Free printable · ages 3 to 12

Birthday treasure hunt clues for kids

Sixteen free birthday clues, sorted by age, plus a birthday letter to start the trail. Use them for the birthday morning, or split the guests into teams at the party. Print, hide, and let the hunt do the entertaining.

See the free clues

How to set up a birthday treasure hunt

The whole setup takes about five minutes, before the guests arrive.

  1. Choose the endingDecide where the treasure is. A wrapped present, the party bags, or the cake (before the candles go on) all make a great finish.
  2. Pick your spotsChoose 4 to 10 spots, depending on age. Stick to places you can reach without climbing, away from anything hot.
  3. Make teams for a partyWith more than four kids, split them into teams and give each team its own trail, so nobody just follows the fastest kid.
  4. Hide them backwardsStart at the treasure and work back. Put each clue in the spot the previous clue describes, so the trail can't break.
  5. Hand over the letterGive the birthday child (or each team) the letter. It sends them to the first spot, and the hunt begins.

Free birthday clues

Every card says where to hide it. The answer on each card is the spot where the next clue is waiting.

Start here

Hand this over on the big day. Fill in the name and the first spot.

Birthday messageStart
A birthday treasure hunt

Happy birthday, !

A special birthday surprise is hidden somewhere in this house. Follow the clues, one by one, and don't stop until you find it. Every clue gets you closer!

Your first clue is hiding .

Have the best birthday ever!

Ages 3–5

Picture clues. Read the words out loud and let them look at the picture.

Picture clueAges 3–5
Where do your toys go to sleep?
Next clue goes in: the toy box
Picture clueAges 3–5
Bounce, bounce! Look under a cushion.
Next clue goes in: under a couch cushion
Picture clueAges 3–5
Stomp, stomp! Peek inside a shoe.
Next clue goes in: their shoes
Picture clueAges 3–5
Story time! Look by the books.
Next clue goes in: the bookshelf
Picture clueAges 3–5
Last one! Run to the party table!
Treasure goes: on the party table
Ages 6–8

Rhyming clues they can read themselves, or with a little help.

ClueAges 6–8

A party balloon whispers:

I'm full of fun when the day is done, your trucks and teddies, every one. Lift my lid and peek inside!

Next clue goes in: the toy box
ClueAges 6–8

The birthday cake says:

I keep the juice and the party snacks cool, staying chilly is my number one rule. Open my door and look on a shelf!

Next clue goes in: the fridge
ClueAges 6–8

A party balloon whispers:

You snuggle me each night in bed, I hold up your sleepy birthday head. Look underneath me!

Next clue goes in: under their pillow
ClueAges 6–8

The birthday cake says:

I spin and spin but never get dizzy, on laundry day I'm very busy. Look inside my round door!

Next clue goes in: the washing machine
ClueAges 6–8

A party balloon whispers:

Muddy shoes wipe off on me before they come to your party. Lift me up and you will see!

Next clue goes in: under the doormat
Last clueAges 6–8

The birthday cake says:

Candles, frosting, sprinkles too, something sweet is waiting for you. Run to the table where we eat, your birthday treasure is a treat!

Treasure goes: on the party table
Ages 9–12

Riddles for big kids who think they're too old for treasure hunts.

RiddleAges 9–12

A secret note says:

I'm full of holes, but I still hold water. Find me by the kitchen sink.

Next clue goes in: beside the kitchen sponge
RiddleAges 9–12

A secret note says:

I have hands but I can't clap, and a face but I never smile. Look beside me.

Next clue goes in: next to a clock you can reach
RiddleAges 9–12

The birthday spy reports:

The more I dry, the wetter I get. Check where I hang.

Next clue goes in: with a bathroom towel
RiddleAges 9–12

The birthday spy reports:

I have four legs but I never walk, and a back but no spine. Look underneath me.

Next clue goes in: under a kitchen chair
Last riddleAges 9–12

The final message:

I get cut but never bleed, and once a year everyone sings to me. Your treasure is right beside me.

Treasure goes: next to the birthday cake

For grown-ups: where each card sends them

Pick one age group. Its first card goes wherever the birthday letter says. Each later card goes in the spot the card before it points to, and the last card points to the treasure.

    Or make clues for your own rooms

    Party challenges and endings

    Add a quick challenge to each clue to stretch the fun, then finish with a treasure worth the run.

    Challenges between clues

    • Do a birthday dance before you open the next clue.
    • Jump once for every year the birthday child is turning.
    • Sing "Happy Birthday" in your best robot voice.
    • Blow out five pretend candles, as hard as you can.
    • High-five everyone on your team.
    • Hop like a bunny all the way to the next spot.

    Treasure ideas for the last spot

    • The birthday present, wrapped and waiting.
    • Party bags, one for every guest.
    • The birthday cake, before the candles go on.
    • A piñata, ready for its first swing.
    • A card that lets the birthday child pick dinner.
    • A small toy with a note from the family.

    Want clues for your house?

    The free clues above fit most homes. Clueberry writes a whole trail for the spots in yours, with the birthday child's name on every card.

    • Party mode: a colour-coded trail for up to four teams.
    • Pick your own spots, or snap a photo of each one for little kids.
    • Picture, rhyme and riddle clues for ages 3 to 12.
    • 17 themes, from pirates and dinosaurs to unicorns and space.
    Try it free preview a whole hunt Get Clueberry for $9, unlimited hunts

    Questions

    How many clues should a birthday treasure hunt have?

    Four or five clues for ages 3 to 5, six to eight for ages 6 to 8, and eight to ten for ages 9 to 12. That keeps the hunt to about 10 to 20 minutes, which fits nicely between party games.

    How do I run a treasure hunt with lots of kids?

    Split them into two to four teams and give each team its own colour-coded trail of clues that ends at the same treasure. Every team stays busy, and nobody just follows the fastest kid.

    Should a birthday treasure hunt be indoors or outdoors?

    Either works. Indoors is easier to control and works in any weather. A backyard adds space to run, but keep cards weighed down so they don't blow away.

    What should be at the end of a birthday treasure hunt?

    A wrapped present, the party bags or the birthday cake are all popular endings. For a party, end at something every guest gets to share.