Daniel and the Lions Treasure Hunt Sunday School Activity
Treasure Hunt with a Daniel and Lions Theme to Teach Children about Trusting God
Make your Bible lesson unforgettable with this exciting interactive treasure hunt based on the story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den!
Children follow clues hidden around the classroom, church, playground, or yard as they search for the final treasure. Each clue connects to the Bible story and helps reinforce how Daniel trusted God even when he was thrown into the lions’ den.
This activity gets children moving, thinking, laughing, and working together while helping them remember the lesson in a meaningful way. It is easy to prepare and adaptable for different ages and locations.
Children will LOVE:
- Searching for hidden clues
- Following arrows and paw prints
- Exploring the playground
- Discovering the hidden treasure
- Learning that trusting God is the greatest treasure of all
Perfect for Sunday School, VBS, children’s church, homeschool groups, and Bible clubs. It is appropiate for preschool through 5th grade.
Preparation:
Decide where you will conduct the treasure and draw a simple map of where each clue will be hidden. Select at least eight different locations. Once you have all the locations, use the examples below to write clues on small sheets of paper.
Hide the clues and bury the treasure before class. The clues can be hidden under objects, taped or tacked to things, or you can use chalk to write them on a side walk.
Clue #1 - The Letter
Introduce the treasure hunt with a letter. Tell your children that you received a letter from a friend and you wanted to share it with them.
“Hi Friends!
I hope you are having fun today.Your teacher told me that you were going to learn about Daniel and how God protected him from the lions. Daniel was a very special man, he did what was right, and trusted God. I left a special treasure for you. To find it and learn more about Daniel, you must follow the clues!
Here is your first clue:
Another name for a lion is a big _________? CAT
Go out the door and look under the thing on the ground that rhymes with CAT.”
(Children find clue #2 under the mat.)
Clue #2 — Under the Mat
“King Darius made a law that said no one could pray.
But Daniel loved God, and decided to pray anyway!
Now search for something very tall and shady too.
It has lots of branches, and leaves that wave at you.”
(Arrows drawn with chalk on the sidewalk lead children to a big fig tree. "A Big Tree" is written on the sidewalk next to the tree.)
Buy sidewalk chalk from Amazon.
Clue #3 — At the Tree
Daniel’s enemies watched him closely as he went upstairs to pray.
Now look for something you walk up and down each day.
Look up and down and all around,
and soon your next clue will be found!”
Clue #4 — At the Steps
The king was sad when Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den.
He hoped God would save him from the lions and the mean men.
Now follow the sidewalk path to the very end
Your next clue is waiting there my little friends!”
(If the children have more than one direction to chose, draw arrows in each direction with a question mark. Draw u-turn arrows at the wrong ends of the sidewalk to indicate to the children that they went the wrong way and to turn around and try a different direction.)
Clue #5 — End of the Sidewalk
You can also add clues with chalk drawings on the sidewalk using arrows and simple designs or use stones and twigs to make arrows.
If you use twigs and stones, act surprised to see it and point out to your students that maybe it is a clue. Ask them what they think it means. If an arrow points left, say, "Oh, maybe we should walk this way?" pointing left.
Buy sidewalk chalk from Amazon.
Clue #6 — At the Rock by the Tree
“I did not hide when I knelt three times a day.
My window was open wide, and everyone could see me pray.
Can you find a window with a green bush nearby?
There is an ADT sign in front.
Look behind it, what do you spy?”
Clue #7 — Behind the Sign
The lions may have been fierce, but God kept me safe all night.
Now go where children climb and slide with giggles and delight!
Look underneath the YELLOW slide to discover where the next clue hides.”
Clue #8 — Under the Yellow Slide
“You are almost there! Climb the steps nearby.
Then follow the arrow to find your surprise!”
(Add an arrow pointing toward the burried treasure.)
Treasure Note - Place Inside the Treasure Box
“These treats are sweet, but God’s love is even sweeter!
Daniel obeyed God even when he was afraid.
He knew that God would come to his aid.
Remember, the best treasure you can ever find is trusting God in every way, each and every day!”
Suggestions to Make Your Treasure Hunt Even More Exciting
Adding obstacles makes the hunt even more exciting. Children will feel like they are escaping danger or sneaking past the lions just like Daniel. The best obstacles are simple, active, and silly—not difficult.
1. Sleeping Lion Obstacles
Place stuffed lions, lion pictures, or even paper lions on the ground.
The children must:
- tiptoe quietly past them
- freeze if the teacher roars
- walk around them without touching
You could say:“Shhh! Don’t wake the lions!”
2. Lion Paw Path
Draw paw prints on the sidewalk.
Rules: Children can ONLY step on the paw prints. If they step off, they must roar like a lion before continuing
3. The Lion’s Tail
Use jump ropes, yarn, or chalk squiggles.
Children must jump over the lion tails and avoid touching them.
4. The Den Crawl
Use a tunnel, table with a blanket hanging over it, a cardboard box tunnel, or chairs with sheet over them.
Have children crawl through the “lion’s den.”
5. The Rock Barrier
Place rocks, cones, paper rocks, or cushions in the path. Children must zigzag around them, balance carefully, or “escape the den”.
6. The Roaring Challenge
Place a sign that says, “ROAR like a lion before continuing!”
Kids LOVE this.
7. Cross the River
Draw blue chalk water on a sidewalk and draw stepping stones across.Children must jump stone to stone and avoid touching the “water”.
8. The Balance Path
Draw a chalk line or place a 2"x4" board on the floor and have children carefully walk the “narrow path.”
Use images from the lesson along the treasure hunt path to make the hunt more exciting.
Buy sidewalk chalk from Amazon.
Note: If you have children that can read, let them read the clues and then rush to the next clue.
We would love to hear how you adapted this treasure hunt to your playing area and children's age! We will publish them here.
