24530

Clue Mystery (7-8yr) Crack the Code

April 2014

Julie in Frankfort, KY USA

Runner Up

My girls LOVE playing Clue and even watched the movie and got such a kick out of it, it became the perfect theme for their joint party this year.   

INVITATION: I used an invitation template on Word that had a blue scroll frame/4 invites to a page, copies and pasted Clue with a magnifying glass image from the internet, and used mysterious font to produce the following: Murder Mystery Party.  (Time and Date) Dear Friend, The pleasure of your company has been requested to honor A & K’s birthday at the Boddy Mansion.  RSVP Mr. Boddy’s assistant to receive your confidential case file.  Join us for games, cake and a murder mystery. When the guests RSVPed I composed a list and identities for the kids, placing them on Team Green, Team Mustard, etc. 

Using the same template, Clue with a magnifying glass image, and different stock face profiles in silhouette I copied and pasted from the internet, I made Confidential case files.  For example, Dr. Putsanah Green, Dr. Vanna White, Miss Blaze Scarlet, Dr. Spicabrown Mustard, Lady Puddin’ Plum, etc.  I wrote down a couple simple but fun quirks about each character that they could dress up as or just wear something that color, and printed the case files on cream colored paper.  I bought some small manila envelopes from the Dollar Tree and cut them in half, sliding the case files in the bottom half (will be using the top half of envelopes for thank you cards) and wrote Confidential in red with their real name on the outside. The kids went wild sharing identities and were super hyped the day they received their case files!  

DECORATIONS : I made signs for all of the games which served as decorations, copying and pasting the same Clue magnifying glass image at the bottom of each sign.  I made one for The Boddy Mansion which I placed on the front door and on the mailbox with a balloon, and added an image of the Boddy Mansion from Clue the movie which I copied and pasted from the internet.  The signs for each of the games I just copied and pasted fun coordinating images and added tiny magnifying glasses I got at a party store.  The photo booth took up a whole wall and served as a decoration as well.  Everyone was given a small notebook and pen when they arrived that had their identity on it that was to be used for the activities and then placed in their goody bag.   

ACTIVITIES/GAMES: Since I had six teams of kids, I made six activities, some of which I assigned willing parents to be in charge of.  Crack the Code I wrote a code on a big piece of foam board that the kids were to crack in their notebooks.  There were clues on three additional pieces of foam board that were revealed to them one by one to help them get the message.  Finally, the cipher was revealed.  The message said, You are clever and uncovered our code, now go enjoy the rest, and thanks for being our party guest!  A & K and I used a reverse alphabet for the code.  But you could use any code.  The kids had fun with this one and it filled time really well.  Invisible Ink I set up a station with cards, lemon juice, and Qtips for kids to write invisible messages.  This one was fun but didn’t last very long. 

Fingerprinting some lovely police officers fingerprinted the kids. This was really cool, the kids got a kick out of it and the added bonus of it being useful.  Sketch Artist another willing parent had a Confidential folder with six images in it.  Each team had to draw a perp into their notebook that the parent volunteer described. I used the images from our Clue board game, and each team ended up drawing their own main character (Team Peacock Mrs. Peacock, etc.)  Photo Booth This was insane and AWESOME.  Using two photo booth kits and an additional plastic tablecloth for the grand total of like $10 at Walmart (and a few extra dress up odds and ends and magnifying glasses and adding the word Clue and some mystery clip art on poster board to the backdrop) we had an absolute blast and the cutest photos ever! 

My friend volunteered to take pictures of the kids in costume and we had some really hilarious and adorable results.  Will be using some of the photos for the character thank you cards also.  This filled in some time while everyone waited to go upstairs for the Clue Mystery.  Clue Murder Mystery Using the Clue cards from the board game, signs I made for six rooms coordinating with the rooms in the game, and handmade weapons, we rocked the Clue mystery!  (I used a toy gun for the revolver, a light up rubber wand for the candlestick, a wrench I cut out of black foam board, a jump rope, a piece of pool noodle for the lead pipe and a foam sword cut off to dagger size all purchased at the Dollar Tree or made with objects we already had.) 

I placed each of the weapons in a labeled room, and invited the teams up one by one.  Each team was given several game cards and had to work together to narrow their guess using a sheet from the Clue game to mark off suspects, rooms, etc. until they wanted to hazard a guess.  We used a big foam dice (also a Dollar tree purchase) to get to the room so they could make their accusation.  It was an absolute blast and the six teams took about 30-45 minutes to complete the mystery.  Just enough time to be fun and have everyone go through the stations.  We had about 25 kids, mostly 7-8 year range but a few older who really got into the activities.  I would suggest having several people take photographs, because it is kind of chaotic and goes really fast!  

COSTUMES : Each guest was issued a Confidential Case File when they RSVPed and they apparently got a kick out of them, sharing their identities and some going all out with their costumes. We had grandly dressed ladies with feathers and heels, an archeologist complete with the hat and utility belt and an heiress who loved exotic pets bringing a live butterfly in a cage as her party prop!  It was too hilarious and even the kids who didn’t dress up got fancy for the pictures in the photo booth and had a grand time.   

PARTY SNACKS/CAKE : I used a snack for each character.  Plum Punch and Peacock Punch for the drinks (purple Kool Aid and blue Hawaiian Punch,) Colonel Mustard’s Dastardly snack mix (Chex mix,) Mr. Green’s greens (celery sticks in tiny cups of ranch dressing,) Miss Scarlet’s berries (strawberries and raspberries) and Mrs. White dip (cream cheese/yogurt dip.)  I also piped white chocolate fingerprints, footprints, magnifying glasses and the word Clue onto little fudge dipped Oreos.  The cake was awesome, one of my favorites I have made. The bottom layer was iced in white and had the rooms of the game on it in buttercream and tiny weapons out of white chocolate dusted with silver edible dust.  The top layer was chocolate and had white chocolate fingerprints, footprints, the word Clue and little buttercream shapes like the game pieces in color.  On the top I piped Happy Birthday A & K! and placed two more tiny magnifying glasses.  Each of the two tiers were a different mystery flavor.  I explained that there was one vanilla based flavor and one chocolate based flavor, and the guest who correctly chose the flavor for the tier they tasted would be awarded a prize. (The flavors were Twix and Fruity Pebbles.)  Next time, I would make twice the amount of treats and a much bigger cake because every scrap was gone at the end of the party!)  

FAVORS: I had the bags prepared with their identities on cards attached, inside was a big magnifying glass I purchased at the Dollar Tree and a decorated fudge dipped cookie (with white chocolate magnifying glass, fingerprint, footprints or the word Clue) wrapped in it, and when they lined up for cake I had a volunteer add their notebook and pen to the bag.  Overall, this was a super fun party.  The kids all seemed to have a blast and my girls were still smiling when I peeled them off the ceiling and put them to bed so I’m thinking it was a winner.

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