Katrena's Indoor Scavenger Hunt #6: Heart Treasure Hunt

Heart Themed Treasure Hunt with Rhyming Clues

This unique heart scavenger hunt includes lots of challenges but is simple and easily adaptable to different levels. I created this game as a Valentine's treasure hunt, but it can be fun to play any time of year. Educational information about the heart or circulatory system can compliment this indoor game nicely.

This is a short one with only five rhyming clues, but it can easily take as long as my scavenger hunts with ten clues if you hide the letters in challenging spots. One particularly fun part of this hunt is that the first letter of each riddle's answer also spells the word "heart." The kids might discover this as they begin to find the letters, which can add to the excitement. The game also encourages reading, rhyming, and problem solving. You can also incorporate teamwork and interdependence if you have several kids playing.

Because the clues only specify a room, you can play this game many times while making it new each time by choosing different hiding places within the rooms.

Directions for Heart Scavenger Hunt #6:

While the kids are in another area:

1. Print clues #1-5 and cut on lines.
2. Print answers #1-5 and cut on lines.
3. Print HEART and cut on lines.
4. Hide H in the bathroom.
5. Hide E in the kitchen.
6. Hide A in the hall.
7. Hide R in the bedroom.
8. Hide T in the living room.

Then:

1. Give clue #1 to the person(s) who will be hunting.
2. Once the riddle is solved, give the hunter(s) the matching printed answer with the room location.

Clues for Valentine Themed Scavenger Hunt

Answers for Heart Themed Indoor Treasure Hunt

Heart Reward for Katrena's Scavenger Hunt

To print:

1. Click on the image to enlarge.
2. Select File-Print.
3. Two images will fit on one page.

I hope your family will love this scavenger hunt as much as my kids enjoyed it! You might also wish to read my Favorite Valentine's Day Craft Ideas article.

Find free scavenger hunts, printables, articles, and more at Wildflower Bouquets.

Enjoy Christmas Lights With the Kids for Free!

Enjoy Christmas Decorations With Kids © Katrena

Tight budgets often call for less spending, but my kids and I have discovered that going to stores during the Christmas season can be a wonderful way to enjoy festive lights and decorations for free. This simple time together can also serve many other purposes.

How to Have Fun Christmas Shopping with Kids © Katrena

Many stores elaborately decorate their showrooms with holiday cheer, and "window shopping" is typically free. Before going in the store, you might want to mention any specific expectations you have. For instance, if you are planning to make a purchase, mention the limits of what you are going to buy before entering or that you expect them to stay together where you can see everyone if you have more than one child.

Turn Shopping into an Educational Experience © Katrena

The Christmas decorations are often prominently displayed, and many of them now have animations or music. Plan for plenty of time to simply enjoy the moment. For any of you who want to sneak a little education in there, you could easily encourage the kids to count the reindeer, name the colors of the penguins, or to tell you everything they know about icons like Snoopy or even Elvis. Older kids might want to talk about robotics, or you might challenge them to determine how much an item might cost if it were 50% off or to determine how many of a particular item one could purchase with a set amount of money.

Learn about the Symbols of the Season While Christmas Shopping © Katrena

Christmas often brings bright and colorful plants such as poinsettias, roses, and trees. You can easily be a sneaky teacher here by identifying colors, counting, or even talking about how Christmas lights will now remain lighted if one bulb goes out (thank goodness!). This can also be a golden opportunity to reminisce about traditions you might have had related to the holiday. We had some wonderful friends when I was a little girl who owned some wooded land, and they would let us come over each year and cut down a cedar tree for Christmas. What a special gift to our family...and a story I wanted to share with my own children!

Enjoy the Beauty of the Christmas Season with Children © Katrena

Christmas is a Christian holiday, so this can be a great time to talk about Jesus and the biblical accounts of His birth. Nativity scenes and Advent calendars can encourage kids to learn more about the Bible and one's own beliefs related to Christmas.

Free Christmas Festivities for the Family © Katrena

If you decide to shop after dark, an added bonus might be seeing lighted Christmas decorations in some yards beside the road as you drive back home. Turn on some Christmas music and have a sing-a-long in the car. You really don't have to buy anything to enjoy the lights of the season, but if you have shopping to do, this can be a great way to add a fun tradition that perhaps the whole family will cherish!

Christmas Fun for Free © Katrena

Many thanks to Lowe's Home Improvement of Mocksville, North Carolina. They allowed me to take pictures of my kids enjoying their wide array of Christmas decorations to share with all of my readers. They also offer some fun, free workshops for the kids called Build and Grow. I'd recommend signing up for these workshops ahead of time because space and supplies might be limited during popular months in particular.

