Monday, February 23, 2009

The next game that is going to sweep the nation...

Our son has been blessed with an incredible imagination. It's very interesting to watch him use it and to see how it develops the older he gets. This past week he had a plan to play a treasure hunt game that he created. After falling short on time a few nights in a row (we had HSM trilogy week, so you see how that could happen), we finally played on Saturday while Little Bitty took a much needed nap. It went something like this...

Brother: Ok, you need to hide the treasure somewhere under one of the circles with an X on it - and then Daddy and I will find it.

Mommy: Ok - where are the circles with the X's?

Brother: We need to make them.

Mommy: Oh - ok. cutting some circles out of poster board. Is this what you had in mind?

Brother: Well, they should be out of heavier cardboard. looking at the two I had done And we need about 11 or 13 of them.

Mommy: Why do they have to be out of cardboard? This works fine... but daddy comes in with some cardboard and they proceed to cut the remaining 9 or 11.

Brother: Ok - now you hide them all and only put a treasure under one of them.

Mommy: Ok... what is the treasure?

Brother: You need to make it... I think some chocolate is a good idea.

Mommy: And then you find the circles?

Brother: Well, yeah - using the map.

Mommy: What map?

Brother: The one I made at school.

Mommy: So - you already made the map? Where is it?

Brother: I don't know. So... you'll probably need to make another. Daddy and I will wait on the stairs.

Mommy: OK... it might take me a few minutes if I have to make a treasure, hide all these things, and then make a map of how to find them.

Brother: Tell us when you're done.

I proceed to make a treasure out of some m&m's, a quarter, a cork from a wine bottle, and a ribbon bracelet. I wrap it in tin foil and put a big X on it. I take the 11 or 13 cardboard circles and hide them all around the living room and kitchen. I put the treasure under one of them. I start drawing a map. Brother is asking every 30 seconds or so if I remember that I'm supposed to tell them when I'm done. I do remember. I complete my map and then start to mark off on said map where I've hidden 11 or 13 cardboard circles. I don't remember all the places I've hidden them. I have to search for them. Brother is sounding more and more agitated calling to me from the stairs. I finish and tell them it is all set. I hand them the map.

Daddy: You've put the couch going the wrong direction on the map - this doesn't really make sense.

Mommy: (I say something here about not being great at drawing maps but it should REALLY serve the purpose just find, yada yada yada).

Brother and Daddy proceed to follow the map and find all the hidden circles - including the one with the Treasure - in about 1.5 minutes. Brother is mildly amused by the treasure. But definitely approves of the m&m's.

Brother: OK...let's do it again! But, Daddy - why don't you do the treasure hiding and map drawing this time? That one was pretty easy.
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I do love it. We actually had a good time with his game and I ventured to say we should make a laminated map of the living room and use dry erase markers for marking treasure spots... I didn't get a lot of response to this idea, but I may do it anyway. Plus, when we go to sell our house it will be a great selling point that it comes with it's very own treasure hunt game customized just to this house.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

With Brother's imagination and his parents artistic ability and creativity, you should market this game. I think kids would love it! My nephew will never stop amazing me! Team T's Treasure hunt! I love it! Grammy and I will see if we can create some maps of our houses for next weekend. Can't wait!
Love, Zia

Melany @ Project Anthologies said...

LOL - yep, get to work Zia. Be sure you don't make it too easy. ;)