Pre-reading activities involve more than simply teaching preschoolers their ABC’s. An important part of reading is the ability to recognize that symbols (such as letters and words) stand for something else. Preschoolers can practice this essential pre-reading skill by learning to communicate through symbols. This exciting treasure hunt activity will encourage preschoolers to “read” each picture and determine what action they need to take.

Create a treasure hunt for your preschoolers by hiding a small treasure somewhere in the classroom or outside. This activity can also be done at home with only one preschooler or as part of a pirate themed birthday party. Hide the treasure and then work backwards to create clues.

With a Digital Camera

If you are using a digital camera, take a picture of the location that you have hidden the treasure and hide the photo somewhere else. Continue by taking a picture of the location that you have hidden the photo and proceeding to find another hiding spot. Hide 5 or 6 photos in various locations. When you have taken a picture of the final hiding spot, put that photo in an envelope and give it to the preschoolers to begin the treasure hunt.

Creating Your Own Illustrations

This activity can be easily done without a digital camera as well. Use squares of paper to draw pictures of either the location where you have hidden the next hint, or draw clues that will lead the preschoolers to the correct location. Some simple places that you could illustrate and hide clues for the treasure hunt are near the front door, under a table, on a bookshelf, by a slide, or in a box. Look around your preschool classroom if you are doing this activity inside, or look around your outside play area and find locations that would be easily drawn as clues.

Once you have several illustrations or photos of locations in your preschool classroom or in your outside play area, you can quickly create additional treasure hunts by rearranging the order of the locations and hiding the final treasure in different locations.

X Marks The Spot

To add an additional literary aspect to this activity, talk with preschoolers about how the letter “X” can symbolize that you have arrived at the correct location. Explain to your preschoolers that on pirate maps, sometimes a letter “X” was used to symbolize the location where the treasure was buried. Instead of hiding a treasure at the end of your treasure hunt, hide a small letter “X”. This can be made by cutting a letter “X” out of tag board or by purchasing a small wooden letter “X” at a local craft store.