Teach Kids Math and Other Life Skills at the Store © Katrena

Readers might also be interested in reading about McAdenville, a town near Charlotte that lights up their trees for Christmas in North Carolina or about The Cookie House bakery in Hanes Mall where you can watch holiday cookies being made and decorated. Find more of Katrena's articles at the Wildflower Bouquets site map.

The Day Our Nation Cried – Musical Tribute to Sandy Hook

The Day Our Nation Cried Lyrics

The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting has hit home with so many of us on multiple levels. I wrote this song in the hope that perhaps the words might bring comfort to those who mourn. This song is dedicated in memory of those who died and in honor of those who survived. May God bless each of you as you search for strength beyond understanding.

The Day Our Nation Cried

(to the tune "American Pie")

The December day dawned bright and clear,

No one knew what pain lay near;

Seemed just like an ordinary day.

Hugs and kisses, homework packed;

I love you...I love you back,

Never guessing these might be the last.

But shots rang out and people cried,

Doors were locked and many died;

Arms and love surrounding,

Unlikely heroes abounding.

Calls for help, responders raced,

Sirens wailed and horrors faced;

No one really knowing what to think

The day our nation cried.

We want to ask...

Why, why did they have to die?

Should our teachers carry weapons?

What have we not tried?

We want to protect them and hold them tight.

The day our nation cried.

Survivors walked outside that day,

Unsure of what to do or say,

Seeking peace beyond the morn.

People showed their human side,

Tears fell down, arms opened wide;

Yearn for hope beyond amazing grief.

Life forever changed that day,

A tragedy in every way.

Will it make us bitter?

Or can it make us better?

It's so hard to look ahead,

Reaching out as the Spirit led;

Charging those left shaken

To honor each life taken.

Why, why did they have to die?

Should our teachers carry weapons?

What have we not tried?

We want to protect them and hold them tight.

The day our nation cried.

The day our nation cried.

Free Printable Words of Thanks

Thanksgiving is not the only time to say thanks! Just a few words to say thank you can be a great way to let someone know that you recognized the extra effort. These colorful printables are short thank-you notes that you can share with others. They are great to send in a backpack, lunchbox, or coat pocket. You might also personalize the message by adding a short note or signing the back.

How to print these words of thanks:

1. Click on the image below.
2. Select "file" then "print."

You can fit two of these on a regular sized sheet of paper. Find more of Katrena's printables, scavenger hunt clues, and tips for enjoying the simple pleasures in life at the Wildflower Bouquets site map.

The Sound of Music – How an Old Movie Can Connect Generations

Memories of The Sound of Music - Photo by Stephen McKay at Wikimedia Commons

Some movies seem to transcend time and may weave a thread that ties the young to the old. The other day as I was picking up my daughters from the childcare area at a gym, I began to sing "So long, farewell, auf weidersehen good-bye!" An adult in the nursery immediately caught a gleam in her eyes and joined in!

Sound of Music Tunes by Richard Rodgers - Photo World Telegram Staff Photographer from Wikimedia Commons

Yes, she remembered the movie The Sound of Music as well and began to sing with me. We stopped for a few moments to reminisce about memories of this amazing movie featuring memorable songs, scenes, and wonderful talent.

Ways to Connect Generations - Photo by Jonas Sternerson at Wikimedia Commons

Songs from the movie always make me think of sewing. My mom had a record of the sound track and would play it as she helped me learn to read sewing directions, cut out a pattern without cutting off the tabs, make a ruffle without breaking the threads, and attempt to make a finished product that would actually fit.

My daughters had never seen this classic musical from 1959. What a thrill to find the DVD at a nearby library! I then had the pleasure of watching with my girls as Maria became acquainted with the von Trapps and eventually transformed them into a family with a much richer harmony.

Maria VonTrapp History - Photo by U.S. District Court by District of Vermont at Wikimedia Commons

I did a little online research about the movie, its history, and cast members, and shared some of that information with my daughters. Mom mentioned that she remembered watching the television excitedly as someone interviewed the woman upon whose life the movie was based. My girls were curious about the flag and military presence in the movie and began to understand more of the world's history as we talked. They also learned that some of our ancestors had a pin cushion shaped like Hitler's rear end!

Although The Sound of Music is over 50 years old, the film captured my daughters' attention and they enjoyed the classic as much as any modern movie they have seen. I hope my girls will glean the idea of being brave enough to step in the directions they feel called to go.

Young and Old in One - by cartoonist W.B. Hill from Wikimedia Commons

Today if I happen to start singing a song from The Sound of Music, three younger voices join in. Those voices represent the hope of the future!

