thiswayandthatway
662763
20011
353
Parenting Correctly
Last year around this time my son happened to find a series of strange and related clues that eventually led to the digging up of buried treasure. The first thing he found was a piece to a map along with a few other strange items...
The scrap of paper had some weird stuff on it, but wasn't folded in any way. If I remember right we had to align it with something to figure out where to fold it. Below is what we saw when it was folded correctly.
So under the steps he went...
Under the steps was a box. Inside the box we found another part of the treasure map and some more clues.
The sheet of paper below just had the letters without all circles in pencil....
To figure out which letters to use we had to use one of the clues we found before:
There were more clues in the bush in our front yard.
One of them was this picture with holes in it.
On the back was this weird mark. That's when it dawned on us...
We needed to use two of the other clues we got to find the message.
Once we put the paper with letters on the back of the boat picture with holes... the swirly key told us what the correct alignment should look like.
When we aligned the letters with the picture with the holes cut out using the key... we found the location of the next set of clues.
Eventually we found the full map.
Still more clues...
My son was thrilled during the entire process.
The scrap of paper said "The treasure is shining through the two swords"... which meant placing the swords over the sun. Once we over-laid the key on top of the map...
We found the location of the treasure!!!
Is was on the west side of the house. Here is my son digging up the treasure.
Eventually I took over while he watched. This is how you react to treasure buried next to your house.
SUCCESS!!!
Okay so one of my hobbies is planning treasure hunts. As a User Experience Designer, planning out wonderful experiences is what I get into most. I planned this one for my children and it was a huge success. I did one before this one, which was a TON more challenging and hard to put together, mostly because I was doing it for the first time. Check it out here: http://imgur.com/a/eIK4B
Edit: Thanks everyone! This was a wonderful experience to build and I'm really happy to share with everyone and see so many people enjoy it. Thanks for all the entertaining and encouraging comments.
alanapaints
You are an exemplary parent and fabulous human being, and your children will adore you and honor you into eternity.
DJKaratebody
My dad took me swimming in January and I got Pneumonia. To make it up to me he took me back in the summer and I stepped on a broken bottle.
subnivean
My husband & son made an escape room style puzzle for me a few months ago, it was soooo awesome. I love creative problem creating & solving!
puddinhead2U
Too cool !
positronic
This was a lot of fun to follow, and I bet any kid would explode from excitement by the end.
tropicalsunfish
I thought the same thing!
abbasmo2
toddpatrickm2718
My parents used to explode with excitement all over me .. I thought it was gross and wiped it off when .. continued
toddpatrickm2718
They brought in one of the farm animals to explode on it was especially bad and the pigs were the worst they squealed sooo loud
tippytruck
I bought my niece ice cream with the brother's credit card, that's kind of the same thing.
Neogreenyew
Damn... the entire time I was thinking "this is all fake" then read the last line. Do something to make the paper seem older instead of fire
samwisejammiesly
Yeah my dad did that for me. He would hide and I'd look. 25 years later still looking.
TheDivineUsersub
Dayum
ghettofish
Have you looked under the porch?
IllegalDuckling
Holy shit, I'd love to have a dad as good at hiding as yours. I always found mine way too quickly.
inagoddadavida
Did he leave a map?
K1ltu
Next thing you know OPS kid gonna trying to steal the Constitution for next treasure
Orochizilla
That's how you parent
5aminsd
You're killing it at this dad thing
realscrumpysteve
His face at the end. Says it all. You're good people.
thiswayandthatway
He was... thrilled. Thanks!
MayorofKtown
My mom used to do the same for me when I was young. It's something I will always "treasure" and one of the reasons I miss her so much
Zebulen11
Dude I wish my dad would have done this with me. You sir are a bad ass
thiswayandthatway
Thanks!
MrFunbun204
Wish I had a dad ;_;
cassassin117
I'll be your dad
MrFunbun204
only if we're like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP_qF5E4w7U
RetardedLobster
Daddy!
Dravit
Well that went a bit differently than I expected. Imgur will ruin me.
nordicfatcheese
Repetitapup
A+ parenting, A+ treasure hunt!
inchoroi
Jesus Christ I'm 32 and would be thrilled to do this. I fucking love stuff like this. My D&D campaign is filled with it.
LavaAxe
So... you're the dad
SleuthGluth
I used to do this too. Have prob containers that were trapped, so if they look inside w/o disabling they'd suffer.
Mostlydeadpool
Are you the GM or one of the players?
inchoroi
Forever DM, unfortunately. But, if I'm honest, I'm a better DM than player, anyway.
Neekrhael
Also a Forever DM. I share in your plight of never getting to be just a player. :(
inchoroi
I *could* be a player. The only other DM is so terrible the others players have said they would literally rather not play at all.
StretchRiprock
Google 'Escape the Room'. They are all over the place and lots of fun to do with friends :)
amahler
There's an actual physical escape the room here in houston. I've always wanted to do it but none of my friends want to :(
NorbertDemeter
This was one of the awesomest things i saw on imgur in a loooong time. Omg. I'm copying this!
Kathalysa
This makes me super happy.
