One simple, low-cost, and very popular way to entertain children at any kind of celebration or gathering, indoors or out, is with a good old-fashioned treasure hunt. A treasure hunt is the one party game that truly promotes interaction, naturally evokes squeals of excitement, and leaves your party guests with lasting memories of their adventurous day at your child’s party.

What if your child doesn’t want a pirate-themed party? No problem! Treasure hunts aren’t just for pirates. Tradition has dictated that pirates are the great treasure hunters, but the fact of the matter is treasure hunts are loved by boys, girls, and grown-ups alike, and make a great addition to any party theme. Treasure hunts can be simply adapted with a storyline and a variety of decorations to fit into any party theme. This is the one area of planning where your child might already have a very clear idea of what they would like, and it would be wise to involve them in this decision, as it makes the party their own.

To adapt a treasure hunt for a princess-themed party, for example, you might announce that someone has stolen the princess’s jewels, and whoever finds them by following the clues will be rewarded with a share of the loot. You place a jewelry box overflowing with plastic beads, candy necklaces and rings, and other gem-like treats in the center of the party table, and have someone sneak the treasure away during the party before making the announcement. Other themes and decorations might revolve around the latest TV cartoon characters, superheroes, pop idols, a holiday, or your child might want to create their own theme.

That being said, be careful not to fall into the parent trap of spending a small fortune buying themed party goods. Consider purchasing just a few themed bright and colorful decorations and/or centerpieces, and then either complement them with less expensive coordinating party supplies and decorations, or make your own — there are plenty of great fun ways to put you and your child’s artistic talent to work to customize your party.

Some crafty ideas kids may love making or having at their party include authentic-looking weathered pirate treasure maps, princess crowns and jewelry, spyglasses made from paper towel rolls, pinatas (handmade or bought), cardboard hooks inserted into the bottom of styrofoam cups to wear on their hands like Captain Hook, paper or felt decorated pirate hats, and bejeweled and personalized loot bags, to name only a few.

Although it requires some time, creativity, and resources, you can make and stage your own treasure hunt game to play as a group or competitively in teams. Design and hide 10 clever clues that lead players step-by-step from one clue to the next, hidden amongst common objects, to ultimately discover the hidden treasure, which might be sacks of “loot” consisting of candy such as chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil, or party favors, toys, and other items valuable to children.

Alternatively, if you’re short on time, money, and party ideas like many busy parents and party planners, online sites such as Treasure-Adventure.com offer affordable complete treasure hunts with pre-made custom clues full of rhymes and riddles that kids love to solve, the design of which can be the most time-consuming and difficult part of preparing a treasure hunt.

Use creativity to build your party further around the hunt for a truly fantastic and memorable party that your child and his or her guests will talk about long after the party is over. Although the treasure hunt will likely be the main attraction since it is the most action-packed and engaging, don’t necessarily limit other activities that might complement the hunt such as a cannonball toss using bean bags or water balloons, “Walk the Plank” using a shallow pool full of plastic alligators and snakes, pan for gold using gold spray-painted rock nuggets, dress in costumes, hold a peg-leg relay, make a castle or pirate ship out of an appliance box, play “Blackbeard says,” etc. — the sky is the limit!

Treasure hunts are also not just limited to children or birthday parties, but are perfect for family fun night, slumber parties, classroom parties, picnics, and other group events. Treasure hunts bring parties alive with hours of challenging and fun entertainment, with the thrill of the hunt along with the solving of puzzles often being the most enjoyable and memorable part of the day. And don’t think you can’t top your last party. By using a variety of themes, new treasure hunt clues and decorations, and a little creativity, you can throw many more successful and unique parties for years to come that never go out of style.

“If you’re up to the challenge, spyglass and compass in hand, yer prize is in sight, so let the adventure begin!”