Find more of Katrena's articles about simple pleasures in life, scavenger hunts, printables, and more at Wildflower Bouquets.

Sasha Shops Salisbury Book Signing October 20 at Stitchin Post Gifts in Salisbury NC

Sasha Shops Salisbury - Find the Book at Stitchin Post © Katrena

Most folks and perhaps a few animals who have been shopping in downtown Salisbury have probably found a shop nestled close to the corner of Innes and Main at 104 S. Main Street. Stitchin Post Gifts is one of those shops that my kids love to visit. The shiny jewelry catches their dazzled eyes. The unique gifts and clothing items capture their attention. The Kit-Cat clocks mesmerize them, and the large stuffed animals seem to beckon from the aisles. But the biggest attraction for my kids is Sasha Kitty.

Enjoy Downtown Salisbury and Help Animals © Katrena

Sasha runs the shop. Well, perhaps that is a stretch, but she does live there. Sasha is the cat that might be gracing the front window, sashaying through the isles, or perhaps may be perched on a stool behind the cash register, watching to ensure that everything is done properly. She might even be hiding if there are large numbers of people shuffling in and out during a Salisbury Night Out event. Sasha is a special cat, loved by those who work and shop at the store. My kids adore Sasha and decide their day has definitely taken a turn for the best if they can get a glimpse of her!

Fund Raiser for Faithful Friends in Rowan County © Katrena

But my kids aren't the only ones who particularly love this furry feline. Sasha has quite a reputation in Salisbury, and now she has her own children's book! Sasha Shops Salisbury, written by Julie Apone and illustrated by Jean Barlow, gives Sasha the opportunity to introduce kids to some of the historic town's sites. Lots of kids have been anxiously awaiting the book and have been participating in a coloring contest as evidenced by the artwork proudly displayed on the front window.

Book Signing on October 20 at Stitchin Post © Katrena

On October 20, 2012, stop by Stitchin Post Gifts in Salisbury, NC for a book signing 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. WSAT will be broadcasting live from the store and folks can enjoy games, contests, prizes, and snacks that day. The event will help raise funds for Faithful Friends Animal Sanctuary, a no-kill animal shelter in Rowan County. Shelter volunteers will be available with kittens and puppies for those wishing to adopt a forever pet, and donations of Purina cat food or litter are greatly appreciated. You are also welcome to donate Purina dog food – just make sure to sneak that in when Sasha is not looking! Kids who come dressed as their favorite animal will have a chance to win a $50 Stitchin Post gift certificate.

Sasha Kitty on Her Couch With her Book at Stitchin Post - Photo provided by Julie Apone

Find more of Katrena's articles at:

• Wildflower Bouquets
• Travel NC With Kids
• Love 2 Travel With Kids

Katrena's Indoor Scavenger Hunt #5 – Free Clues, Answers, and Rewards

Quick and Easy Indoor Scavenger Hunt with Free Clues and Answers

This simple indoor scavenger hunt features ten rhyming clues designed to help kids with reading and problem-solving skills as they search throughout the house for the hidden reward. Staying at home doesn't have to be boring but can be quite fun and exciting with a few family activities like a treasure hunt.

If you have more than one child, it helps to come up with a few rules before playing that will ensure that everyone has a chance to have input and fun finding clues. Have the kids go to a room that you will not be using for the hunt while you hide the clues.


Directions for Katrena's Indoor Scavenger Hunt #5

1. Print clues #1-10 and rewards (click on images below to enlarge and select "file" then "print") and cut on the lines.
2. Keep clue #1.
3. Hide clue #2 at the answer for clue #1.
4. Hide clue #3 at the answer for clue #2.
5. Hide clue #4 at the answer for clue #3.
6. Hide clue #5 at the answer for clue #4.
7. Hide clue #6 at the answer for clue #5.
8. Hide clue #7 at the answer for clue #6.
9. Hide clue #8 at the answer for clue #7.
10. Hide clue #9 at the answer for clue #8.
11. Hide clue #10 at the answer for clue #9.
12. Place prize or reward at the answer for clue #10.
13. Give clue #1 to the person(s) doing the scavenger hunt.

Free Clues for Katrena's Indoor Scavenger Hunt #5

Answers for Katrena's Indoor Treasure Hunt #5

Free Printable Rewards for Katrena's Scavenger Hunt

All of my kids love treasure hunts and I hope that you will also enjoy this free family activity. Find more of my free scavenger hunts, printables, and more ways to enjoy simple pleasures of life at the Wildflower Bouquets site map.