St. Augustine Scavenger Hunt

No, we didn't go back today (although I briefly considered it - in part just for another yummy lunch at the Present Moment Cafe). But we did orchestrate a scavenger hunt this morning using St. Augustine trivia questions as clues.

Noah bought a treasure chest yesterday at the museum gift shop and was making grand plans to hide it so he and Ava could have a scavenger hunt. I suggested that I hide it so he could really participate in the fun. So last night, I filled it with beads, fruit leather and a few of their favorite truffles and stashed it in my bread machine. Here's how they found it . . .

I wrote one clue on each of six note cards, sealed each one in an envelope and wrote a St. Augustine trivia question on the front of the envelope. When they answered the questions correctly, they opened the envelope to receive their next clue.

Here are the details if anyone wants to play along at home. Remember . . . trivia questions (TQ) go on the outside of the envelopes, clues (C) go inside the note card.

Card 1
TQ: True or False: St. Augustine is the oldest permanent European settlement in the United States. (Answer is "True".)
C: In Colonial St. Augustine, people wrote with quill pens and ink. You'll find your next clue in the spot you keep your writing tools. (Hide card 2 in a craft box or pencil jar.)

Card 2
TQ: St. Augustine is home to the country's oldest a) Dollhouse, b) Schoolhouse, c) Outhouse (Answer is "Schoolhouse".)
C: In Colonial St. Augustine, people had to go outside to use the bathroom. An outhouse was a small structure covering a hole in the ground. You'll find your next clue in what we use today instead. (Hide card 3 in bathroom.)

Card 3
TQ: True or False: Pedro Menendez founded the city of St. Augustine. (Answer is "True".)
C: In Colonial St. Augustine, people slept on mats on the floor. You'll find your next clue underneath the place where you sleep. (Hide card 4 under bed.)

Card 4
TQ: Did people have cars and TVs at the time St. Augustine was founded? (Answer is "No".)
C: In Colonial St. Augustine, there was no electricity - no TV, radio, refrigerators, washing machines or blenders. You'll find your next clue in appliance that lets us keep our food frozen. (Hide card 5 in freezer.)

Card 5
TQ: Timacuan is a) a neighborhood in Lake Mary, b) a Native American Indian tribe that lived in St. Augustine or c) both. (Answer is "Both".) * This one might not work if you don't live in the area, but I used it as a chance to explain how many places in our area are named for American Indian tribes. *
C: In Colonial St. Augustine, homes had windows to let light in but no glass windowpanes to keep dirt and insects out. You'll find your final clue by one of our windows. (Hide card 6 on windowsill.)

Card 6
TQ: Explorers from this country were the earliest settler of St. Augustine. (Answer is "Spain".)
C: In Colonial St. Augustine, making bread was quite a task. You had to grow, harvest and grind the wheat, knead the ingredients by hand, start a fire in the oven and bake it. You'll find your treasure in a tool that makes bread making much easier today. (Hide treasure box in mixer, bread machine or oven - or revise final clue if you don't bake your own bread.)

Note: I forgot to mention that before completing the scavenger hunt, we read info from the St. Augustine for Kids website so they'd know the answers to the questions. They also have some great curriculum available to download for free!