90 minutes prep

Outdoor Adventure

Kids or one-on-one

Planning your own jaw-dropping treasure hunt for your friends, kids, or partner, is easy using this guide or a printable map template!

It starts when they ‘find’ a hidden treasure map that foretells of an upcoming event. Before they get to that mysterious ‘X’, however, they need to solve clues, navigate to the destination, and hunt for the loot when they get there!

The entire Arrgh Pack

Sounds like an adventure? Let’s go:

Step 1:

Where to ‘bury’ the treasure

You need to plan a treasure hunt in reverse – starting with where to stash the loot. This lets you make the map and clues to match.

Choose a place to hide whatever the reward will be. Don’t worry about the exact location right now just choose either outdoors, in the CBD or at home:

Outdoor

  • In a natural forest or reserve
  • A nearby park
  • At the top of a lookout
  • Use a Geocache as the destination. This also makes it easier to prep since the loot’s already there!

City / CBD

  • Down a laneway
  • Ask a cafe owner to stash it behind their counter until they come in and asks about it
  • Behind some reference books at the library
  • Random bush

At home

  • Actually bury it somewhere in the backyard when the kids are out
  • Remove the contents of a cereal box and stash it inside
  • In the roof cavity
  • In a travel bag

Step 2:

Make a treasure map

One of the best moments of this date is when your partner unrolls an epic treasure map! It gives you both permission as adults to get into the role play and enjoy yourself!

Here’s how to make the coolest treasure map she’s ever seen as well as 5 mods to customize it how you like! To save time you can also downloaded the map pack

Make a treasure map

How to make a Basic Map:

You’ll need a reference image to draw the map from so bring up your destination in the satellite view of Google maps. When you zoom in it will give you the layout and key landmarks.

Start adding these landmarks to your map using a pencil. Don’t worry if they’re not 100% to scale since your teams imagination will fill in the detail.

Map overlaid dark
Trace the map layout
Basic Map

If you’d like to be precise just take a screenshot of the map and hold the piece of paper over it and you’ll be able to see the paper to trace over the map (just turn the brightness up on your screen).

When you’re happy with it go over the lines with black marker. Also add a dashed line, as the walking trail, and a large X to mark where the loot is!

Add some mojo by

Making it look epic:

Although a plain white map is 10x cooler than doing nothing with a little more effort you can totally WOW the kids/team! So why not go the extra mile and try one of these tricks to add some more authenticity:

Tea dying paper

Tea Dye the paper

Tear edges of paper

Tear Edges

Burn edges of map

Burn edges

Mod #1:

Use Google Maps

Rather than hand drawing your map you can simply print it out from Google Maps! Simply find your destination int this Treasure Map Generator and print it on A4 paper.

To make it fit perfectly on your page you’ll need to try a few zoom levels as well as adjusting the page print margins to avoid the white space around the image.

Once the treasure map is printed you can also draw landmarks, arrows, hints, and clues on top! You can even tea dye the paper and rip the edges to give it that real life treasure map feel!

Map made in Google Maps

Mod #2: An easy hack is to

Just Print a map template

The easiest way to get a cool looking map is to download and print one of the templates in the Treasure Hunt Game Pack. They’re designed so any office store can print them as 8×10 photos or A4 color. There’s also a version that can be printed in black and white onto Tea Dyed paper!

  • Old pirate map
  • Blank map template with ripped edges
  • Old english style map design

Mod #3:

Add clues and riddles!

A great way to add some more intrigue is to make the map harder to follow and add some riddles that help makes sense of it.

Try adding one of these clues next to a landmark on your treasure map (or make up some of your own!)

  • Write a hint in code like a=1, b=2, c=3
  • Have her find a Decoder Ring at one landmark which helps solve a clue
  • Go 40 steps north-west (use a compass app on your phone)
  • Pass 17 trees and turn left
  • Write in invisible ink with this pen
  • Here’s some more great clue ideas

Mod #4:

Draw some 3D landmarks

Although most your map will be 2D you can add some serious mojo by making some of the landmarks actual pictures. Don’t worry there’s a trick for how to do this even if you can’t draw that well!

Trick: Simply find a photo of the landmark you would like to use on your iPad or computer. If nothing comes up load the location in Google Maps and switch to Satellite/Earth view and check the landmark photos. Then place your treasure map over it and you’ll be able to see the image through the paper!

Then all you have do to trace over the picture and add an arrow or note where to go!

Photo by Trevor

It doesn’t have to be perfect!

This was just a quick free-hand version!

