Free printable · ages 3 to 12

Christmas treasure hunt clues for kids

Sixteen free Christmas clues, sorted by age, plus a letter from Santa's elves to start the trail. Pick the clues that fit your home, print them, and hide them the night before. Christmas morning does the rest.

See the free clues

How to set up a Christmas morning treasure hunt

The whole setup takes about five minutes once the kids are asleep.

  1. Choose the endingDecide where the treasure is. The presents under the tree are the classic, but a stocking or a box of new pyjamas works too.
  2. Pick your spotsChoose 4 to 10 spots, depending on age. Stick to places you can reach without climbing, away from anything hot.
  3. Print the cluesPrint this page, or write the clues on cards. Each clue points to the next spot, and the last one points to the treasure.
  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 letterOn Christmas morning, give your child the elf letter. It sends them to the first spot, and the hunt begins.

Free Christmas clues

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

Start here

Give this to your child on Christmas morning. Fill in their name and the first spot.

North Pole postStart
A letter from Santa's elves

Dear ,

Before we flew home to the North Pole, we hid a special surprise somewhere in your house. Follow our clues, one by one, and don't stop until you find it. Santa says you've worked very hard this year!

Your first clue is hiding .

Love, the Elves

Ages 3–5

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

Picture clueAges 3–5
Brrr! Where is it cold, cold, cold?
Next clue goes in: the fridge
Picture clueAges 3–5
Night night! Peek under here.
Next clue goes in: under their pillow
Picture clueAges 3–5
Splish, splash! Where do you take a bath?
Next clue goes in: the (empty) bathtub
Picture clueAges 3–5
Stomp, stomp! Look inside a boot.
Next clue goes in: their boots or shoes
Picture clueAges 3–5
Last one! Run to the Christmas tree!
Treasure goes: under the tree
Ages 6–8

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

ClueAges 6–8

An elf whispers:

I'm long and red and hang in a row, Santa fills me up, you know! Reach inside me, down to the toe.

Next clue goes in: a stocking
ClueAges 6–8

A reindeer jingles:

I'm chilly inside all day and all night, I keep the milk cold and the butter just right. Open my door and look on a shelf, a clue is waiting from Santa's elf!

Next clue goes in: the fridge
ClueAges 6–8

An elf whispers:

Where do we cuddle to watch a show? Lift up a cushion and look below!

Next clue goes in: under a couch cushion
ClueAges 6–8

A snowman says:

We keep your toes all warm and dry when snowflakes tumble from the sky. Look inside us, left and right, your clue is snuggled in there tight!

Next clue goes in: winter boots
ClueAges 6–8

A reindeer jingles:

Look between the books on me, the next clue's there for you to see!

Next clue goes in: the bookshelf
Last clueAges 6–8

Santa himself says:

I'm green and sparkly, tall and bright, I twinkle with lights every night. Look underneath me, near the floor, Santa left you something more!

Treasure goes: under the Christmas tree
Ages 9–12

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

RiddleAges 9–12

Headquarters at the North Pole reports:

I'm full of days, but this month only 24 of my little doors get opened. Look behind the next one.

Next clue goes in: the advent calendar
RiddleAges 9–12

An elf passes you a note:

I have a neck but no head, and two arms but no hands. Check my pockets.

Next clue goes in: a coat pocket
RiddleAges 9–12

An elf passes you a note:

I copy everything you do, but I never make a sound. Look closely at me.

Next clue goes in: taped beside a mirror
RiddleAges 9–12

Headquarters at the North Pole reports:

I go round and round but never leave the room. Your socks go in dirty and come out clean.

Next clue goes in: the washing machine
Last riddleAges 9–12

Santa's final message:

I have needles but I never sew, and lights but I'm not a lamp. Your treasure is beneath me.

Treasure goes: under the Christmas tree

For grown-ups: where each card sends them

Pick one age group. Its first card goes wherever the elf 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

    Christmas 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

    • Jingle like a sleigh bell all the way to the next spot.
    • Do five reindeer hops before you open the clue.
    • Sing one line of your favourite Christmas song.
    • Waddle like a penguin to the next spot.
    • Say "Merry Christmas" in your silliest elf voice.
    • Find something red and something green on your way.

    Treasure ideas for the last spot

    • The presents under the tree (the classic ending).
    • Their stocking, moved somewhere surprising.
    • New Christmas pyjamas to wear all day.
    • A hot chocolate kit with marshmallows.
    • A family movie night ticket, signed by the elves.
    • A note promising a trip to see the Christmas lights.

    Want clues for your house?

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

    • Pick your own spots, or snap a photo of each one for little kids.
    • Picture, rhyme and riddle clues for ages 3 to 12.
    • Party mode with a colour-coded trail for up to four teams.
    • Christmas plus 16 other themes for birthdays and rainy days.
    Try it free preview a whole hunt Get Clueberry for $9, unlimited hunts

    Questions

    How many clues should a Christmas 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 is the sweet spot on an excited Christmas morning.

    How do I make a Christmas treasure hunt for a toddler?

    Use picture clues instead of words, keep every spot in one or two rooms, and stop at four or five clues. Read each clue out loud together and cheer at every find.

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

    The presents under the tree are the classic ending. Other favourites are a stocking, new Christmas pyjamas, a hot chocolate kit, or a note promising a family outing.

    Can siblings do the same Christmas treasure hunt?

    Yes. Either let the older child read the clues to the younger one, or give each child their own colour-coded trail of clues that ends at the same treasure, so nobody just follows the fastest kid.