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40 Rhyming Treasure Hunt Clues for Around the House
40 rhyming treasure hunt clues with answers, picture prompts and a ready-to-hide route through your home, from the welly rack to the final prize.
How do you start a treasure hunt at home?
Use treasure hunt clues that describe familiar household objects, then hide each new clue at the place the previous one names. Choose from these 40 rhymes, copy just the clues you need, and give your child the first card. Each has an answer, a picture prompt and a place for the following card.
For a list of things to spot instead of a linked trail, try our ready-made scavenger hunt lists.
What do you need before hiding the cards?
Paper, a pen and a small treasure are enough. These clues are written for ages 3 to 8. Start with five, then adapt the reading to your child: read the rhymes aloud, let them read, or draw the picture prompts on separate cards.
Use places your child knows and can reach from the floor. Keep clues outside cupboards and appliances, away from medicines and cleaning products. Keep small parts, button batteries and loose cords out of reach, following NHS home safety advice. If under-3s join in, leave out coins and small toy prizes.
The kettle is a pointing clue: an adult holds the next card. Keep kettles and their leads back from worktop edges, as the Child Accident Prevention Trust advises.
Which household clues will you choose?
The headings give the answers, so copy only the rhymes onto reading cards. For picture cards, draw or photograph the suggested object. “Next card” tells you where to leave the following clue, not the clue naming that object. Choose whichever locations suit your home.
1. Doormat
Rainy-day feet have brought mud to the door;Wipe them on me to spare the floor.
Picture: a doormat. Next card: under its corner.
2. Welly rack
Puddle-jumping boots come backTo stand together on this rack.
Picture: wellies on their rack. Next card: beside a boot.
3. Coat pocket
I'm stitched into your coat, a little hideaway;Your hands tuck inside me on a chilly day.
Picture: a coat pocket. Next card: inside the pocket.
4. Shoe
I'm not a sock, but I fit your toes;Find me where your outdoor footwear goes.
Picture: your child's shoe. Next card: inside the shoe.
5. Slippers
For indoor feet, we're soft to wear;Find the slippers waiting as a pair.
Picture: their slippers. Next card: under a slipper.
6. Hat
I sit on your head when cold winds blow;Above your ears is where I go.
Picture: a woolly hat. Next card: under the hat.
7. School bag
Books and lunch can ride in me;I go to school, then home for tea.
Picture: their school bag. Next card: in its front pocket.
8. Under-stairs cupboard door
The steps go up, but I'm below;My cupboard door is where to go.
Picture: the cupboard door. Next card: on its outside.
9. Sofa
There's room for us to sit in a row;Find the seat where the cushions go.
Picture: your sofa. Next card: on the seat.
10. Armchair
The sofa seats a little crew;This comfy chair has room for you.
Picture: your armchair. Next card: on the seat.
11. Cushion
I'm soft and plump on the sofa seat;Lift me up for your next treat.
Picture: a sofa cushion. Next card: under the cushion.
12. Bookcase
Stories stand shoulder to shoulder here;Choose a low shelf, your clue is near.
Picture: your bookcase. Next card: on a low shelf.
13. Favourite book
Choose the story you love to hear;Open its cover, your clue is near.
Picture: its cover. Next card: inside the front cover.
14. Coffee table
I'm a little table by the seat;Look on my top for your next treat.
Picture: your coffee table. Next card: on its top.
15. Rug
I'm not a blanket for your bed;I'm on the floor for feet instead.
Picture: your rug. Next card: under its corner.
16. Board-game box
My board and pieces come out to play;Then my lid keeps them tucked away.
Picture: the game's box. Next card: on the closed lid.
17. Toy basket
When play is finished for the day,I'm where the toys get put away.
Picture: your toy basket. Next card: on top.
18. Teddy
No growls from me, just furry paws;I'm the bear who's always yours.
Picture: their teddy. Next card: beneath its paws.
19. Drawing pad
Draw a dragon, a boat or a tree;My blank paper waits for you and me.
Picture: a drawing pad. Next card: inside the cover.
20. Crayon box
Red and yellow, green and blue;My waxy sticks draw things for you.
Picture: a crayon box. Next card: under the box.
21. Dining chair
Pull me out when it's time to eat;I'm by the table, take a seat.
Picture: a dining chair. Next card: on its seat.
22. Dining table
We gather round when it's time for tea;Our plates sit on top, what could I be?
Picture: your dining table. Next card: on top.
23. Placemat
Beneath your plate I take my place;Crumbs and splashes land on my face.
Picture: their placemat. Next card: under the mat.
24. Fruit bowl
Apples and pears sit in a heap;Find the bowl where the fruit can sleep.
Picture: your fruit bowl. Next card: beside it.