For an extra challenge you can just have 1 picture on your map with arrows on it. Take your team to the general area where they need to explore until they find what’s in the picture then. They then keep hunting until they find the bounty! If they’re an XBOX/PS gamer they’ll recognise this kind of map, from Elder Scrolls games and love it!

Mod #5:

Tear the map into pieces!

Torn up map

After making the map tear it into several parts with one landmark on each piece. This adds the extra dynamic of an adult scavenger hunt and is a lot of fun!

When you head out to stash your loot also hide each of the pieces where they will be found by someone following the rest of the map. Then, on the day give, your team/kids the first piece of the map and explore together until you get to the end!

Step 3:

Grab some loot

The focus of this date is to have a fun experience as a couple so keep the present small and grab one of these cheap presents to use as treasure (unless it’s your anniversary).

  • Small Lego pack
  • Print some photos or get a photo book made
  • Use someone else’s treasure by making the map end at a Geocache!
  • Give her one of these romantic love notes
  • Skip the present and stash a picnic + ciders at the destination

Or make a Memories Map (In the Pack)

Memories map

Step 4

Hide the Treasure

Finding the treasure is going to be the climax of the event! It’s way more fun than even opening the treasure! To make this experience totally unforgettable choose one of these crafty ways to stash the loot at the final landmark:

Bury it

Hide a small shovel nearby that she’ll easily find.

This will prompt her to look for a recently disturbed patch of earth!

CAMOUFLAGE IN PLAIN SIGHT

Hide the loot in plain sight

Stash in bushes

Leaving the treasure in a bush, where anyone could find it seams, risky but it’s not. People just don’t look that closely at their surroundings (unless their a hitman… but in this case just let them have it)

Step 5

Telling her

What makes this date hunt even better is giving your partner time for her to get into the story – and it’s really easy!

You want them to randomly ‘find’ either the map or an invitation. Set this up by stashing it in the cereal box, her makeup back, or the mail box. If they discover it themselves it totally sets the atmosphere for an adventure date!

Note: As adults we usually feel nervous about role plays but if you start to get excited about what’s going on it will give her permission to do so as well!

Give her an epic invite!

Print one of the themed date invitations from the Treasure Hunt Pack:

7 Date night invitations

Step 6:

The hunt begins!

Place to bury time capsule

Time to get out there any find that treasure! Drive to the starting location together to help your partner find their bearings. Also give her a hint occasionally – I’ve found it’s actually much harder than it looks to follow a treasure map if you didn’t make it!

Clues like ‘hotter’ and ‘cooler’ work really well however let her work a lot of it out so there’s a stronger accomplishment feeling at the end.

When they find the loot it’s time to celebrate. Either bust out the picnic, if that’s what the treasure was, or head out for dinner/drinks. This is a great chance to talk about the adventure!

Don’t forget to grab the Arrgh Treasure Hunt Pack to make this date totally epic!

Make it even more epic by downloading the

Arrgh Treasure Hunt Date Pack

The easiest way to make this date awesome is to flavour it with true pirate goodness! Arrgh!
This date pack comes with:

9 Stylish Map Templates

Ready to print and customize!

Colored map template

Cut and paste Decal Sheet

To easily add mojo to your map

Decal Template

Customizable Memories Map

Great romantic loot for her to find

Memories map
Overlays Template

5 Overlay Map Templates

Perfect for Black and White printing or tea dyed paper

7 Pirate Invites

7 Pirate Invitations

To get her excited about the date!

The Arrgh Treasure Hunt Pack is ready for you to

Instant Download!

Download will start straight away – no waiting!

100% money back guarantee! Love it or I’ll Refund for Free!

Email and Facebook support for any questions!

Here’s what’s in the pack:

9 Epic treasure Maps ready to print:

  • Old pirate map
  • Old english style map design
  • Blank map template with ripped edges
  • Circular map - printable
  • Pirate treasure map Template
  • Old style
  • Pirate map background
  • Blank treasure map template
  • World map printable in color

5 Overlay maps

Great for black and white printing or tea dyed paper!

  • Black and white printing map
  • Pirate map overlay
  • Old map overlay
  • Old school map template
  • Simple map template

7 Fun Pirate Invitations:

  • Treasure hunt date night invite
  • X marks the spot invite
  • Pirate parrot invite
  • Arrgh date night invite
  • Pirate invite crossbones
  • Dateventure invite

Cut and Paste Decals To make any map authentic!

Romantic Memories Map to use as the loot

Simply fill out each adventure spot with a shared memory!

Best adventures poster

Download the entire treasure hunt pack!

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