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Puzzle sheets, a cipher wheel and sealed envelopes on a kitchen table

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Indoor treasure hunt

To organise a treasure hunt at home you need a treasure, eight to twelve linked clues and the right places to hide them. Here's how to do it, and how to turn it into a small escape room.

Get the DIY kitThe steps

The steps, in order

  1. The treasure and the story. One sentence is enough: «someone has hidden the birthday candles», «grandad left an envelope». The story gives a reason to search.
  2. The route. Start from the end: where is the treasure? Then work backwards, place by place, to the first clue.
  3. The clues. Each one leads to the next. Mix different kinds: a riddle, a drawing, a code, an object to touch.
  4. The hiding places. At hand height, in places everyone knows. Note down on a sheet where you put each thing.
  5. The test run. Have someone who knows nothing try the route: you'll find the clue that doesn't work.
  6. The hints. For each clue, prepare a hint to give to anyone who gets stuck.

From treasure hunt to escape room

The difference is the lock: in an escape room the right answer «opens» something. At home, paper locks work: a sealed envelope with what you need to open it written on the front, a Keeper who hands over the next sheet only for the right word, or an answer that is a place in the house. The DIY kit has the blank templates: paper locks, cipher wheel, grids, clue cards, character sheets and the final certificate (16 pages).

If you don't have time to write it

There are four ready-written cases, free: the detective birthday for ages 8-12, the night of the doors for Halloween, the murder mystery dinner and the evening for two. Or the prologue in the app (in Italian), which needs no preparation.

FAQ

How do you organise a treasure hunt at home?

Choose a treasure and a final spot, then write 8 to 12 linked clues: each clue leads to a place in the house where the next one is. Hide them at hand height, note down where you put them and do a test run with someone who knows nothing.

How many clues do you need?

Between eight and twelve for about an hour. With young children, five or six simple clues are enough, perhaps with drawings instead of words.

Where should you hide clues at home?

Under a cushion, behind a mirror, inside a book, in a coat pocket. Never in the oven, the washing machine, under the sink or near sockets and hobs, and never up high on top of wardrobes.

How do you make a treasure hunt harder for adults and teenagers?

Turn the clues into puzzles: a message with the cipher wheel, an envelope that opens only with the right word, a logic grid. The DIY kit has the blank templates ready.

What age is it for?

A hunt with drawings works even for under-7s with an adult nearby. From age 8 you can use words and simple codes; from 12-14, ciphers and a bit of suspense.

The complete guidePrintable kitsEscape room at home