25. Bread bin
Sliced or crusty, brown or white;I keep the bread tucked out of sight.
Picture: your bread bin. Next card: on its outside.
26. Fridge door
Milk stays chilly behind my door;Your next clue's outside, so don't explore.
Picture: your fridge. Next card: taped to the door.
27. Tea towel
After the washing-up is through,I dry the plates and glasses too.
Picture: a tea towel. Next card: under a folded towel.
28. Kettle
I heat the water ready for tea;Tell your grown-up when you've spotted me.
Picture: your kettle. Next card: held by the grown-up.
29. Wooden spoon
I'm wooden and stir the cake mix through;Find this spoon for your next clue.
Picture: a wooden spoon. Next card: beside it on the table.
30. Apron
Flour on my front? I don't care;I'm the cooking cover that you wear.
Picture: an apron. Next card: under the folded apron.
31. Bed
When the day has said goodnight,My duvet waits to tuck you tight.
Picture: your child's bed. Next card: on the duvet.
32. Pillow
Above the sheet, beneath your head;Find the squashy part of your bed.
Picture: their pillow. Next card: under the pillow.
33. Duvet
I'm your bed's big cosy cover;Your next clue waits for you to discover.
Picture: their duvet. Next card: under its bottom corner.
34. Pyjamas
When daytime clothes are put away,These come out at the end of day.
Picture: their pyjamas. Next card: under the folded pair.
35. Sock drawer
Pairs of foot-warmers, rolled in a row;Look where your clean, dry socks all go.
Picture: their sock drawer. Next card: on its outside.
36. Wardrobe
Shirts and jumpers hang inside;Check my door, the clue can't hide.
Picture: their wardrobe. Next card: on its outside.
37. Laundry basket
Dirty clothes wait here in a heap;Before a wash, this is where they sleep.
Picture: the laundry basket. Next card: on its outside.
38. Towel
After a wash, I help you dry;Look where the folded towels lie.
Picture: a folded towel. Next card: under it.
39. Toothbrush cup
Toothbrushes stand here in a bunch;They don't need a plate for lunch.
Picture: their toothbrush cup. Next card: beside the cup.
40. Rolled-out mat
I'm rolled out ready, long and flat;Your treasure's waiting on this mat.
Picture: an unrolled mat. Treasure: on the mat.
How do you link the clues without muddling them?
Choose the finishing spot first, then work backwards. The card about the pillow belongs at the previous stop; the pillow hides the card about somewhere else. Keep your own answer order on paper, and walk the route once before handing over the opening clue.
For a five-clue hunt ending on a mat:
- Hand over clue 7, the school bag rhyme.
- Put clue 12, the bookcase rhyme, inside the school bag.
- Put clue 26, the fridge rhyme, on a low bookshelf.
- Tape clue 32, the pillow rhyme, to the fridge door.
- Put clue 40, the mat rhyme, under the pillow. Put the treasure on the mat.
For a one-room hunt, use sofa, cushion, favourite book, then mat. Hide the book elsewhere in the room first. At a party, take turns carrying the clue. Plan the rest of the afternoon with our birthday party running order.
Want the final stop to become a pose game? Choose a Yogi-Me mat for the treasure spot, with 15 numbered poses laser-engraved into the surface. Clue 40 also works with a mat you already own.
What if your child would rather hide the treasure?
Let them set the hunt for you. They can choose the object, draw a clue and watch you puzzle it out, or simply point when you need help. If they don't want to hunt at all, leave the cards for another day.
For a different approach, the National Literacy Trust's parent activity pack suggests drawing a map of your home and marking the final treasure with an X. Let your child draw the furniture and choose where the X belongs. You can be the explorer while they give directions. Follow their route, even if it's much shorter than yours.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write treasure hunt riddles?
Choose the answer first, then describe what it does or where it belongs. For a pillow, mention resting your head; for a welly rack, mention puddles and boots. Finish the lines with a simple rhyme. Keep your child's own words for things, even if the rhyme becomes less tidy.
How many clues should a children's treasure hunt have?
Start with five clues, then add more if your child asks for another round. Choose the length by how they're enjoying it. You don't need to use all 40. For a longer hunt, add different rooms or make the riddles less obvious rather than hiding cards more deeply.
How do you make treasure hunt clues for children who can't read?
Draw or photograph the destination and put that picture on the clue card. Use your own sofa or welly rack so there's no doubt about the answer. You can still read the rhyme aloud. For siblings, let one read while the other matches the picture and finds the next card.
What can you use as treasure without buying anything?
Hide a favourite teddy, a book you already own or a handwritten voucher for choosing the next family game. The treasure can be an activity waiting at the last stop, such as paper and crayons for drawing together. Decide on the ending before you lay the trail.
