Dear Birthday Princess,
Happy Birthday!
Welcome to my treasure hunt. I have written a special treasure hunt especially for you, which I hope all your friends will thoroughly enjoy too!
You must first wear my rags and carry my cat, then follow my clues wearing a party hat. Divide all your friends into three even groups and choose a colour for each from my coloured loops. Follow your own colour at all times and think very carefully about all my rhymes. If you follow my clues and complete every task, you will be led to the end wearing a blindfold or mask. If you all make a wish and try your best, Im sure you will soon find my treasure chest!
Clue 1: Firstly, you must stand on the coloured circle that matches your loop, and then carry on forward with the rest of your group. Check for your colour on every tree, until you find twenty scattered pieces that can turn into me. When youve completed the task you can read the next clue, and take me a step nearer to finding my shoe.
Clue 2: Find a park bench and then check all around; you must find the right coloured bag without making a sound. Tip out all the letters and show them to me and think very carefully what the answer could be. Make up the name of my cruel family members and lets hope that everyone remembers!
Clue 3: I love talking to my cat, as she always listens to me. Can you find her favourite food over by the next tree? These are shaped like an animal and delicious to eat, but if they were real she would certainly find them a treat!
Clue 4: A large ball is taking place very soon in the palace and everyone is busy deciding what to wear. I cannot go, as I have sweeping to do; it just seems so very unfair. To represent the ball, thirty coloured balls I have hidden, but you have only ten minutes before therere forbidden.
Clue 5: Something amazing has happened, as you probably know; a fairy godmother has appeared who says I can go. I need a pumpkin and some white mice to whisk me to the ball, and then I can dance until midnight when my fairy will call. If you each look to your right youll find twenty coloured beads, which are part of my dress and will soon turn to seeds.
Clue 6: I enjoyed it too much when I arrived at the ball, that I forgot what the time was until the clock chimed in the hall. I ran down the stairs in a terrible hurry, then tripped and lost my glass slipper with no time to worry. Turn the shells over and place them where I can see, and then using the letters name the man who rescues me.
Clue 7: Now all the groups must come together and look at the shoes scattered on the floor; quickly find one that fits before the clock gets to four! This will eliminate all of you except one, as your treasure waits when the others have gone.
Clue 8: You must now wear a blindfold or mask, as youve completed your final task; listen very carefully and do as I ask. Turn around three times and walk ten steps in front, but take extra care near the end of your hunt. Feel for a box amidst squeals of laughter, and then take off your blindfold so that I can live happily ever after!
I hope you all had lots of fun on my treasure hunt. Thank you for joining me and I hope we will meet again soon.
Cinderella
Answers to clues
Clue 1: A jigsaw of Cinderella to piece together.
Clue 2: The Ugly Sisters.
Clue 3: White chocolate mice.
Clue 4: Find your groups set of coloured balls in ten minutes.
Clue 5: Find your groups set of coloured beads as quickly as possible.
Clue 6: Prince Charming.
Clue 7: Set the clock for four minutes and wait for someone to find a shoe that fits perfectly.
Clue 8: Find the box and open it to find the hidden treasure all the other party members will be waiting there.
Things you will need for the hunt
An old dress or skirt cut to resemble Cinderellas rags for the birthday princess to wear over her party dress during the treasure hunt.
Toy cat.
A set of three different coloured party hats.
Coloured loops – buy cheap plastic bracelets for each guest to wear; choose three different colours to distinguish the three teams.
Three coloured circles or hoops for the starting point.
Coloured tags for tagging trees.
Three jigsaws of Cinderella These can be made by printing off three, printable pictures of Cinderella off the internet, colouring each one a different colour and then sticking them onto cardboard. Then using a standing knife or penknife cut each one into jigsaw pieces ready for scattering in your chosen area.
Letters for word clues these can again be made on the computer, colour coded, cut out, and stuck onto cardboard.
Some coloured bags – to hold letters and chocolate mice.
Some white chocolate mice.
Coloured balls.
Coloured beads.
Shells use a different coloured marker pen to mark the letters inside each teams shells.
Some shoes.
A blindfold or mask for the end of the hunt.
Treasure chest.
Treasure can be anything at all, but it would be a good idea to keep it on the theme of Cinderella.
Tips for the hunt
You can save money on items for your hunt by borrowing some of the equipment needed from friends and relatives.
Check the park or area you are going to use for the treasure hunt carefully before the hunt this will allow you to plan everything well and check for any hazardous areas.
Consider having the hunt earlier in the morning or later in the day, in case the park is very busy.
Avoid hiding clues in or around flowerbeds, just in case they get ruined.
Make sure each group has an adult with them at all times, for safety and assistance with clues.
Each group can be run closely together or spread out during the hunt, but make sure everyone comes together for the shoe hunt!
