oshc activities
Theme days / Treasure Hunters Day

Treasure Hunters Day ideas for OSHC

30 DIY activities for a treasure hunters day at before and after school care or vacation care, usually run around Any time / Talk Like a Pirate Day (19 September) or Easter (March/April). Pick and mix, or build a balanced day in one click.

Build a Treasure Hunters Day
Treasure Hunters Day · Trail Blazers · Outdoor Explorers +1

Backyard Geocaching

Children use maps, coordinates or a supervised GPS app to track down hidden caches around the grounds and log their finds.

OutdoorModerateBig set-upYears 4 to 6Pirate Day · Treasure Hunters Day · Escape Room Day +2

Buried Treasure Hunt

Teams follow riddle clues around the yard to dig up gold-painted rocks. A pirate adventure that combines problem-solving and teamwork.

OutdoorHighSome prepPrep to Year 6Detective Day · Spy School · Escape Room Day +2

Cipher Scavenger Hunt

Children decode pigpen cipher clues, each one leading to the next location in a treasure trail.

EitherModerateSome prepYears 4 to 6Easter · Treasure Hunters Day · Detective Day +1

Clue Card Egg Hunt

Children follow clue cards around the outdoor space to find hidden plastic eggs, with a final clue leading to a shared surprise.

OutdoorModerateSome prepPrep to Year 6Detective Day · Spy School · Treasure Hunters Day +2

Community Clue Trail

Children follow a walking trail of clues held by local businesses, finishing with a group barbecue.

OutdoorModerateBig set-upYears 4 to 6Trail Blazers · Treasure Hunters Day · Outdoor Explorers +2

Compass Treasure Trail

Children learn north, south, east and west, then use compasses and simple directions to find items hidden around the yard.

OutdoorModerateSome prepYears 4 to 6Fantasy Quest Club · Pirate Day · Treasure Hunters Day +1

Fantasy Map Drawing

Children design and draw their own fantasy world map, complete with mountains, forests, rivers and hidden treasure.

IndoorCalmGrab-and-goYears 4 to 6Farm to Table Day · Fruit and Veggie Day · Down on the Farm +1

Food Origins Scavenger Hunt

Children hunt for food items or pictures around the room and sort them by whether they came from a plant, an animal or a farm.

EitherModerateSome prepPrep to Year 6Pirate Day · Sensory Day · Treasure Hunters Day +1

Gold Dig Sensory Tub

Younger children sift through coloured rice or sand to find hidden coins and jewels. Calm, absorbing sensory play.

IndoorCalmGrab-and-goPrep to Year 3Wild West Day · Pioneer Day · Rock and Gem Day +2

Gold Panning Tub

Children sift through a tub of sand and water with sieves to find painted 'gold nuggets', just like gold rush prospectors.

OutdoorCalmSome prepPrep to Year 3Great Race Day · Outdoor Explorers · Treasure Hunters Day +3

Grounds Map Navigation

Children use a simple map of the service grounds to locate hidden checkpoints, building map-reading and directional skills.

OutdoorModerateSome prepYears 4 to 6Block World Day · Gaming Day · Treasure Hunters Day +1

Hidden Block Face Hunt

Children search the service for hidden pixel-art face cards, ticking them off a checklist as they find each one.

EitherModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Book Week · Detective Day · Treasure Hunters Day +2

Hidden Character Search

Small printed pictures of a stripy-shirted character are hidden around the room for children to find, sharpening observation skills.

IndoorModerateSome prepPrep to Year 6Rabbit Garden Day · Easter · Treasure Hunters Day +1

Hide the Bunny

One child hides a soft toy rabbit while others search, using 'hot and cold' clues. A gentle, giggly hiding game.

EitherModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 3Detective Day · Everything's Duckie · Treasure Hunters Day +1

Missing Ducks Photo Hunt

Teams follow clue cards to track down hidden toy ducks, photographing each find as evidence before moving on to the next clue.

EitherModerateSome prepPrep to Year 6Detective Day · Treasure Hunters Day · Spy School +1

Mystery Clue Trail

Teams collect clues hidden around the site and piece them together to solve a case, combining movement with problem-solving.

EitherModerateSome prepYears 4 to 6Nature Play Day · Outdoor Explorers · Trail Blazers +3

Nature Scavenger Hunt

Children search for natural items such as a smooth stone, a forked stick or a feather using a checklist.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Treasure Hunters Day · Nature Play Day · Outdoor Explorers +2

Nature Treasure Hunt

Children use a picture or word list to search the yard for natural treasures like a feather, a smooth stone or something yellow.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Bonza Bottler Day · Treasure Hunters Day · Detective Day

Number of the Day Hunt

Younger children hunt the room for hidden cards showing the day's number, practising number recognition.

IndoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 3Photography Day · Outdoor Explorers · Treasure Hunters Day +1

Photo Scavenger Hunt

Teams use tablets to photograph items on a list, like something round or a shadow. A creative way to look closely.

OutdoorModerateSome prepYears 4 to 6Pirate Day · Treasure Hunters Day · Dramatic Play Day +1

Pirate Party Day

A whole day of pirate dress-up, treasure hunts, games and crafts. Children set sail on a full adventure from morning to afternoon.

EitherHighBig set-upPrep to Year 6St Patrick's Day · Rainbow Day · Treasure Hunters Day +1

Rainbow Gold Hunt

Children follow rainbow clues to find hidden gold coins at the end of each rainbow.

EitherModerateSome prepPrep to Year 6Rock and Gem Day · Outdoor Explorers · Nature Play Day +2

Rock Scavenger Hunt

Children search the outdoor area for rocks that are smooth, rough, sparkly, striped or tiny, then sort and compare their finds.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Great Race Day · Teamwork Day · Treasure Hunters Day +2

Service-Wide Challenge Race

Teams race through challenge stations around the whole service, collecting clues that lead them to a final finish line.

EitherHighBig set-upPrep to Year 6Superhero Day · Treasure Hunters Day · Escape Room Day +2

Six Gem Challenge Quest

Six coloured gems are hidden around the service, each guarded by a mini challenge that teams must complete to collect it.

EitherHighSome prepPrep to Year 6Pirate Day · Treasure Hunters Day · Art Attack Day +1

Tea-Stained Treasure Maps

Children age paper with cold tea, crumple and tear the edges, then draw an island with an X. Art and storytelling combined.

IndoorCalmSome prepPrep to Year 6Trail Blazers · Treasure Hunters Day · Teamwork Day +2

Team Trail Challenges

Teams follow a map with marked checkpoints around the grounds, completing a small challenge at each stop.

OutdoorHighBig set-upYears 4 to 6Halloween · Treasure Hunters Day · Dramatic Play Day

Trick-or-Treat Trail

Children travel around decorated doors and stations within the service, collecting a treat or token at each stop.

IndoorModerateBig set-upPrep to Year 6Wild Aotearoa · Treasure Hunters Day · Outdoor Explorers +1

Tuatara Camouflage Hunt

One child hides a painted tuatara rock somewhere in the yard and others search for it, learning how camouflage helps animals hide.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Great Race Day · Challenge Day · Teamwork Day +2

Two-Choice Detour Challenges

At each stop of a team race, groups choose between two different mini challenges, weighing up speed, skill and strategy together.

EitherModerateSome prepYears 4 to 6