Lucky Charm Hunt: A New Year's Treasure Hunt at Home

Colorful rules page for the lucky charm hunt with a lucky pig, start and finish cards and six lucky medals, printable

Where did the lucky pig go? In this lucky charm hunt, kids follow clue after clue around the house – from the couch to the fridge, from the bathtub to the bookshelf. At the end, a real lucky charm treat is waiting.

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What's in the PDFs

Both PDFs, color and coloring, have 4 pages each. You get the rules with a start and finish card and 6 lucky medals (pig, clover, horseshoe, ladybug, toadstool, lucky coin), 8 riddle clue cards, the same 8 places as picture-only cards for preschoolers, and 8 blank cards for your own hiding spots. The cards are about 3.5 × 2.3 in.

At a Glance

Players
1+ kids
Age
ages 3+
Pages
4 × A4 + 4 × A4
Time
about 15–30 minutes

📄 What’s on the Pages

Page 1: Rules, start and finish cards, medals
Five steps, a start card with a treasure chest, a finish card with the lucky pig, and 6 round lucky medals.
Page 2: Riddle clue cards
8 cards with a picture and a short riddle, like "It is cold inside me – milk and butter live here."
Page 3: Picture-only clue cards
The same 8 places – couch, fridge, bed, bathtub, shoes, bookshelf, plant, and table – with no text, for preschoolers.
Page 4: Blank clue cards
8 cards with a drawing space and a line for your own hiding spots.

How to set up the treasure hunt

1
Print all pages at actual size (100%), then cut out the cards and medals.
2
Pick the riddle cards (school kids) or picture cards (preschool) and decide the order of the hiding spots.
3
Hide each card at the place shown on the card before it – keep the start card yourself.
4
At the last spot, leave the finish card, a lucky charm (like a marzipan or chocolate pig), and the medals.
5
Hand over the start card – and off they go!

How to play

1
The kids get the start card and figure out together where the next card is hidden.
2
Whoever recognizes the place goes there and finds the next card – walk, don't run, in tight spaces.
3
Read each card out loud before everyone moves on.
4
The finish card and the lucky charm are at the last spot – and every child gets a lucky medal.

💡 Tips

  • With several kids, take turns reading or guessing so the fastest one doesn't always win.
  • Punch a hole and add yarn to turn the medals into necklaces – cardstock makes them sturdier.
  • Use the blank cards for places that aren't included, like the washing machine or coat rack.
  • Laminate the cards and hide them again next year.

What kids practice

The riddle cards build reading skills and creative thinking: what's soft, cold, or green? Preschoolers match pictures to real places and grow their vocabulary. Searching together builds teamwork, patience, and communication.

🔄 Variations & Ideas

Outdoor hunt
Add the yard, balcony, or porch with the blank cards – and bundle up!
Two teams
Give each team its own trail in a different order, with the same final spot.
Lucky charm stories
At the end, each child explains what the charm on their medal stands for.

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🎲 More from “New Year's Games”:

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  • Print-ready: Clean PDF pages – print on US Letter or A4 and get started.
  • Made to go together: Printables, games, crafts and 92 coloring pages all about New Year's Eve.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How many hiding spots are there?
8 ready-made places plus 8 blank cards for your own. You don't have to use them all – 4 or 5 stops are plenty for little kids.

What's the difference between riddle and picture cards?
Riddle cards show a picture and a short riddle for beginning readers. Picture cards show only the place, perfect for kids who can't read yet.

What makes a good lucky charm?
A marzipan or chocolate pig, a potted four-leaf clover plant, or a lucky charm the kids made themselves all work great.

Is the download free?
Yes, all templates on PureSketchy are 100% free for personal, preschool and classroom use – no sign-up needed.

Is there a German version?
Yes! You can find the German version here: Glücksbringer-Suche.