To purchase inexpensive ready-to-play treasure hunt games online and find more valuable information on treasure hunt party planning, visit Treasure-Adventure.com online at http://www.treasure-adventure.com. Games come with complete hiding guides to help you coordinate and pull off the perfect hunt and bring your party to life, come in a variety of themes such as for outdoor and classroom events, and the Treasure-Adventure.com web site also offers party supplies, free downloadable kids activities and games, party and craft ideas such as how to make an authentic looking pirate map, treasure hunting tips, and legends of lost treasure.

Deb Bromley is co-founder of Treasure-Adventure.com, maker of unique downloadable treasure hunt party games with challenging custom clues for kids of all ages.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Plan-A-Great-Kids-Treasure-Hunt-Party!&id=203330

Incorporating a fun, challenging, and fast-paced treasure hunt into your party will help break the ice and bring kids together as a team, indoors or out, following clues and solving rhymes and riddles step-by-step in their quest to capture the prize, ultimately evoking squeals of excitement at each clue discovered. Not only are treasure hunts relatively inexpensive, they are unique, memorable, interactive, and educational adventure games that challenge the imagination and can be played again and again. Most importantly, kids love them!

Although a pirate theme is the most logical choice for a treasure hunt party, it may not be your child’s first choice, and this certainly should not limit your ability to adapt a treasure hunt to any party theme. Treasure hunts aren’t just for pirates. Tradition has dictated that pirates are the great treasure hunters, but the fact of the matter is treasure hunts are loved by boys, girls, and grown-ups alike, and make a great addition to any party theme. Treasure hunts can be simply adapted with a storyline and a variety of decorations to fit into any party plan.

For example, to adapt a treasure hunt for a superhero-themed party, you might announce that a notorious villain has robbed the city bank, and a superhero needs your help! Solve the clues he has left behind to recover the loot and save the city! Fill a superhero bank or centerpiece with play money, gold-wrapped candy coins, and other favors to later sneak away during the party before announcing the theft and sending the crime fighters on their mission. Other themes and decorations might revolve around a princess whose jewels were stolen, the latest TV cartoon characters, pop idols, a holiday, or your child might want to create their own theme.

That being said, be careful not to fall into the parent trap of spending a small fortune buying themed party goods. Consider purchasing just a few themed bright and colorful decorations and/or centerpieces, and then either complement them with less expensive coordinating party supplies and decorations, or make your own — there are plenty of great fun ways to put you and your child’s artistic talent to work to customize your party.

Some great craft ideas kids might enjoy making or having at their party include authentic-looking weathered pirate treasure maps, princess crowns and jewelry, spyglasses made from paper towel rolls, piñatas (handmade or bought), cardboard hooks inserted into the bottom of styrofoam cups to wear on their hands like Captain Hook, paper or felt decorated pirate hats, and bejeweled and personalized loot bags, to name only a few.

Although it requires a little creativity, time, and resources, you can make and stage your own treasure hunt game to play as a group or competitively in teams. Design and hide 10 clever clues that lead players progressively from one clue to the next, hidden amongst common objects, to ultimately discover the hidden treasure, which might be sacks of “loot” consisting of gift certificates, cupcakes, party favors, toys, gold foil-wrapped coins, games, or other items valuable to children.

Alternatively, if you’re short on time, money, and party ideas like many busy parents and party planners, online sites such as Treasure-Adventure.com offer affordable complete treasure hunts with pre-made custom clues full of rhymes and riddles that kids love to solve, the design of which can be the most time-consuming and difficult part of preparing a treasure hunt.

Although the treasure hunt will likely be the main attraction since it is the most action-packed and engaging, don’t necessarily limit other activities that might complement the hunt such as a cannonball toss using bean bags or water balloons, “Walk the Plank” using a shallow pool full of plastic alligators and snakes, pan for gold using gold spray-painted rock nuggets, dress in costumes, hold a peg-leg relay, make a castle or pirate ship out of an appliance box, play “Blackbeard says,” etc. — the sky is the limit! Applying a little creativity will leave your party guests with a lot of lasting memories of their adventurous day at your child’s party.

