Ancient-Egyptian Treasure Hunt

Time-travel back to the days of King Tut with this adventure party that packs in loads of mystery and fun.

Use parchment-style paper or age white paper with a wet tea bag. (Let paper dry completely.) You can singe the edges of the paper (adults only!) by lighting the edge and blowing out the flame immediately. Repeat as needed. Write invitation details and draw hieroglyphs for added effect. Roll paper into a scroll, then secure with twine weighted with two pebbles. Hand-deliver or mail in tubes.

Tell the children that some of King Tut's treasure was never found. Then send teams of guests on the hunt. (To arrange clues, it's easiest to work backward: Place the treasure in its spot, and set up the final clue that leads to it. Continue until you get to the first clue.) For added fun, you can also create a treasure map that corresponds to the party setting. To make the treasure chest, cover the lid and bottom of a box with masking tape for a mummified effect and decorate Egyptian-style. Arrange gold tissue paper inside, and fill with goody bags.

Let guests make rock-shaped Egyptian charms using Sculpey Granitex clay. Have kids translate their initials into hieroglyphics, and use toothpicks to carve hieroglyphs into the clay.

Kids ages 7 and up can create a human pyramid with three or four children on the bottom, two above, and the lightest child on the top. Snap a photo and make copies of it to send with the thank-you notes.

Fill minipyramids with chocolate coins, stretchy snakes, toy compasses, beads, stickers, and "rock" Granitex clay. To make the pyramid, enlarge and trace the template onto gold card stock. Punch holes at the top, fill, and then tie edges together with gold-wired ribbon.