daily activities

NEXT DAY

History's Mysteries II

Treasure Troves

All treasure hunts are mysteries. What precious items are we looking for? Were they hidden on purpose to keep someone from finding them? Or was the treasure simply lost and forgotten… maybe for hundreds of years? Sometimes, people find unimaginable riches entirely by accident. Today, we will explore incredible treasures of all types and find that many unanswered questions remain! By the end of the day, you will be inventing your own hunt.

DAY 1

what you’ll need

Your Camp Kinda toolkit
Instant coffee and/or tea bags
A spoon
Old cloth
Bowl
Sponge
Ribbon
Toys or sweets for treasure

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FOR PARENTS

Ask About Today

What is the greatest treasure ever discovered and why?

Skip the Ads

Unfortunately, online videos often start with short advertisements. Remind your campers to click the "Skip" button as soon as they can to move ahead to the video.

Content Notes

Today’s adventures include references to King Tut’s cause of death and a news item about a treasure hunt that notes five hunters had died seeking the treasure.

explore

30-45 minutes

The Biggest Treasures Ever Discovered

Imagine that you are out walking your dog and you stumble upon 1,400 pure gold coins. Suddenly, you are wildly rich! Could that really happen? It did. And that’s just the first of 13 amazing finds we will explore. Remember, treasure could be anywhere, just waiting to be uncovered.

Secrets of King Tut

King Tut’s tomb in Egypt was one of the biggest treasure finds in world history. What items were placed in his tomb and why? How were they made? Modern technology is offering new answers that show the cleverness of the ancient Egyptians.

How Did King Tut Die?

Now that we know what was in Tut’s tomb, let’s explore what caused his death at the young age of 18. Scientists have changed their minds over time. Now, advanced DNA testing may have solved the riddle. You decide!

Knowledge is Treasure

Friedrik Hiebert, an archeologist, says “We don’t search for treasure. We search for knowledge.” Find out what he means and learn about the giant treasure of 20,000 items he found.

Pirate Treasure: Myth or Fact?

Did pirates really wear eye patches and peg legs? And did they actually bury treasure underground? The answers might surprise you. Learn more in this article from the BBC.

Meet a Modern Treasure Hunter

In the 1980's, explorer and underwater archeologist Barry Clifford discovered the remains of the Whydah, a pirate ship that sank off the coast of Cape Cod in 1717. Since then, he and his team have been bringing the trove—worth more than $400 million—up to the surface to be preserved in a museum. See the treasure for yourself and get to know Clifford in this video from Great Big Story.

A Real Life Treasure Hunt

A man living in New Mexico, Forrest Fenn, filled an ancient chest with gold and jewels and buried it in the mountains for anyone to find - if they could follow his clues? Why did he do that? Did anyone find this treasure, worth millions? It took a long time, but it looks like someone succeeded!

create

45-60 minutes

Make Your Own Treasure Map

Just like Forrest Fenn, you can hide a treasure and challenge others to find it. For this activity, you will make a super cool map filled with clues. Will your precious loot remain hidden forever? Or will your map be so good that hunters will have no trouble locating it?

move

15-30 minutes

Fitness Scavenger Hunt

Search around your house and yard for the various items or landmarks. When you find them, you’ll do a short exercise or activity.

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