Treasure Maps

If you found a treasure map, how would you react?

          Disbelief – it’s a joke – throw it away.
          Curious – let’s do some research.
          Looky, Looky! – let’s go find some treasure!

This week’s weather is calling for bitter cold. Hey – it’s NE Ohio and January, of course it’s cold. We’re all cooped up (chicken term). Let’s have some indoor fun!

Print out a picture of your house or an aerial view from Google Maps. Write in some raggedy handwriting on the back something like this: “Years ago, I lived in this house, (or if it’s new “I helped build this house.”) I forgot about a treasure box I left there. Look in the NE corner of the basement – up in the floor joists above.”

Stain the map with some tea or coffee cup rings, wad up and un-wad, burn some edges or tear a part off. Make it look old. Then hide it so the kids will find it at breakfast or early morning. Maybe put it in their cereal box – an unaddressed envelope in today’s mail, or tucked in a book they are reading. Put it under their breakfast plate if nothing else works.

We’ve started an adventure! This is a great time to think up clues with a partner. When they look in the floor joists, there is another clue. Make it an analytical challenge for older kids or simply have them running around the house looking for new clues if they are younger. Let them work as a team!

What will be the treasure? Everybody thinks candy, but let’s go deeper. What would be a real treasure that will last? Could a magnifying glass lead to more adventure? Would some new art supplies open a new talent? A new Lego kit or book might challenge hours of new building. Maybe a puzzle or game the whole family can do together. Maybe it’s a recipe for grandma’s favorite muffins or cookies. The excitement comes from your recognizing what would be a treasure for each of your kids.

P.S. Make a list of where your clues are hidden and what was on each one just in case they can’t figure something out or can’t find the next clue. Give them hints, but don’t give them answers. The excitement of this adventure comes from “SOLVING THE CASE”.

Maybe continue the adventure by having the kids draw their own treasure map – inside, backyard or even the neighborhood. How many steps to the tree in the back yard – turn left and go so many steps to the dog house.... Learning to read maps is another lost skill that kids and you need to know. I realize we all just turn on our phone and plunk in the address we want to go to, but what if your phone goes dead or you drive into a no reception zone? Knowing how to read a map is still valuable and what better way to learn that skill than by drawing a map of your own neighborhood. Even put labels on it like Gas station, best friends house, grocery store. They are mapping out their world in their head. Help them get an accurate representation. Do you know how far 100 feet is? Do you know the size of your yard? How many miles to the school or church? All skills that are important in life.

Learning to solve mysteries is a key to growing up. You have already figured out life to a certain degree. Your kids are still trying to unravel what life is. Learning to follow clues helps them develop analytical skills that will have long term results. Some kids may say “I can’t do this!”. Remind them how to break a problem or project into smaller pieces and take it one step at a time – it’s like looking for the treasure. You are helping them develop great thinking skills. The younger kids may not be able to think analytically yet, but learning to follow directions is another skill and if they have older brothers or sisters, they are learning to cooperate and work as a team. Learning for older members of a group is an incredible advantage. When kids are all separated by ages, they have no one older to help them unravel life.

It’s Fun Being a Kid Again!