I bought six different-coloured boxes and a tiger-shaped rubbish bin from a DIY supermarket. The boxes and bin were then placed at different points around the school grounds with a simple object such as a ball or spoon hidden in each. Children then used a colour-coded map to find the coloured boxes and draw the object found inside. They recorded the object against the correct colour on a previously prepared chart. The tiger bin was visited last and always contained little mystery prizes.

The children loved our tiger hunt and developed excellent mapping and recording skills. One or two of our brightest children have designed and recorded their own courses for classmates and older children. We have also created similar courses in school for those rainy days when even the bravest of five-year-olds won’t go outside. We also have a large cuddly tiger in school which we hide at different points around the course (up a tree is great). If the children spot Tim the Tiger and draw him in his location they get an extra prize.

Mike Beale, headteacher, Holland Moor Primary School, Skelmersdale, Lancashire