{"id":869,"date":"2011-06-07T01:00:03","date_gmt":"2011-06-07T08:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/?p=869"},"modified":"2011-06-06T20:49:45","modified_gmt":"2011-06-07T03:49:45","slug":"time-for-a-treasure-hunt-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/2011\/06\/07\/time-for-a-treasure-hunt-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Time for a Treasure Hunt!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/em><\/a>The Hidden Art of Homemaking<\/a>, <\/em>by Edith Schaeffer, is a book that profoundly influenced my thinking and actions while our children were young. I love Mrs. Schaeffer\u2019s infectious creativity, and the joy she took in making the lives of others more beautiful. One of Mrs. Schaeffer\u2019s ideas that I grabbed hold of was the \u201cTreasure Hunt Meal<\/strong>.\u201d We had so much fun with these meals! I can hardly wait until we can have treasure hunt meals for the grandkids!<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em>These meals are perfect for a ho-hum sort of day, a day when the children have been irritable or a disappointment has occurred, or on a dark, rainy day that follows many other dark, rainy days. The announcement that a \u201cTreasure Hunt Meal\u201d is coming can give new energy to the entire day!<\/p>\n

The idea is to prepare\u00a0separate courses<\/strong> for the meal and hide them, with\u00a0clues<\/strong> leading your children to each course. Meals can be as simple, extravagant, or ridiculous as you want, and there\u2019s lots of room for creativity. Every treasure hunt meal is different! It does require some work on Mama\u2019s part, but it is such fun work, and it makes so many people happy!<\/p>\n

Start by planning your menu<\/strong>. How many courses will you have? Write five to ten clues for each course, with the first clue leading to the second clue, the second to the third, and so forth until a clue finally leads the children to your first course. When the first course has been eaten, hand them the next clue and send them off to hunt down the next course.<\/p>\n

Clue-writing will give you an opportunity for creativity! <\/strong> If you\u2019re feeling poetic, write little jingles<\/strong> to direct them to each place. Or write a word on a\u00a0card <\/strong>and cut the card up and put all the pieces in a reclosable baggie to hide. When the children reassemble the card, they will be able to read the clue.\u00a0Riddles<\/strong> are fun, too, or you can use verses from Proverbs<\/strong> for clues. \u201cThe sluggard\u2019s is broken down, Proverbs. 24:31\u201d can send them looking for the next clue on your wall outside. These clues will test your children\u2019s knowledge of the Proverbs, or will send them running to look up the verses.<\/p>\n

For your first course, you might have silverware and plastic cups filled with fresh fruit packed into a pretty box or basket inside the closet. Everyone sits on the floor and enjoys the fruit before launching on to the next set of clues, which may lead them to piping hot pizza in the oven, along with a basket with a picnic blanket, napkins and paper plates in front of it. The next set of clues may lead them to a stack of pajamas folded and ready for putting on, with the following clue sending them to change and put their clothes away before following the next clue. The final clue might direct them to the family room, where a cooler is waiting with ice cream bars or a carton of ice cream and some cones, along with an exciting book to read together.<\/p>\n

The possibilities are endless. <\/strong>Have your clues lead them in gathering all the materials for a backyard barbecue and campout or a living room picnic with individually packed box lunches. Lead them to a beach blanket, an already-packed picnic basket, a map with the destination marked out, a basket full of play clothes, and the car all ready to take off for a day at the beach. Or have them find individual ingredients for making a batch of homemade ice cream at the end of the hunt.<\/p>\n

