Buried Treasure Game

What You Need:

• Plastic bottle
• Sand or rice 
• Treasures that will fit through the mouth of the bottle such as marbles, coins, sequins, plastic animals, etc.
• Paper
• Markers

What You Do:

1. Help your child fill the plastic bottle at least 3/4 full with sand or rice.
2. Have your child slip various treasures into the bottle. Explain that your child has just created a mixture—something composed of two or more materials. How is the mixture like each individual “ingredient”? How is it different?
3. Show your child how the treasures can be “buried” and “dug up” simply by rolling the bottle and shifting the sand inside.
4. Now its time to make that treasure map! Find a special place for the buried treasure in your child's room. Draw the outline of the room and have your child add windows, doors, and furniture that can be labeled. Last but not least, remember that “X” marks the spot for buried treasures!

To extend this project, challenge another family member to follow the map to the buried treasure. Does it work?