Treasure hunts are also not just limited to children or birthday parties, but are perfect for family fun night, slumber parties, classroom parties, picnics, and other group events. Treasure hunts bring parties alive with hours of challenging and fun entertainment, with the thrill of the hunt along with the solving of puzzles often being the most enjoyable and memorable part of the day. And don’t think you can’t top your last party. By using a variety of themes, new treasure hunt clues and decorations, and a little innovation, you can host many more truly fabulous parties for years to come that never go out of style and your guests will talk about long after the party is over.

“If you’re up to the challenge, spyglass and compass in hand, yer prize is in sight, so let the adventure begin!”

To purchase inexpensive ready-to-play treasure hunt games online and find more valuable information on treasure hunt party planning, visit Treasure-Adventure.com online at http://www.treasure-adventure.com. Games come complete with hiding guides to help you coordinate and pull off the perfect hunt and bring your party to life, come in a variety of themes such as for outdoor and classroom events, and the Treasure-Adventure.com web site also offers party supplies, free downloadable kids activities and games, party and craft ideas such as how to make an authentic looking pirate map, treasure hunting tips, and legends of lost treasure.

Deb Bromley is co-founder of Treasure-Adventure.com, a designer of unique print ‘n’ play treasure hunt party games with custom fun and challenging clues for kids of all ages.

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1. Decide what the point of your treasure hunt is? Are they looking for a booty (bag, box, or chest of something special) or will one treasure map lead to a second map with a greater distance?

2. Are all the teams going for the same prize? (We don’t do this because too many youngers would have hurt feelings) It’s also more fun to have the teams crossing paths in the clues but not in competition for the same prize. This makes the clue solving the focus, which helps everyone with deductive reasoning, creative thinking, and sharing knowledge. *we’ve even had one big group with several smaller ‘clans’ in each group, all working with different clues. Some clues they need to share, some they don’t. It makes for interesting days.

3. Will it be a mixed group of kids or all one age? This is important to know when you’re setting up the clues. Little kids want to have some clues for them. In fact, this year we’re handing everyone a clue and the head of the team gets the map. That way everyone works together.

4. Plan events with an eye for the weather. Nothing is more discouraging for a team than to search for a hidden clue only to discover it had been blown away by the wind.

5. Watch where you place your booty, your clues, or maps. There are 4 or 5 plants that are unpleasant to blunder into. Know what poison ivy, oak, and sumac look like, and keep a look out for stinging nettles.

6. Be sure the kids have bug spray, sunscreen (organic cocoanut oil works great), and whatever else they may need for the hunt to remain pleasant. (items can be sent along as well: water bottles for everyone (with straps), a small snack for trying times, etc. And if all this seems too much, the olders can carry a backpack, fannypack or a tote of some kind.

7. Regardless of the form your treasure hunt takes, some sort of celebration at the end with snacks, drinks, and a chance for everyone to talk about their adventures is a great way to end the day. It’s also a great time for photos.

There are so many things to enjoy about a treasure hunt! It’s like an easter egg hunt, but you can have it any time! And now that you’re armed with a little bit more knowledge, planning your treasure hunt will be a piece of cake!

Kim Paluch is a freelance writer and a Well-Life coach and consultant. She is currently working on a mind-body wellness manual, in addition to creating a new family wellness e-zine. You can find more of her work at the following websites. http://kim-paluch.blogspot.com and http://yourwell-lifepartners.blogspot.com

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Your treasure hunt could easily be set up by Beryl and Sid from Accounts, nice and cheap in-house team building, but remember, they are not team building professionals and will not have the bigger skills-development picture in their mind when planning the hunt. It will be more like a club or church treasure hunt. For a real benefit, you will need to use an external provider, but that will be expensive so naturally you want to make sure you get value for money. So what should you look for in a good corporate treasure hunt?

