St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt for Nannies and Au Pairs

Pot of Gold Scavenger Hunt
from familyeducation.com

Scavenger hunts are so much fun. Have the children help you make a treasure chest. Then the nanny or au pair can make the clues to lead the children to their pot of gold.

You Will Need:
Newspaper
Unfinished wooden or cardboard treasure chest (You can buy a wooden treasure chest or wooden box, or just use a cardboard box)
Green craft paint
Paintbrushes
White glue
Water
Disposable cup
Gold glitter
Acrylic gemstones
Glue gun
Candy coins wrapped in gold foil
Pieces of copy paper
Scissors
Glitter pen

1. Cover the work area with newspapers to protect it.
2. Have the kids paint the treasure chest with green craft paint and allow it to dry.
3. Make a mixture of 1/3 cup glue and 2 tablespoons water in the disposable cup and mix together. Paint the glue mixture onto the painted chest. Sprinkle the glitter onto the chest and allow it to dry. Here's how to avoid making a mess and wasting glitter: Fold a piece of copy paper in half and then open it up. Set the object on the paper and sprinkle the glitter onto it.
4. When dry, remove the object from the paper and bump the glitter to the fold in the center. Pour the unused glitter back into the container.
5. Glue the acrylic gemstones around the chest. Place the candies inside the chest.
6. Cut three pieces of copy paper in half. Using the glitter pen, write clues to locations inside or outside of the home that the kids can figure out. For example, you could write "Dad's Favorite Sport" and lead them to his golf bag. The next clue will be placed in this golf bag, and so on, until the treasure chest is found. For little kids that cannot read, you can cut out pictures from magazines, or draw pictures, of where their treasure is hidden.
   

This idea can be found in The Complete Idiot's Guide to Holiday Crafts by Marilee Lebon.

Do you have any St. Patrick's Day games, activities, or traditions you like to do with children?