Getting tired of the indoor play areas and malls?  If you’re looking for something different to do with your child this weekend, why not try a city scavenger hunt?  It’s quite easy to put together, provides for a fun cultural learning experience and will likely be equally as enjoyable for parents and kids.  It’s a great way to explore the city you live in!

1. Choose your destination.  The river, Chinatown, the flower market, and Khlong Toey market are all examples of places that would certainly provide an entertaining atmosphere to spark the curiosity in your little ones’ brains.

2. Make a list of the items you want your child to search for; in doing this, there are a few things to consider when making your list.  Make sure the items are age-appropriate. At the flower market, a ten year old might be able to handle looking for different species of flowers and plants whereas a toddler would be more excited to be hunting down different colors of flowers.  Also, you might choose items that your child likes.  For example, if your four year old loves modes of transportation, journey to the river to be on the lookout for different kinds of boats such as a cruise ship, long-tail boat, tug boat, or row boat.  Finally, know what to expect at your destination so there are no disappointments.  Don’t put pine cones on the list at the flower market or dolphins on the list at the riverside!

3. Print out a list with images of each of the items.  As your child discovers one, you can put a checkmark or a sticker next to it.  This will help them know what it look for and give them a sense of accomplishment when they find it.  For older children, you might add a short caption with each item’s image with a “Did you know?” educational tip such as the ingredients of a street food, the history of a relic, the symbolic uses of a particular flower.

4. An optional step would be to have a reward if your child finds a certain number of the items.  An ice cream at the end of a hot walk through the market, a ferris-wheel ride at Asiatique after journeying up and down the river, or a gift of their choice from Sampeng Lane in Chinatown.  What child could resist such a sweet promise to reward their hard work scavenging?

Have you given this a try?  Let us know in the comments below where you went and what you searched for!

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