Not everyone can answer cryptic clues, not everyone is a keen observer. So good corporate treasure hunt geared to team building will be inclusive, that is, there will be a selection of different types of clue, easy, hard, cryptic. This enables everyone to make a contribution for some of the time. Not only will a good provider offer this range of clues, they will have treasure hunts set up in a wide range of venues too . Check with the providers about this before deciding whose services to use.

The clues address the communication aspect of team building, and to a degree, develop the lateral thinking skills needed for problem solving. To further develop these skills, each treasure hunt should include extra tasks, such as scavenging items or producing photographic evidence to show a task was completed.

Planning is essential to every organisation, team building exercises should always include this element. A good corporate treasure hunt should facilitate this. A poor corporate hunt or church/club treasure hunt will be linear, everyone follows the same route, a few minutes apart. Soon there is no need to think because the group in front are writing excitedly. You see this and you know where the next answer is! What use is that for skills development? A good provider will address this by supplying more clues than could possibly be answered in the time available. At the start of the hunt, each team should spend time considering their route, which clues they intend to answer and what contingency plan they will have if they are running behind or ahead of schedule.

One of the big complaints that employees have about team building exercises is the standing around with nothing to do. A good corporate treasure hunt provider will not let this happen, there will always be at least one activity that is not dependent on location, often in the form of logic puzzles or a quiz. Make sure that this is the case with the provider that you choose.

Business is about competition, getting your share of the market, keeping that share, expanding that share. But competitiveness within a business can be very destructive so it is important that you as the consumer does your part first. Make sure that the teams comprise members of different departments so that they can get to know one-another. After the hunt, they will have something in common and be more likely to co-operate in the workplace.

At the end of a team building exercise comes the dreaded feedback. This can either be one-to-one or small group ‘what-did-you-get-from-the-day’ session or by form filling. Either way, most people really do not enjoy this. With a treasure hunt, there is no need for this, in fact it would probably spoil it. Your staff will be buzzing for days if not weeks after the event, you will hear them discussing clues, strategies, if only, and so on.

Kevin Woodward of chevinside.com designs, builds and optimises many team building web sites, particularly http://www.huntfortreasure.co.uk and http://www.spy-games.com, both of which deliver innovative team building solutions for businesses of all sizes.

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Metal detectors are interesting pieces of technology. They have a variety of uses and have become even more versatile throughout the years. Ever since the first metal detectors came out in the 19th century, scientists and engineers never stopped working on better and more efficient designs.

Nowadays, there are metal detectors that can pinpoint metals so accurately that they have become indispensable tools in fields like mineralogy, engineering, security and even in the military.

From the crude models of the 19th century, the modern detectors had its debut in the 1930s when Gerhard Fischer released and patented his very own metal detector. Fischer’s design used resonating coils to detect the presence of metal under the ground. These metal detectors proved to be an asset during World War II.

Metal detectors were used during the war to find land mines scattered across the paths of troops. They saved a number of soldiers back then. However, these metal detectors could have been more useful if they were not that heavy.

Early designs of metal detectors were not that convenient as compared today. These detectors require a great amount of “juice” to power up which means lugging behind heavy batteries.

The modern detectors basically are made up of coils and uses electromagnetic induction to detect the presence of metal. Aside from the portable metal detectors that we have grown accustomed to and use in hobbies and games like treasure hunting, there are some bigger models that are used mainly in security and related fields.

Other uses for metal detectors include detection of foreign objects in food. These pieces of equipment are of course very useful in the construction industry as well. You could easily detect steel reinforcing bars, pipes and wires that are buried in walls and floors with a detector.

Powerful metal detectors are also used to determine the location of mineral ores for the mining industry. In the field of archaeology, artifacts can be detected even if they are buried deep underneath sand or soil. During rescue missions, sometimes metal detectors also come in handy.

In places like airports, security uses walk in metal detectors to determine if people are carrying metallic objects like knives and guns which can cause potential dangers to passengers or commuters.

The standard coil detectors were the trend back then, but recent technologies have brought about new breeds of metal detectors. You can now see the Beat Balance and Coil Coupled Operation metal detectors which were made available to the public just a couple of years ago.

