Queensland Museum Scavenger Hunt for Lost Creatures

If you have been to the Queensland Museum at South Bank lately then you would know they have a very special exhibition on the main floor. The Lost Creatures Exhibition is all about the recent palaeontology discoveries in Queensland. Expect to be greeted by everything from the impressive Muttaburrasauras to the more well known kangaroo and crocodile. This is a FREE exhibition and you can read our review here

As you know we LOVE our scavenger hunts at Brisbane Kids. We believe they help to facilitate a dialogue between parents maximising the learning potential and fun in every situation. The Queensland Museum agrees with our vision and we are excited to be supported by them as we bring to you a Museum Version of our Scavenger Hunt Lists especially for the Lost Creatures Exhibition.

When you go to complete the scavenger hunt you may need to approach it differently depending on the age and maturity of the child. We took a few different kids along and here are our tips.

Before your trip to the Queensland Museum

Print the lists before you go and let the kids write their name on them (or you assist)
Take a pen! and a back up pen! we took big thick felt tipped pens
Be prepared for excitement. We talked about the hunt and what it was all about.
We offered no incentive for our children- but we will for you!! Wait until you read on about the prize we are giving away!

Once you get there

Here is the general information we have about the Queensland Museum for Kids
The Lost Creatures Exhibit is at the end where the planes used to be, right outside the cafeteria (on the main floor where the whales and shop are but at the other end).
Explain to the children that a museum is a quiet place and while they are excited they need to use indoor voices.
How you approach the exercise will depend on the age of the child – see below

How to do the scavenger hunt

There is no right way
Let the kids first go around on their own and then go from display to display with them until you find each item
It is a visual scavenger hunt so even the littlest Brisbane Kid will be able to participate
Kids under 5 will generally need your support every step of the way, children over 5 are likely to need some support but will be able to navigate their way to achieving most of the items. We took a 6.5 year old and he only needed help with some of the items but 90% he found himself. Our 4 year old needed help the whole way round.
Work on the words with the older early readers
When you find an item – speak excitedly about what it is (ie- “Can you believe these footprints were made that long ago! WOW- what do you think?”)
We didn’t make it a competition and we didn’t need to- not only were our kids excited the whole way through but people around us wanted to get involved too.