Leprechaun Treasure Hunt With QR Codes

Here is our favorite St. Patrick's Day Post from the past. If you didn't do this QR Code Treasure Hunt last year then you have to do it this year!

I am so excited about today's post. One of my favorite activities to do with my class is to send them on QR Code Treasure Hunts. I teach at an iSchool so each of my students has their own iPad. I love to send them hunting around the school for QR codes that they can scan. Each QR code leads them to different information that they can then fill out on their worksheets. The kids love it! I knew that I wanted to create a QR code treasure hunt for the blog as well and I knew that St. Patrick's Day would be the perfect opportunity. Didn't you know that leprechauns are totally savvy to modern technology? Blimey! Of course, they are. And they are going to place little QR code clues all around your house for your child to follow.

All you need to follow the Leprechaun's clues is a smart phone or an iPad or other tablet with a QR code reader. I use Qrafter Pro but there are lots of free QR code readers you can download if your phone doesn't come already equipped with one. First you will need to print out all the QR codes that I have prepared here. The awesome thing is that they are all in black and white so they are super cheap to print.

Leprechaun Treasure Hunt QR Codes

Just cut them apart and get a small treat ready. You can use gold coins or a candy bar or a small plate of cookies, anything your child would enjoy.

Once the treasure is prepared, hide the QR codes in the following locations:

Clue 1: Just give this to your child to start the treasure hunt.
Clue 2: Hide this in your child's bedroom on his or her bed. 
Clue 3: Hide this somewhere around your kitchen table or the place your child routinely eats.
Clue 4: Hide this on the TV that your child watches.
Clue 5: Hide this in the bathroom near the bathtub.
Clue 6: Hide this on the couch where your child likes to lounge.
Clue 7: Hide this in your child's dresser or closet where he/she keeps his/her clothes.
Treasure QR Code: Put this in the refrigerator taped to the treasure.

Now give your child the first QR code and teach him how to hold your phone over the code so that it will scan it. (Just open the QR code scanner and move the phone around until it can get a good, clear image.) When the leprechaun pops up, help your child read the clue. When you have solved the rhyming riddle, run to the next location and find the next QR code.

Note: This activity is perfect for children of all ages. My teenage son loved hunting the clues with his little sister. Even a child as young as 3 can scan a QR code with help and listen as Mom or Dad reads the clues. Of course, leprechauns can be tricky and depending on your child's age they may hide the QR code in plain sight or make it a little harder to find! Modern technology creates such a fun twist to old-fashioned fun. Enjoy your treasure hunt together!

I am excited to create QR Code treasure hunts for other special occasions so stay tuned! 

P.S. For anyone who doesn't have a smart phone or doesn't have the ability to scan QR codes, I have created a document with all the leprechaun's rhyming clues here:

Complete set of leprechaun clues without QR codes

You can simply print out the clues and hide them as directed above in the traditional way. 

Either way you play, you can also print out this fun rainbow to add to your treasure at the end of the hunt!

Rainbow of Love

Candy Covered Wagons

When I told my students that they were going to be making covered wagons out of candy, one student said, "No way, we get to play with our food!"

This was the perfect activity to end our studies of Lewis and Clark, Manifest Destiny, the Gold Rush and the Oregon Trail. I loved the finished products.

Too bad they didn't last long. Yum!

I'm a Mormon Kid

I am excited to share my student's blog with you today. But first a little background. I teach a group of 50 fifth and sixth grade students at Liahona Preparatory Academy. Our class is unique in that 12 of the students are actually in class with me in a school building in Utah. The other 38 students are participating in our class via the Internet at computers around the world. I have students in Germany, Brazil. Puerto Rico, Italy, Africa and in many students in the United States from Alaska to Florida. Liahona is a private school associated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons).

They are the cutest kids EVER and I feel so lucky to be their teacher. We started a blog so that they could share their writing and their unique perspective about life with others. Here is the link to their blog:

I'm a Mormon Kid

I am not prejudiced at all...but this blog is awesome! It contains everything from original cartoons to funny memes and cute videos.

It also includes their thoughts on everything from praying to being modest to not drinking alcohol to their plans for the future.

These great kids have also written a book and you can download it for free from the blog. Their book attempts to answer the question: What is it like to be a Mormon kid? Not just a Mormon kid in Utah but a Mormon kid around the world. Everything is in their words and includes their un-censored opinions. It is so fun to get into the heads of 10 and 11 year olds. They are a crack up!

If you are a member of our faith, you will really enjoy reading the book to get a fresh perspective. If you are not a member of our faith, you will love to hear about our religion through the eyes of a child. Their faith in God is so refreshing and inspiring. Didn't Jesus encourage us to become even as a little child? Every day they motivate me to be better.

Check out their blog. Pretty Please! (They will be so excited to see our page views go up!) I promise you won't be sorry. I love these kids and I know that you will too.

Country Day: England

We are back to celebrate the country of England. Check out these links to our past posts about Africa, Russia, and France. Then enjoy these fun activities for learning about the beautiful country of England. I spent six months living in England as a college student and fell in love with the culture and people. My favorite thing to do was take the Tube to one of the many incredible museums in London and then picnic along the Thames. I even fed the pigeons in Trafalgar Square and once fell off a red Double Decker Bus. I am excited to share my memories of England with my children.

English Crafts

Build your own London Bridge or make a Big Ben out of Legos.

Edible Tea Cups- How adorable are these tea cups for tea with the queen?
Or these?

Hot Chocolate Tea Cups

More English Crafts
Find the instructions for making the queen hat, the robin hood hat, the craft stick palace guards and more!

Look at these cute miniature bows and arrows for Robin Hood and all his little Merry Men. Purchase the kits here or make your own with fun foam, frilled end toothpicks and a small branch and some string.

I love both the bus and telephone booth craft. Or make the phone booth a Tardis by painting it blue! Find the instructions here.

British Bobby Paper Doll and More
Find this cute paper doll to color as well as a British bobby that you could make with a toilet paper roll, English crackers, and many more activities.


English Foods

Union Jack Fruit Pizza

English Trifle

English Scones

All I every really ate in England was McVitie's Digestive Biscuits. One of my close friends has a son serving a mission in England. When he told her he was eating lots of Digestive Biscuits, she thought he was having stomach problems! But really, these are just delicious cookies! You can wash them down with a bottle of squash!

Games Played by English School Children

Playground Games from England
Go to this link for fun games like Queenie-Queenie, 5 Stones, and Please Mr. Crocodile!
I love this funny rhyme!

Please Mr. Crocodile,
May I cross the water?
To see my baby daughter
Who lives in a cup and saucer!
 se m

y crocodile,

English Songs

London Bridge is Falling Down Lyrics
(There are lots more verses than I knew about!)

Ring Around the Rosie

Grand Old Duke



English Expressions

Do you know the meaning of the word Lorry? How about Boot?

Is it this?

Or This?

How about the Loo? Share these fun English expression by labeling different items around the house.
Find lots of fun English expression here.



Picture Books About England

Great Movies Set in England

I hope you enjoy this round up of activities about England. Cheerio!