Alarm Clock Hunt

by Steve Bennett

Kids 4 and up
Indoor activity

Required:
Alarm clocks or kitchen timers

The Alarm Clock Hunt involves finding things by sound, which can be tough given our visual orientation to the world around us. In this game, you hide a battery-operated alarm clock (please use rechargeable batteries) around the house, and your child tries to locate it using the sound of the alarm. Set the clock to go off within a few minutes after hiding it (you'll have to experiment a bit to get the timing down pat). Make sure you hide the clock within earshot.

For young players, place the clock where it can easily be found, like in the corner of a room. For older kids, you might hide the clock behind a book, or inside a pot, sock, or dresser drawer. If more than one child plays, take turns hiding the clock.

To really complicate the situation and enhance the fun, use several clocks -- the alarms bouncing off each other may create a delightfully confusing situation.

Finally, as a variation, use clocks that have an audible tick. The object of the game then becomes locating the time pieces before their alarms go off.

Warning! Don't forget to reset your alarm -- you might have a tough time explaining to your boss that you were late for work because of yesterday's alarm clock hunt!

More on: Rainy Day Activities for Kids