The Egyptian Treasure Trail

“The Egyptian Treasure Trail,” made for kids ages 7 to 10, turns your backyard, a park, or your house into a desert of ancient Egypt, along a trail left by a mischievous caravan driver. Five stops, from the well of a first oasis to the foot of a great pyramid, lead the kids from place to place: follow the direction shown by an evening star, find the right scarab among several, put the pictures of a picture-symbol message in order, and work out how many steps lie between two trail markers. The kids move, search, compare, and figure things out without ever going in circles: every clue points clearly to the next one. The book includes the clue cards, a desert map to customize, a trail journal to fill in, and a guide for the grown-up that sets up the trail in a few minutes. The game works for a small group or a big crowd of kids, indoors or out. At the last stop, every player earns a Young Caravan Driver diploma to cut out and fill in. The guide also offers options for different amounts of space, backup hints, and a shorter version for the youngest players. There is nothing to improvise on game day: just hide the cards and send the caravan on its way.