Bury “secrets” in the sandbox or garden bed: candy wrappers, pebbles, large buttons, candies hidden in kinder containers. Let them dig them out with chopsticks and put them in their own buckets.
For a song, dance, or poem, you are awarded a picture of the place where the prize is hidden. If they know the letters, give out one letter from the name of the cache. Collected the word - found the prize - ate enough candy.
Find the extra word in the list, this will be the answer (saucepan, cup, teapot, dad's backpack. Sweets in the backpack).
Lay out the prizes, let the child name an animal or bird and get to the prize like a penguin, cat, bunny, mouse...
Take an egg container and place pieces of paper of a different color in each cell. The child’s task is to find objects on the site that match the color of each cell.
Draw the objects that you have in your dacha. The child needs to find everything and mark it with a tick on the piece of paper.
A children's song that you can sing together will hint at the cache with the prize. “I was once a strange, nameless toy” - look for a plush Cheburashka. “Blue Tractor” is a tractor, “Matryoshka” is a nesting doll, etc.
How to organize?
Every child loves to solve puzzles, solve mysteries and receive a desired gift as a result. Finding a surprise at home is an exciting game that requires careful preparation on the part of adults. During organization you need:
- Select tests. This is the most important point in the preparation process, since further actions depend on it. It is recommended to choose fun activities based on the children's interests and preferences. Only in this case will they be interested in completing the quest. You should not organize difficult tasks, otherwise the participants will not cope with the tests.
- Work through the script down to the smallest detail.
- Determine a secluded place in the room for surprises.
- Purchase the necessary materials and props.
- Calculate the time. Each game should not last too long. Otherwise, the children will become bored and lose interest in completing the quest further. The optimal time for playing is 15-20 minutes.
- Prepare small gifts for participants. They should be the same so as not to offend anyone.
Great quizzes for kids' birthday parties.
Buy a ready-made quest for children
Buying a ready-made quest for children will significantly save your time and effort. You won't have to sit through assignments and figure out where to hide clues. The quest from the Academy of Curiosity has ready-made layout diagrams.
When preparing on your own, you need to take into account the age of the children and make puzzles based on it. Our quest already includes cards with different levels of difficulty.
The pirate quest kit from the Academy of Curiosity also includes holiday paraphernalia, additional party games and pirate-themed music. In the attachment you will also find instructions and recommendations for playing the game.
Organize an exciting treasure hunt at home, in the country, in the playground or in nature. Quest games are suitable for any occasion - be it a birthday or a day off. They are convenient because they can be carried out both for one child and for several children. Embark on an exciting adventure with the Academy of Curiosity!
Source
Stages
How we will draw the map:
The second method involves joint creativity.
This option is suitable for an upcoming children's party, for example, if the child has a birthday with invited guests. It’s worth doing everything the same as in the first method, just giving free rein to your child’s imagination. Let your child design his own unique route leading to the goal and decorate the drawing as he sees fit. Explain to your child that the success or failure of treasure hunting will depend on how you draw a treasure map: the more accurately you indicate the route and indicate important details, the easier it will be to move towards the goal.
Play and creativity are integral parts of childhood development, and if they can be combined, supported by delicious food and gifts, then this is a huge benefit for the younger generation.
Source
Content
According to the plot of the game, the participants are brave pirates, sailors and adventurers. Before starting the quest, they find an old letter with a message that speaks of untold riches and many trials for those who decide to go in search of them. From this moment an exciting journey begins.
You can think up a whole plot with interesting twists, where players work as a team, split up, and explore the area. On their way they come across uninhabited islands, they can get caught in a storm and take refuge in caves. Next, we’ll look at how to prepare for the quest and what tasks can be organized.
Lighter, rope and pencils
So, the album sheet is the future map. Its size depends on the preferences, imagination and desires of the painter. By the way, how to draw a treasure map and where to hide the treasure on the diagram will also be decided by him. Colored pencils, which can be replaced with felt-tip pens, markers or paints (depending on what the child likes to use most), will help give the creation a unique color. A lighter or matches can artificially age the album sheet: burnt spots will add mystery to the masterpiece. Well, a rope or thick thread will be needed so that when you roll the finished card into a roll, you can tie it and fasten it. Of course, the most important thing is the treasures that will be hidden. This can be any edible goodies, candies or favorite treats of the particular child for whom the card is being drawn up. You can use small toys or a set of stickers. In principle, any little thing that comes to hand is suitable for this. All these attributes will bring the resulting masterpiece closer to ideal.
