Suitable for:

  • 1 or more players
  • Outdoor area a few metres long
  • Range of physical literacy: all types
  • Age appropriate: 3-7 years

Primary physical literacy skills: running, object handling

Make it happen

  • Start with a collection of objects – ‘the treasure’ – a distance apart from an area where they can be collected – the ‘treasure chest’.
  • The child starts next to the ‘treasure chest’ and upon ‘Go’, they collect a piece of ‘treasure’ and place it up the other end (into the ‘treasure chest’).
  • They repeat this until they have moved all the objects from one end to the other.
  • If more than one child playing then give them a set of items each and make it into a race. If you have children of different ages/abilities, you can make the distances between each set of treasure and their treasure chests different to give everyone an equal chance.

We provide this list only as a guide of what parents/carers may wish to consider. Please also read our general guidelines on the Parents/Carers Information page.

  • If more than one child is collecting at a time, then to avoid collisions make sure that children have their own pile of objects to collect and their own ‘treasure chest’.
  • Make sure all piles of ‘treasure’ and ‘treasure chests’ have plenty of space around them and children do not have to cross paths.
  • When picking up something off the ground its helpful to teach children to bend their knees, reach out with their arms and keep their head out the way (as if feeding meat to a crocodile). The bent knees will avoid stress on their lower backs and build up their thigh muscles; keeping their heads out of the way is good practice to avoid collisions.
  • Make sure all the objects used are safe and appropriate to be carried in the hands when children are running. E.g. soft, light objects with no sharp edges (See Make your equipment suitable)
  • Make sure whatever you are using to mark the ‘treasure chest’ is safe and appropriate for that purpose. Remind children to slow down as they approach the treasure and treasure chest.

Please click on our headings below to help you make more of this activity and keep your children coming back to it over time

  • Ask the children what else the treasure chest could represent?
    • Some ideas: a cooking pot, shopping basket, fruit bowl, futuristic energy generator; correspondingly the objects could represents vegetables, shopping items, fruit, eco power balls.
  • Leaper’s theme: Pretend to join Bungee the kangaroo bouncing around the Outback collecting bush tucker.

Please also read our general guidelines on the Parents/Carers Information page.

  • If playing with one child or only one set of equipment, you can simply time how long it takes them to collect all the items. Can they beat their time?
  • Set a time limit, how many objects can they collect within that time?

Please also read our general guidelines on the Parents/Carers Information page.

  • Always make sure whatever equipment you are using is safe and appropriate for that use.
  • You could mark out a treasure chest with marker cones or marker spots. Alternatively you could lay out a tea towel on the ground to place the objects on top of. You could use hoops or a circle marked on the ground with chalk, or just group objects together on the ground and indicate where the treasure chest should be.
  • For the treasure use suitable objects that can be carried safely with one hand.
    • Some ideas: soft toys, balls, socks, empty plastic bottle, a hairband, a piece of paper rolled into a ball, a deflated balloon.

Please also read our general guidelines on the Parents/Carers Information page.

  • Use different movement styles when collcting the objects e.g. running, skipping, hopping, jumping, etc.
  • Scatter the objects around the activity area so that children have to keep changing direction (if more than one child playing then warn them to look around and control their speed and direction to avoid collisions).

Please also read our general guidelines on the Parents/Carers Information page.

Printable PDF download here

Use of the resources

This move to improve resource is provided as a guideline only for parents and carers who wish to supervise physical activities for their children. Users of this resource have a duty of care to ensure the safety of their participants. We do not endorse the use of any content in this resource that a user feels may present a risk to the safety or well being of the children in their care.