Kids’ Christmas Treasure Hunt: 12 Days of Kind & Silly Activities
December can feel like a long wait for kids, and a busy stretch for parents. This 12-day Christmas treasure hunt gives you both something to look forward to each day.
Every day, a different Christmas character leaves a riddle that leads your child to a small treat. But before they find it, there’s a little task to complete.
Some days it’s something kind, like writing a thank-you note. Other days it’s just plain silly, like a 30-second reindeer gallop.
It’s easy to set up and it gets kids into the holiday spirit by giving as much as getting.
- You can find this free printable, along with more Christmas games at the end of this post, it has all 12 riddle cards and a simple parent guide, so you can start whenever you like.
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About This Free Christmas Treasure Hunt Printable
This printable turns the countdown to Christmas into a daily adventure kids look forward to, and it’s simple enough for busy parents to pull off.
What’s included
- Page 1: 12 riddle cards. Each card is spoken by a different Christmas character, from the elf and the candy cane to the snowman and Santa and leads kids to a hidden treat.
- Page 2: your parent guide. It has step-by-step instructions, plus the daily tasks, hiding spots, and treat ideas, so you can set up each day in a minute or two.
What Kids Will Do
Each day has a small task before the treasure is found. Some are kind, like writing a thank-you note or sharing a toy.
Some are helpful, like making an ornament or helping with breakfast. And some are just silly, like a 30-second reindeer gallop or a nutcracker statue challenge.
It’s a gentle way to build gratitude and kindness into the season.
Best for: The riddles and tasks suit kids around ages 4 to 8. Younger children will need a grown-up to read the riddles aloud.
What you’ll need
- A printer and plain paper (cardstock paper makes the cards sturdier)
- Scissors
- 12 small treats or non-food surprises, such as stickers, coins, or tiny toys
- About five minutes the evening before each day to hide the treat
How to Use This Free Christmas Treasure Hunt Printable
Setting this up takes about ten minutes, and after that it’s only a couple of minutes a day.
1. Download and print: Print both pages. Page 1 has the 12 riddle cards, and page 2 is your parent guide so keep it yourself so the surprise stays intact.
2. Cut out the riddle cards: Cut along the dotted lines and stack the cards in order, with Day 1 on top. Store them somewhere kids won’t peek, like an envelope or a Christmas tin.
3. Pick your start date: Starting on December 13 means Day 12 lands on Christmas Eve. If you’re starting later or earlier, shuffle the order, but keep Day 12 for Christmas Eve, since it’s the finale.
4. Hide the treat the night before: Check the parent guide for that day’s hiding spot and place a small treat there. The guide suggests chocolate coins, candy canes, stickers, and small toys, but feel free to use whatever your family likes.
- *For kids with food allergies, stickers or a tiny toy work well.
5. Do the task first: Each morning, your child completes the day’s activity before getting the riddle. Some days are kind (a thank-you note), some are helpful (making an ornament), and some are silly (a 30-second challenge).
6. Read the riddle and hunt: Read the card aloud, let your child work out where the treat is hiding, and cheer when they find it.
Tips for a Smooth Holiday Treasure hunt
- Swap the hiding spots for any spot that suit your home, such as a different drawer, shelf, or closet.
- Keep the stakes low. If a day gets busy, do the task in the evening or let the riddle wait until the next morning.
- Take photos or short videos of the silly challenges for a keepsake.
- Make it a tradition. Save the cards in a Christmas box and bring them back out next year.
How to Get Your Free Christmas Treasure Hunt Printable
1. Enter your email in the form below. Type your first name and email address into the box, then click the button to send it.
2. Check your inbox. Your printable should arrive within a few minutes. The email will have a download link, so click it to open the PDF.
3. Can’t find it? Check your spam or promotions folder. Sometimes emails land in spam, junk, forums or the “Promotions” tab (in Gmail), especially the first time. If you find it there, move it to your main inbox so future emails arrive safely.
4. Add Oh Well Yes to your contacts.To keep emails from Oh Well Yes getting lost, add it to your contacts or mark the message as “Not spam.”
Using the printable: This printable is for personal, non-commercial use, so it’s perfect for your own family, classroom, or small group. Please don’t resell or redistribute the files.
Christmas Treasure Hunt Gift Ideas
Here are some gifts and treat ideas for filling your 12 days.
1. Chocolate coins and mini candy canes
2. Hot cocoa packets or mini marshmallows
5. Mini erasers or pencils
8. Blank cards and envelopes
10. Mini ornaments or a make-your-own ornament kit
11. A Christmas storybook
12. Cozy Christmas pajamas or fuzzy socks
14. Holiday-themed treat bags to hide and carry treats.
I hope you liked this game idea, here are more awesome Christmas game posts for you and before leaving don’t forget your freebies!
More Fun Christmas Games and Activities
Christmas Worst Advice Ever: Play the most ridiculous advice card you can find, for equally terrible situations. It’s a quick, laugh-out-loud game for family and friends.
Free Printable Christmas Taboo: Get your team to guess the Christmas word without saying any of the forbidden ones.
25 Fun Christmas Office Party Games: Easy games to get coworkers laughing together at your next holiday party
73 Christmas Fact or Fiction Questions: Test what your family knows about Christmas traditions, trivia, and legends
65 Christmas Movies to Watch: Out of ideas for movie night? Pick from classics, family favorites, and cozy holiday films.
Suktara
Hi! I’m Suktara, the creator of this website with a background in communication and passion for personal development, relationships, and mental health. I created this space to share honest insights and practical advice on dating, love, relationships, and self-improvement.
