Treasure The Good Times

Our Buttery bits of Wisdom about this Film:

• Why It's Worth It: This film is just plain fun -- the kids love to try to solve the mystery along with Cage, and think it's cool that symbols on the dollar bill could be there as a clue to hidden treasure. We like it for it's pop-culture tour through history - a clever storyline that traces our nation's early history and allows for a bit of family discussion about our Founding Fathers. Suspend your disbelief and have fun with this one.
  
• Red Flags: Rated PG for action and some gun play and violence, as well as some adult behavior (reckless behavior, drinking). Kids will see a few skeletons (nothing like Pirates, however).
  
• Further Viewing: National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets was just released on video and our kids loved going on another adventure with Benjamin Gates -- this time, to solve the mystery of Abraham Lincoln's assasination. Romancing the Stone and The DaVinci Code are both fun films, but has more adult content and isn't appropriate for kids under 12. Both the Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean series are constructed as giant treasure hunts. And, of course, Treasure Island is the original film about a lost map and missing treasure; made by Disney this is good for younger kids (over six).
  

Our Tips for Talking with your kids about this Film:

• History Savvy: Movies take events from the past and use them to weave new tales. Ask the kids what they think about this - does it upend their vision of history, or can they separate the fact from the fiction without losing track of history. Does this story make them want to know more about the beginning of this country?
• Constitutional Savvy: A recurring theme in the film is what the founding fathers wanted for the country. It's not a secret. Check out the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Although written in a rhetoric of law (most of the founding fathers were lawyers), once you get past the rhetoric you will see that they wanted freedom and government representation for all men.
  
• Political Savvy: For a good analysis of the patriotic positions of both political candidates, read Patriot Games by Peter Beinart, an article in last week's Time Magazine (7/7/08).
  

Our Buttery Bits of Wisdom about this Adventure:

• What Worked for Us: Hunts are very dependent on location but can key off any storyline you can invent. A birthday theme with ice cream sundae party at the end is as much fun for the birthday girl to plan as it is for her guests to play. Try to gauge the hunt to your child's interests and level of difficulty. Young kids are best outside - they can be charged with finding a shell, a certain type of leaf or to find a bird's nest. As kids get older, they can solve number or word clues, as well as riddles -- in order to find their next clue. We have done hunts in malls (warn store owners, first!) but being outdoors feels like more fun to us.
  
• Scavenger Hunt is best for kids under eight. Parents make a list of items, and kids can search independently or on a team. Keep the clues to about eight - otherwise, kids can get distracted or frustrated. A Scavenger hunt can take place anywhere - it is a fun way to explore a place you are visiting - parents take a few moments to investigate the area and make a good list and then let kids go. Fun in a vacation home, or while visiting relatives.
  
• Treasure Hunt is a cooler, older version of a scavenger hunt with more complex clues for bigger kids. Parents can use word searches , sodoku puzzles or jokes to set up your clues -- most of these can be found with simple online searches. Clues should be clever riddles, or rhymes that the kids can solve but anything goes in terms of what the kids must do to receive their next clue: recite a poem, solve a math problem, sing a song, etc. Ideally, there should be a treasure at the end, but as kids get older this is less important than the creativity of the actual pursuit. Our best hunts were set up in our neighborhood, where teams of kids had to proceed through a series of visits to neighbors' houses - we set the clues up in advance, and our friends loved being in on the action.
  
• Amazing Race is a popular television show in which contestants play a global Scavenger Hunt. We add more complex elements for pre-teens and teens - harder clues, and physical "road blocks" which up the ante on the competition -- ask them to chew three saltines and try to whistle, or find a penny at the bottom of an ice chest, or jump rope fifty times -- in between normal clues. Parents will have to spend more time planning this type of hunt, but the kids adore the unexpected results.
  
• Planning: Accommodate large groups by creating teams, but be sure to send the teams out separately so as to avoid everyone finding the same clue at the same time. Also, if you are sending kids around the neighborhood, or into a local store, it's best to give those outside parties a heads-up. They'll look more kindly upon a marauding band of kids if they know it's a birthday game. Enlist other parents to help with the team monitoring - most folks love to pitch in if they're already attending a party or event.
• Writing Clues: Convention seems to be that clues should be riddles, but this is up to you. As long as the clues aren't too easy, write whatever you want. It's fun to add a Polaroid camera to the mix, and ask folks to come back with photos of certain things (team member with a specific statue or recognizable object) but we've had more success requiring a picture on a few clues and not relying on that gimmick for each clue.
  
• Dividing Teams: Choosing who is on what team is a key part of planning - try to balance the teams as best you can, both dividing up friends and being sure you don't have too many quick, smart puzzle solvers on one team. (Although, sometimes it is wise to put ALL the competitive kids on one team!)
  
• Competition and Prizes: Of course, the idea is to get the teams to race against each other, or the clock. With littler kids, everyone should get a prize but after 8 or 9, kids can handle winning and losing. We love prizes that are in keeping with the theme of your hunt, like the kids that had to go to a store for the very items they'll need for an ice-cream sundae party. Prizes don't have to be expensive but tying them to the party theme is ideal.
• Art Detectives: Want a fun way to get your kids through your favorite museum? We like to purchase a few postcards at the gift store of an exhibition we are planning to visit. We ask the kids to go find what is depicted on each of the postcards. If your kids are old enough, it is fun to write questions on the back of each of the cards for them to answer. We like to come up with questions that have no answer, but make them think a bit: If you had to re-name this painting, what would you call it and why? Can you think of a TV or movie character who looks like the figure in the sculpture?
  
• Professional Treasure Hunt organizers: Click here to learn more about company who organizes scavenger hunts, Watson Adventures. It's not cheap, but it's a great grown-up party idea. We've been on several that they've organized and have been impressed with the quality of their clues and the creativity of the chase! With locations in LA, Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. Call them today at 877-9-GO HUNT (877-946-4868).

Indpendence Hall at Knott's Berry Farm -- an Orange County Adventure by Dianne Buss

• A Day Steeped in History: In 1966, Walter Knott's West Coast version opened for business on July 4th. National Treasure's Philadelphia scenes depicting Independence Hall were filmed at Knott's brick by brick replica. We checked out the building a few days before the 4th of July. The beauty of the building is dwarfed by its historical significance, even if it is a replica. My children hoped to ring the Liberty Bell (and yes, it's cracked) stationed in the lobby (but alas, it doesn't ring). We also "sat in" on a discussion of the ratification of the Declaration of Independence, an interesting multi-media presentation. My children enjoyed rocking in Early American style rocking chairs, and were interested to find out the founding fathers worried about their children just like today.
  
• What Worked for Us: Park in the marketplace parking lot across from the building and go under the street using the tunnel.  Check out the building as well as check out the audio presentation of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (called the A Storm in Philadelphia)
• Parking is free for 3 hours.  Hours are 9-5pm.  Cost for Independence Hall is free. 
• Before You Go:  Check out the website www.nps.gov/inde for more information about the original building, in Philadelphia. Bring duck food to feed the ducks!  Younger kids will delight in the chickens, roosters and hens that roam the grounds as well. 
• Take Home:  A gift shop inside has replicas of important documents and other revolutionary war memorabilia. 
  
• Cool Fact: Bricks on the outside of the building sport fingerprints, just like the bricks on the Hall in Philadelphia!  According to rumor, the original Hall asked for Knott's blueprints of his building while they were undergoing renovations.