diy: pot-of-gold at the end of the rainbow treasure hunt

Saint Patrick's Day is still a few days away, but I always find myself planning ahead when it comes to family activities. I like to make the most of every holiday, and that usually means crafting up a storm or spending a little extra time in the kitchen to prepare. Treasure hunts are a longstanding tradition in my home, and this year I thought I’d put an unexpected twist on the traditional X-marks the spot game. Instead of our typical treasure-box full of pirate's booty, this holiday I decided to get craftier and put together a legendary "pot-of-gold" complete with chocolate coins... at where else? But  the end of a rainbow! I’m pretty satisfied with the outcome… Say hello to the cutest Saint Patrick's Day treasure hunt I ever did see. Whether you’re planning for a Saint Patrick's Day party or looking for a fun activity to keep little ones busy, This DIY treasure hunt is so simple and so cute. Keep scrolling for the complete tutorial…

diy: pot-of-gold at the end of the rainbow

here’s what you will need:

• pot or cauldron (you can find these at Party City)
• gold tissue paper for filling
• chocolate gold coins (or any other "treasure" items)
• rainbow balloon 
• construction paper for the maps
• markers

instructions:

1. For the pot-of-gold, fill a pot or cauldron with gold tissue paper and chocolate coins (or any other leprecaun "treasure" you see fit). Attach rainbow balloon(s) to the pot-of-gold with string or yarn. 

2. Hide the pot-of-gold + rainbow. I hid our first treasure hunt (we are on about the 20th now) before the littles woke up - they had no idea what we were about to embark on when they came downstairs!

3. Using the construction paper and markers, create a map leading to the pot-of-gold + rainbow (where X marks the spot). I wanted to "wear" my littles out a bit, so I made a l-o-n-g treasure hunt, 3-pages long and took our hunt outside. The first map, if followed correctly, led to a second map, which let to a third, and then to the leprechaun's treasure!

4. Voila! You now have a Saint Patrick's Day treasure hunt perfect for your little leprechauns!

I’m pretty obsessed with how my pot-of-gold at the end of the rainbow turned out! My kids had no idea I was planning this treasure hunt. Needless to say, they were obsessed. We've had multiple treasure hunts since the first discovery of the pot of gold, and I don't see us stopping anytime soon! My son (who is 5) loves to create his own maps, hide the rainbow + gold, and watch my daughter and I as we wander around trying to follow his map. It is such a fun activity. I mean who hasn't wondered what's really at the end of the rainbow? 

Will you be recreating this DIY treasure hunt? Let me know if you do give it a try!

XO Kassy