EDUCATORS

Good Practices

  • Student Account Setup: Make sure student groups create an account using an email address before starting the treasure hunt. If students or teachers cannot create individual accounts for each group, create a single shared account for the class or school instead.

  • The Digital Dry Run: Always test the pre-designed route yourself a few days before the session. Ensure the QR codes are physically accessible, the app loads correctly at each spot, and cellular data works across the entire zone.

  • The "Safety & Boundaries" Briefing: Before unlocking the game, set strict physical boundaries and assign a specific "return signal". The students must be divided into groups so no one ever navigates the route alone.

  • From Screen to Green: Encourage students to look up. Since the activities are pre-set, prompt your students to observe the physical environment to solve them, ensuring the app acts as a guide, not a distraction.

  • Active Orbiting: Do not remain stationary at the starting point. Circulate between the groups to troubleshoot app glitches, monitor safety, and keep teams motivated and on track.

  • Ready for any eventuality: Always carry a standard first-aid kit, a physical map of the park or zone boundaries, and a list of student emergency contacts.

Bad Practices

  • Assuming "Pre-Designed" Means "Plug-and-Play": Never take students to the site without checking it first. A pathway could be closed, or a specific spaces might have become dangerous.

  • Allowing "Tunnel Vision": Do not let students sprint blindly through nature with their eyes glued exclusively to the smartphone screen. Remind them that running while staring at a phone leads to accidents.

  • Interfering Too Quickly: Avoid giving away the answers to the pre-designed riddles. Let the students struggle a bit, cooperate, and use their critical thinking skills before stepping in to help.

  • Ignoring the Forecast: Never head out without checking the weather and reminding students the day before to bring appropriate gear (water bottles, caps, rain jackets, or sturdy shoes).

  • Skipping the Classroom Debrief: Do not just pack up and go home once the game ends. The true learning happens when you gather back in the classroom to discuss the answers and connect the pre-designed content to your current curriculum.


Before any outdoor excursion, be sure to share or remind your students what they should and should not do once outside.


STUDENTS

Good Practices

  • Eyes on the Path, Not Just the Screen: Keep your head up while walking! Only look at the smartphone or tablet when you are standing completely still at a safe checkpoint.

  • Stick Together like Glue: Always stay with your team and within the boundaries your teacher set. No individual tracking—winning is a team effort.

  • Respect the Playground: Leave nature exactly how you found it. Stay on the designated paths, do not climb dangerous structures to find a code, do not disturb or hurt the wildlife you encounter, and make sure absolutely zero trash is left behind.

  • Divide and Conquer: Share the device! Let one teammate be the navigator, another the QR-scanner, and another the reader so everyone gets to play an active role in solving the mystery.

  • Listen to the App (and your Environment): Read the pre-designed clues carefully. The answers are hidden in the world around you—look at the environment to find the clues.
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Bad Practices

  • Sprinting and Pushing: This is a quest of wits, not a track race. Never run blindly, push past other teams, or rush into unsafe areas just to scan a QR code first.

  • The Device Hog: Don't be the person who grabs the phone and refuses to let anyone else touch it. Teamwork makes the dream work—and gets you a higher score.

  • Ghosting Your Team: Never leave your team in case of disagreement or because you think you found a shortcut. If you get separated, your team loses time and your teacher loses track of you.

  • Vandalizing the Game: Never touch, move, or hide the physical QR codes or markers. Destroying the setups spoils the game for the teams behind you and ruins the project.

  • Giving Up When it Glitches: If the app freezes or a code won't scan, don't panic or close the game. Stay calm, try adjusting your angle to the light, and call your teacher over to help you fix it.