Nursery Rhyme Scavenger Hunt

My kids love scavenger hunts--most likely because they usually get a treat at the end of them.  A few weeks ago when I was at the library with my four year old we picked up this cute book called Max and Ruby's Treasure Hunt.  I loved how the grandma in the story used nursery rhymes for the treasure hunt clues.  The book had cute little lift the flap envelopes on each page and my four year old had so much fun trying to figure out the clues along with Max and Ruby.

I thought it was such a fun idea that I decided to recreate something similar for a fun St. Patrick's Day surprise for my kids. I created eight clues using nursery rhymes and placed them around the house.

When the kids arrived home from school they were greeted with this sign.  

The first clue was inside. The clue read:

Jack be nimble,

Jack be quick,

Jack jump over the ________.

By the candlestick they found their second clue.  It read:

Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?

I've been to London to see the queen.

Pussy cat, pussy cat what did you there?

I frightened a little mouse under her ________.

By a chair was clue number three. It read:

There was an old women who lived in a ________.

She had so many children she didn't know what to do.

By the shoe tray was clue number four. It said:

Hickory, dickory dock,

The mouse ran up the ________.

The clock struck one,

The mouse ran down.

Hickory, dickory dock.

By the clock was clue number five. It read:

Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle.

The cow jumped over the moon.

The little dog laughed to see such sport,

And the dish ran away with the ________.

By the spoons was clue number six. It said:

Little boy blue, come blow your ________!

The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn.

Clue number seven was in the car by the horn. It said:

Miss Marry Mack, Mack, Mack,

All dressed in black, black, black,

Had silver ________, ________, ________,

All down her back, back, back.

 Clue number eight was by my sewing machine near the button box. The clue said:

Old Mother Hubbard, went to her ________,

To fetch her poor dog a bone.

When she got there the ________ was bare,

And so her poor dog had none.

And at last in they headed to the cupboard! This was end of the treasure hunt and where they found their treat--little pots filled with the best treasure ever, chocolate!

We usually don't do much to celebrate St. Patrick's day at our house but if I have the time to throw something together I do think it's a fun way to make childhood magical.  The kids had a blast tracking down the clues and the joy on their face made it very much worth my time putting it together. These kiddos of mine won't be little forever. We also had our traditional rainbow fruit salad for lunch.  Healthy and delicious!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!