Treasure Hunt

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Work in small teams to solve navigation clues and verify specific site facts against a fixed deadline.

Use it when: Use during an onsite retreat or orientation when participants need an active outdoor or facility-based collaborative exercise.

Skip it when: Skip when site accessibility is restricted, severe weather limits travel, or participants cannot move through the designated space safely.

Group arrangement: Small teams of 3 to 6 people

Timing: Source suggests up to 60 minutes; set to 45 minutes for standard workshop schedules.

Materials and tools

• One clue sheet per team
• One pen or pencil per team
• One scoring master sheet for the facilitator
• One countdown timer visible or audible to the group

Before participants arrive

1. Substantial preparation required. Scout the physical area in advance to identify 6 to 10 distinct, stable features or items.
2. Draft unambiguous clues and write out the correct verification key.
3. Print one clue sheet per team and clearly mark physical search boundaries.

Say this to open

Your objective is to solve the clues on this sheet, find the matching locations within our designated area, and record the exact details requested. You have 30 minutes to explore, solve as many items as you can, and return to this room. Stay with your team at all times.

How to run it

1. Form teams and review ground rules 5 minutes

   Divide participants into teams of 3 to 6. Distribute one clue sheet and one pen to each team. State the exact physical boundaries, safety constraints, and return time. Give a neutral example: for the clue 'Find the bronze plaque near the oak tree,' the written answer must be the exact dedication year engraved on it.

2. Search and solve clues 30 minutes

   Start the 30-minute timer. Teams navigate the search boundaries, decipher clues, locate targets, and write answers on their clue sheets. Teams choose their own route and sequence. Facilitator remains stationed at the home base or walks the boundary line to answer safety questions.

3. Score verification 5 minutes

   Call time. Teams assemble at the meeting point and submit their clue sheets. Facilitator reads the verified answers aloud. Teams self-score or swap sheets to check answers, awarding one point per confirmed accurate detail.

4. Debrief team coordination 5 minutes

   Lead a brief whole-room reflection on planning and division of labor. Hear from 2 or 3 volunteers.

Debrief questions

• How did your team decide which clue to pursue first and how to divide tasks?
• Where did your group hit a disagreement about a clue, and how did you resolve it?
• What would you change about your route or planning if you repeated this with new clues?

Finished output: Completed and scored clue sheets for each team.

Remote

For an online session, run a digital document hunt. Teams work in breakout rooms of 3 to 5 to locate specific facts within a curated shared drive, public website, or set of PDF archives within 20 minutes, then return to compare answers in the main room.

Hybrid

Pair remote participants with an onsite partner using a live video call. The remote partner holds the clue sheet and records answers, while the onsite partner navigates the space and inspects the physical landmarks.

Access and participation choices

• Ensure all clue locations are accessible via level ground and ramps.
• Assign non-ambulatory or low-mobility roles such as master navigator, clue decoder, or scribe at a central desk so physical walking is not mandatory for every team member.
• Participants may pass on whole-room sharing during the debrief.

If the session gets stuck

A team cannot locate a specific clue and gets stuck for too long.

Remind groups early that clues can be solved in any order and advise them to skip a stubborn clue and return to it later.

Teams return past the deadline.

Deduct one point per minute late, or establish that late returns forfeit points for that round, announced clearly in the opening step.

Terms used here

• Clue Sheet: A printed list of riddles, navigational instructions, or prompts directing participants to specific physical landmarks.