Monticello19
My dad did this with me but he also gave me a compass and some of the clues were a heading and number of paces. I started burying my own 1/2
Monticello19
treasures and making maps. I forgot about a couple and could never find them again. Somewhere in my woods is a box with a Michael Jordan2/3
Monticello19
rookie card, a Roger Clemens rookie card, and a Magic Johnson rookie card. Damn it. 3/3
RealBarackObama
cmdshift3
Un0riginalComment
Still a better treasure hunt then national treasure
DidItForScience
https://media.giphy.com/media/BA0LHpbq720DK/giphy.gif
SaudFarooq
you ..you better take this back ...the man himself is a national treasure..and I know this even when I am not a US citizen.
flaccidhope
Roland191145
Developed critical thinking skills and reading. Put in a bunch of work for you child. Shared an experience. You are one hell of a parent! Q1
Roland191145
*+1 damn phone keyboard swapped to letters instead of symbols.
KarlaAnne
Dad Level 3000
Boom365
Solid gold parenting
FBGNorvilleBarnes
You are a hero
thiswayandthatway
Ha ha... that's great.
StizostedionVitreum
That would've been so cool to do that as a kid, hell, it'd still be cool and I'm nearing 40.
redtail62
Ditto and ditto
Yourfavoritebandsucks1974
I feel the same way, except I would never have figured it out.
HOLAKOOO
see if you have something like this near your town.. http://conundroom.us/ i did the mona lisa heist w/ friends, super fun but not easy
TripUpStairs
I love how it fosters critical thinking. The best I did was hide my kids Easter baskets every year with no clues given. This looks so fun!
CarreraCowboy
It was in the oven. Every time.
IllegalDuckling
I once found a copy of Mario Kart double dash in a nest under the couch pillow weeks after easter because my mom forgot about it.
kraeftig
My parents would put riddles in the plastic eggs about the next egg location.
killingjoke8181
My mom hid our eggs in the woods behind our house. She used camouflage eggs. We would be out there for days. Some eggs are still out there.
JustALullabi
My parents always forgot where they'd put the eggs. So we'd find eggs a few days after, or even a few weeks after Easter. It was awesome
LibrarianGrammarNazi
We sometimes found eggs from the previous easters at my Mother-in-law's house when our kids looked.
ColonKoala
For how old that kid is, those are some hard clues from what I (skim) read
Patlabor
When I was 4 my mom convinced me I had to leave the basket behind and come back to it with the eggs. Whenever I left she re-hid a handful.
Mechlai
dad used to do tea stained maps with clues and locations for easter. second fav holiday next to xmas.
liliantbn
That shows real dedication. Hope someone saved the maps, fun memories.
Mechlai
nah, but he taught me how to burn paper and tea stain it to look like an old map, so I think that's even better.
liliantbn
It's a fun skill to have, and some fun memories. : )
TripUpStairs
That's sweet.
Sheprador
Your son in 30 years http://imgur.com/J1dswl5
thiswayandthatway
laughed out loud at this one. Good times.
twinrider1
Be sure to drink your Ovaltine.
StevenFarmer
Your son is cleverer than I was at his age, you're doing all the right things for him.
Goatflakes
Please. I'm a comp sci student and I nearly fell asleep when he got to the random letters bit. Then again I exhausted with the flue. but 1/2
Goatflakes
he must be a bright boy to be able to follow it all none the less. also I meant flu. 2/2
DiDaVinci
*genuine, non-sarcastic applause*
DeathBeUponYou
http://imgur.com/D49NMQ9
tripleplayw14
TrapsMightBeGay
Well done 'arry!! Well done!
MyPrincessNameIsDrinkingBeauty
Seriously this is perfect. And the look of sheer joy on your son's face is priceless! <3 @OP
WantDownvotes
Y does this comment sound extremely sarcastic
DiDaVinci
I was afraid it would, so I was sure to indicate my sincerity.
killernat
Somehow that makes it feel more sarcastic
Phustercluck
Non-sarcasm from an imigurian, that's rarer than the rarest of pepes
liliantbn
What is pepes? Don't know if you mean peeps? Still I don't get it. Sorry, no criticism, just curiosity.
Phustercluck
http://lmgtfy.com/?t=i&q=rare+pepe
kelgamer13000
SmartyAsian
What a nice gif
CaviarBurrito
Post so worthy, I'd upvote twice if I could.
abbasmo2
gowild
I can't tell if you're sarcastic or not..
DiDaVinci
Sincere
thiswayandthatway
Wow. Thanks!
bacononbacon
You're welcome. Well done
LordSnow2211
you guys are awesome parents! Your son is smart. He is like a tiny Indiana Jones/Nathan Drake.
MrStarkLord
Gaidenninjacat
This type of thing is great for kids, if you really enjoy it, you might be able to set one up for a community under the citys budget.
SolarBunBun
Yo, this is actually really heartfelt. Make another for us?
thiswayandthatway
I actually did make another... before this one. /a/eIK4B unless you mean make a third one.
ChuckTingleBattlesTheAssGoblinsofAuschwitz
My dad did this for me once. He wasn't the type to do this kind of thing but it was the most fun and memorable birthday of my childhood.
lordofhouselurker
Do it. God dammit I waiting!
SolarBunBun
I'd like to see you make a third, fourth, fifth, and sixth one!