Low Jeremy maintains http://metal-detector.articlesforreprint.com This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

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For many metal detecting for coins can be a very profitable hobby and hopefully the tips on finding coins that we provide below will help you to not only find more but also better coins as well.

1. Searching Previously Metal Detected Areas

Although these types of areas can prove very challenging and there may be finds few and far between there will always be something good left behind. Below are some tips for searching these types of sites.

Before you commence your hunt take a look in the area and come up with a plan for hunting it. Note areas that seem un-obvious to others as most people will often head for the easiest and obvious areas first. Head towards areas where there are bushes, shrubs or areas that are over grown as these are places that most people will avoid when they are out metal detecting. Also go to areas where you think that have seen less metal detecting traffic such as round by fence lines or side walk strips.

Also dig in areas even if you only get a whisper or hint of something being there. Many people when out searching for coins or any form of treasure will move away from those areas where the signal is not strong.

2. Finding Deep Coins

This is completely different from finding coins that are on the surface (within 1-5 inches of the surface) and will generally give a strong signal. However deep coins are to be found in the 5-10 inch range and the response you get when you sweep the coil over them will be different. Often these coins will not sound solid and repeatable and instead will offer a whisper or jumpy signal that will in a lot of cases sound similar to the signal for rubbish that is located with a metal detector.

The easiest way in order to train your ears so that they become accustomed to detecting deep coins is to dig deep. So any time you pick up a signal that is deep and iffy then dig.

Hopefully the tips on finding coins provided above will help you when you are metal detecting in the future.

J C Christian is an avid follower of metal detectors and how they work. He runs an informational site that follows Garrett Metal Detectors, Fisher Metal Detectors, Tesoro Metal Detectors, and Kellyco Metal Detectors just to name a few. Go to http://www.metal-detector-guides.com
to find information to help with everything metal detecting.

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So you finally decided to take the leap and buy metal detector, trust me you will not be disappointed in the excitement and the joy that it brings. Metal detecting is a hobby that many people take up and it really you get hooked. The sheer joy and excitement that metal detecting brings in finding a treasure is enough to make anybody addicted to metal detecting.

If you are new to metal detecting here are couple tips you should know before you get started out, these tips will make your metal detecting more profitable and more enjoyable. When you are new to metal detecting it sometimes can be difficult to find good information to help you get started, but in this article we will take a look at learning the local more about the metal detector, good places to metal detect, and planning your trip out before you start.

The first and foremost thing I would tell anybody to do before starting metal detecting is after you purchase a metal detector take it home and learn all of the controls and the maintenance for the metal detector. You will be so excited when you get the detector the first thing you want to do is take it out immediately and start looking for treasure, but to maximize your time is best to learn all of the options and everything the metal detector offers to you.

Finding places to metal detect is extremely easy and after getting a metal detector here are a couple of places you can start out with. Go into your backyard and just start metal detecting, this will give you a good feel for the equipment and you may find something in the process. If you live near any parks, this is a good place to go because typically a lot of people will go to the park. If you are close to an ocean beachcombing is really popular and can yield really good results.

If you are planning on taking a trip or spending a day metal detecting, always make sure that you plan the trip out to maximize your time and once you decide the location that you are going to metal detect on, contact the landowner and confirm that metal detecting is accepted. If you are prepared in the beginning you will be able to find more treasure.

When starting out in metal detecting the first inclination is to just grab the metal detector of the box and start running across the ground. After getting over the first wave of excitement you really need to start planning on how to use the metal detector, places to look, and maximizing your time. The information you just read it is a good starting point for you if you are just beginning in metal detecting.

J C Christian is an avid follower of metal detectors and how they work. He runs an informational site that follows Garret Metal Detectors, Fisher Metal Detectors, Tesoro Metal Detectors, and Kellyco Metal Detectors just to name a few. Go to http://www.metal-detector-guides.com
to find information to help with everything metal detecting.

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