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This Months Theme |
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SECRET AGENT |
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INVITATIONS
Write the invitations in code with a key to the code on the back. Codes could be in the form of:
A number represents each letter of the alphabet eg A=1, B=2
A riddle
A poem or paragraph where the first letter of each line when put together, spell a word or sentence
Include
a section for the guest to RSVP in the same code & maybe a
password (also in code) to be used when arriving at the
party.
DECOR
Keep the lighting low. Have signs on the walls such as MI5, KGB & CIA with flags next to them for the country they represent. Act mysteriously when you open the door to guests & talk in a low voice. Don't forget to ask for the password if included on the invitation. As they arrive, hand out a spy kit containing for example, notepad, pen, magnifying glass & code book.
FANCY
DRESS
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Ask guests to come as a well known spy or detective such as James Bond, Sherlock Holmes, Dick Barton or Harriet the Spy. Have a few spare raincoats & trilbys for those that haven't dressed up. |
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MENU
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GAMES
Ask the children to bring a passport photo with them & make fake passports as the first task. Attach to cardboard & cover with self-adhesive clear plastic. If not enough time, these can be made beforehand & included in the spy kits.
Use the passports to split the children into pairs or small groups. Have some as English, Russian & American spies & name them accordingly. Once they have found the rest of their group, have them congregate at their appropriate headquarters (the MI5, KGB & CIA signs around the room).
When everyone has arrived at headquarters, play a tape from M explaining their mission. Make sure the children write down any important clues in their notebooks & help them if they have not spotted them.
Use different games for the children to gather clues & solve the mystery. These can include:
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1) |
Treasure Hunt - give each group a list of hidden clues they need to find. These could be matchbox with address on, photo, key, phone number, tape, coded letter |
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Kim's Game - lay a collection of items on a tray & give everyone a minute or two to memorise them. Take the tray away & return it with an item missing, which is one of the clues. Repeat a few more times but do not replace the items you have removed |
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Codes - get the children to decode the letter found in the Treasure Hunt. Make sure there are plenty of tips in the code books which are in their spy kit |
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More Codes/Disguise - have a pile of dressing up for each team with for example, coat, glasses, hat, wig, scarf. Give each team a code to decipher. Once the team has done this, one person dons the disguise & takes the decoded message to an adult in another room where they give them the answer &, if correct, receive another code. On returning to their team mates, the child removes the disguise & they repeat with the second code. |
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Film observation - have friends & family act in a home movie showing part of the crime & using some of the items from the Treasure Hunt & Kim's Game. Show the film to the children & see how observant they are & if they pick up more clues. If you have time & your friends & family are all budding actors, make a second film which shows the complete crime (maybe not a feature length film) & show to the children at the end of the party (debrief) so that they know all the answers. |
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Use the break for food as a chance for the guests to gather more clues, these could be letters or numbers on the food or messages on the tablecloth. You could also have each country knowing a clue that the others don't & the children have to question each other to find it out. This clue could be included in their spy kit or on their passport |
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If you have time, you could always have each team trying to solve a slightly different crime so that any answers overheard may not actually be any help
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Have prizes for the team that solves the crime first but also for different sections of the party such as best fancy dress or disguise,
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Going Home Presents Have the spy kit as the main present & add gifts if you feel it necessary. As well as a slice of birthday cake, these could include: |
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A book such as Dectective's Handbook or Spy's Guidebook from www.amazon.com Spyscope (pen that converts into a telescope & microscope) from www.presentsdirect.com Fingerprint kit |
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This Months Theme |
