K is for Keys {Pirate Treasure Hunt}

We love treasure hunts around here.

And my 3-year-old has watched “The Pirate Fairy” almost every day for the last three weeks. So when I found this book for our {K is for KEYS} day, it ended up being a perfect fit!

• Explore keys
  1. Place several different keys on the rug (we spread out a blanket). I used these two sets of keys from Michaels. The one on the left is actually a page of stickers, but I just peeled the sticky stuff off the back You could also use any keys from your key ring!
  2. Give the kids time to explore the keys. My 3-year-old started noticing details and pointing out differences and similarities.
  3. Sort the keys … long vs. short, color, shape, etc.

• Read “Jake and the Never Land Pirates: The Key to Skull Rock” … This is a Pre-1 reader. The story includes pictures above some of the words, so non-readers can “read” along. This is a fun treasure hunt type of story. Jake and his crew have to get a skeleton key back from Captain Hook to find the treasure Peter Pan left for them. Available here.
  1. Find all of the letter K’s on the cover.
  2. Use one of your keys to circle the word “key” in the story as you read. The story actually says “skeleton key” but I just read “key” through the story. My 3-year-old could spot the key picture and loop it with the top of the key.

• Go on a {K is for Keys} Treasure Hunt!
  1. Cut out several large K’s from colorful paper. Write the clues on each of these K’s. I like to add little activities to do with the clues.
  2. Hide Clue #1 at the back of the book. When we finished the book, we had a clue waiting for us to find our very own treasure!
  3. Customize the treasure hunt to fit your house and preschooler. These are the clues and activities we did!

Clue #1 … “Fill up this K with keys to get your next clue.”

• My 3-year-old used all of our keys to cover the big letter K. Then I handed her the next clue.

Clue #2 … “Find all the K’s in the basket of blocks”

• We looked through our ABC blocks (found here) and found all of the letter K’s. It ended up being a good sorting activity. Yes-K blocks went in one pile. No-K blocks when in another.
• And of course, stacking blocks happens naturally

Clue #3 … “Use this KEY to open a lock in your bedroom to find the next clue!”

• I taped a key to the clue. I got these locks at the dollar store!
• I showed my 3-year-old how to put the key in the lock and turn it. She was thrilled to have it pop open and unlock the doors.
• The clue was waiting inside! 

Clue #4 … “Where do we hang our car KEYS?”

Clue #5 … “Open this lock to get your next clue”

• I hung another lock (not from the dollar store) by the clue.
• She fit the key in the lock, twisted and opened it. Then I handed her the next clue

Clue #6 … “There is a lock in the bathroom. Use this KEY to unlock it and find your clue.”

• I just snapped a lock from the handle of a drawer. Yes, she could have just opened the drawer without unlocking it, but she used the key to unlock the lock and open the drawer

Clue #7 … “Search for 12 KEYS in the rice & match them to this page!”

1. Ahead of time, I put a letter K and 12 keys on the scanner, then just printed out a page. All of the keys on the scanner went into a bowl of rice.
2. The kids searched for the keys and matched them up to their picture on the paper.
3. TIP: If you do not have a scanner, just trace around the keys and the kids can match the key to it’s outline.

 

Clue #8 … Yes, this is really clue #8. I lost track and wrote #7 again “Open the dryer! You will need this KEY!”

• Again, tape the key to the clue.
• I put a small treasure box ($2.99 at Michaels before coupon!) in the dryer.
• It was locked and my 3-year-old used the key to open it and find her treasure!
• Chocolate gold coins and bead necklaces! It was a fun treasure to share with her little brother.

• Color your treasure box! … I purposely got a blank treasure chest, so my 3-year-old could have fun coloring it to make it her own.
  1. Instead of paint, we used markers today. We have these fun metallic markers and they made it extra shiny and looked like gold.