Sadie, the Story Lady

✨ A magical, easy-to-set-up treasure hunt — for any age, at any time of year! ✨

Picture this: Your child wakes up to find a mysterious note on the kitchen table. A dragon flew over your house last night and dropped something from the sky. Somewhere in your yard — a magical present is waiting to be found.

That’s the whole setup. No elaborate clues, no complicated props. Just a map, a short poem, and an excited kid or two.

The Dragon Drop Treasure Hunt is one of my favorites! I first created it for my adult kids at Easter, but it will also work for birthdays or any special occasion. I found cute 3D-printed dragon eggs on Amazon and also ordered larger “container” eggs so I could tuck multiple gifts inside (ex. a dragon egg, candy, gift cards). Each person received a personalized map to find their specific egg, and only ONE person searched at a time — which made it extra fun. My grown kids loved it, so I thought younger kids might enjoy it too. Tip: Once the treasure hunt starts, you can play the hot/cold game if they need a little extra help finding their egg.

Here are the eggs that I used (not an affiliate): Dragon Eggs, Larger “Container” Eggs

🗺️ The Idea 🐉

A dragon flew over your house overnight… and dropped an egg filled with something special from the sky!

“Did you hear anything strange last night? I thought I heard wings flapping… “

All your treasure hunter gets is a map of your yard with an “X marks the spot” and a short rhyme. From there, they become the explorer!

Step 1: Create Your Map

• Go to Google Earth and type your address in the search bar
• Use the + to zoom in until you can clearly see your house and yard
• Take a screenshot or use the Snipping Tool to capture the image

Step 2: Add “X Marks the Spot”

• Drop your map image into a Word or Canva doc
• Size it to roughly a third of a page on an 8.5×11 sheet
• You will use a pen or colored marker to draw a big, bold X to show where the treasure is hidden after you print it out.

Step 3: Add the Story Poem

Add a dragon image and type this rhyme into your map document OR use my free printable (below) and simply tape your map to the bottom.

🥚What to Hide

Here are some ideas depending on the age of your treasure hunter:

• Young kids: candy, stickers, small toys
• Older kids or teens: gift cards, money, or something personalized to their interests
• All ages: add the fun 3-D printed dragon egg as a special surprise!

The treasure doesn’t have to be expensive — the fun is in the hunt itself. I hid my eggs in the branches of a large bush, in a hammock, and behind a tree stump… remember they dropped from the sky so they could land almost anywhere!

I made two printable versions for you…one with a scarier dragon and one with a more kid-friendly dragon. If you use my printable, just tape your personalized map to the bottom… easy!

DOWNLOAD/PRINT THE BLUE DRAGON POEM (add your map)

DOWNLOAD/PRINT THE KID-FRIENDLY DRAGON POEM (add your map)

🎉 Why Kids Will Love This

This treasure hunt turns your everyday yard into a full‑blown adventure. There’s just enough mystery to spark their imagination — and just enough simplicity that you can set it up whenever you want to add a little extra magic. ✨

If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it went!