The idea is to have\u00a0lots of fun<\/strong> running from one clue to the next, and to share a meal and rich family time<\/strong> together. Want to try this idea? For those of you with children who are old enough for tougher clues, here\u2019s a bunch of\u00a0Proverbs-related clues to get you started!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe sluggard\u2019s is broken down.\u201d Proverbs 24:31 (Wall or fence)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThis will be filled with plenty if we honor God with our increase.\u201d Proverbs 3:10 (Barn)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople will curse the man that withholds this.\u201d Proverbs 11:26 (Corn \u2013 Hide clue under a can of corn or out in the corn patch, if you have one!)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWisdom invites us to eat this with her.\u201d Proverbs 9:5 (Bread)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe slothful man\u2019s way is a hedge of these.\u201d Proverbs 15:19 (Thorns \u2013 Hide clue in some rose bushes, or in your own patch of stickers and weeds)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMan can prepare these for battle, but our safety comes from the Lord.\u201d Proverbs 21:31 (Horse \u2013 hide clue with a toy horse)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOnly eat what is sufficient for you so you don\u2019t throw up.\u201d Proverbs 25:16 (Honey)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA good word is like gold ones of these.\u201d Proverbs 25: 11 (Apples)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cGood news from far away is like this to someone who is thirsty.\u201d Proverbs 25:25 (Cold water — Hide clue by a cold water faucet or a water cooler)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA sluggard turns on his bed like this does on its hinges.\u201d Proverbs 26:14 (Door)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMeddling in someone else\u2019s disagreement is like grabbing the ears of this.\u201d Proverbs 26:17 (Dog)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThis rejoices the heart like hearty counsel from a friend.\u201d Proverbs 27:9 (Perfume)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe sluggard says there is one in the streets.\u201d Proverbs 26:13 (Lion \u2013 Hide clue under a stuffed animal lion)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe teeth of a rebellious generation are like these.\u201d Proverbs 30:14 (Knives)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWisdom is more precious than this.\u201d Proverbs 3:15 (Jewels \u2013 Hide clue in jewelry box)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBind your father\u2019s commandment around this.\u201d Proverbs 6:21 (Neck \u2013 Hide clue inside the collar of your blouse or your husband\u2019s shirt)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWisdom has set this for the simple. She calls them to eat with her.\u201d Proverbs 9:2 (Table \u2013 Attach clue to the underside of the kitchen table)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA beautiful woman without discretion is like a gold ring in this.\u201d Proverbs 11:22 (Pig\u2019s snout \u2013 Attach clue to nose of a stuffed pig, or to the nose on a picture of a pig that you put up somewhere)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe righteous will flourish like this.\u201d Proverbs 11:28 (Green leaf \u2013 Attach clue in an obvious way to a leaf in a tree or bush)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe diligent man\u2019s will rule.\u201d Proverbs 12:24 (Hand \u2013 Write clue on the palm of your hand)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe man who spares this hates his son.\u201d Proverbs 13:24 (Rod \u2013 Attach clue to the implement you use for spanking)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe words of a whisperer are like these.\u201d Proverbs 18:8 (Delicious morsels \u2013 Hide clue with a bag of chocolate chips)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cQuarreling is like the bars of this.\u201d Proverbs 18:19 (Castle \u2013 Hide clue with a Lego castle, a picture of a castle, etc.)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe man who finds one of these finds a good thing.\u201d Proverbs 18:22 (Wife \u2013 Hide clue somewhere on you!)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA wife\u2019s quarreling is like this.\u201d Proverbs 19:13 (Continual dripping \u2013 Hide clue next to a faucet that has been left dripping)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHe who loves this will not become rich.\u201d Proverbs 21:17 (Wine or oil)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t crush the afflicted here.\u201d Proverbs 22:22 (Gate)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou may lose this if you sign for another man\u2019s loans.\u201d Proverbs 22:27 (Bed)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLet your foot be seldom here.\u201d Proverbs 25:17 (Neighbor\u2019s house \u2013 Hide the clue with your neighbor, who can give it to the children when they arrive at the door. Perhaps the clue can include inviting the neighbors to join in on the rest of the hunt!)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA fool who repeats his folly is like one of these who goes back to his vomit.\u201d Proverbs 26:11 (Dog \u2013 The boys will like this one!)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA wicked ruler over poor people is like a charging one of these.\u201d Proverbs 28:15 (Bear \u2013 Tie clue to a teddy bear)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe virtuous woman\u2019s doesn\u2019t go out at night.\u201d Proverbs 31:18 (Light)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe virtuous woman makes these for herself.\u201d Proverbs 31:22 (Bed coverings \u2013 hide clue between blankets on a bed)<\/em><\/p>\n

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