Could use some ideas...

**AmyBoz** · 02-20-2010, 08:12 PM

So, dd turns 9 on Tuesday. (Can't believe it...next year, double digits!)

Every year, for the past few years, Julia has wanted a mystery birthday party. So, last year we staged a crime (someone had stolen ds1's toy elephant) and we wrote up clues for the girls to follow, in teams. The year before, we hid each girls goody bag in a separate place in the house and they had to decode their clues to find their bags. That kind of stuff.

After four years of these, I'm running out of ideas.

This year, she is having a 39 Clues birthday party, as she's been reading the books. So, I'm thinking of maybe making clue cards, like they have for the books, but I'm not sure what the mystery could be, or what they could be solving.

I'd appreciate any help you might have!!! Let those creative juices flow!

**3tomboys** · 02-20-2010, 08:19 PM

How about clues to find the topping for the birthday cake. After they are all found the kids can decorate the top of the cake. They can be the icing, candles, all kinds of different candies for the top. You could even do cupcakes instead of a cake and the kids could make thies anyway they want.

**MomK** · 02-20-2010, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by 3tomboys

How about clues to find the topping for the birthday cake. After they are all found the kids can decorate the top of the cake. They can be the icing, candles, all kinds of different candies for the top. You could even do cupcakes instead of a cake and the kids could make thies anyway they want.

That's really cute! I'm all out of ideas, but I'm sure you'll come up with something really fun!

**druthb00** · 02-20-2010, 11:32 PM

I'm not familiar with the book series so I don't know if this would work well or not.... I was thinking you could create a "treasure map" out of corregated cardboard covered with a peice of construction paper (or the like), kind of drawn up like a blueprint of the house/garage/etc. would be. The "trail" would have to overlap and loop around in places so that the ending point would not be obvious, because then you'd cut the map up into jigsaw-like peices and these would be the things that your clues could lead to. Once all the peices are found the girls could then follow the completed map to the "treasure" (with the last peice they find having the X on it obviously.) Then you could fashion a treasure chest out of a cardboard box or whatever and fill it with maybe a party game, party favors, cake decorating items as someone else mentioned, whatever you like. Maybe you could say the girls crash landed on a desert island and they need to follow the clues to complete the map and find their way to a hidden survival kit (snacks or other goodies.)

You would have to hide the chest very well though so that the girls don't find it while they are looking for the jigsaw peices. That could present a problem

**mauimagic** · 02-20-2010, 11:55 PM

What great ideas!! Wish I had some to share with you - but I do want to see pictures and know what the final plans are!!

**kaurand554** · 02-21-2010, 12:01 AM

but could you somehow recreate a "scene"? in your house?

**AmyBoz** · 02-21-2010, 09:37 AM

These are great ideas! I gotta start working on this!

**mauimagic** · 02-21-2010, 03:38 PM

I know you'll remember the pictures!!,,,,and the commentary to go along with!!

**AmyBoz** · 02-21-2010, 03:49 PM

Maui...you know it! I actually just posted at my blog that my readers are probably glad that I work full-time, because with all this time on my hands while I recover, I'm a blogging fool!

**monkeywrangler71** · 02-21-2010, 04:52 PM

We did a detective party for my daughter's ninth birthday. Someone had stolen the forks and we couldn't eat the cake without them. They basically did a treasure hunt where one clue led to the next clue, until they ended upstairs in front of a bedroom door that was taped off with yellow streamers marked 'police line' (that part of the house was not visible from the other areas where they went). Inside the room, a stuffed animal with a little black eye mask was sitting on the bed with the forks.

The clues were all coded messages, which required each person to participate - they could only work together, that way the older kids wouldn't just solve it first. We used a variety of codes and decoders from a mystery code book that I had from when I was a kid. Each person had one part of the clue.

They designed detective badges when they first arrived, to keep them busy while we waited for stragglers. And they had a packet of 'detective training' exercises to do while they waited (just word puzzles).

The treat bags were brown paper lunch bags that I wrote "Top Secret" on. The treats were things like notepads and pencils, little magnifying glasses, ect.

**MTS04** · 02-21-2010, 10:15 PM

How about clues that will take them around the world. Kind of something from each country. You could create favors or play a traditional party game from each country.

Perhaps for something like Japan, make something origami - boxes are usually easy or even the crane.
Then for Malaysia each child could make an ang-bao which is a small red packet (or envelope) filled with money (could be chocolate gelt)
Then for say for Australia, they could make Fairy bread (buttered bread covered with sprinkles)
I think the Dutch tradition is to decorate a the birthday child's chair with flowers and streamers (Dutchie, is this true?)
Then Israel - the birthday child wears a crown of flowers
Then to mexico where you can try the Pinata
Then finish with the American tradition of singing happy birthday around the cake.

You could use the clues to lead or define each country as you participate in the tradition. Then perhaps tell a little bit about each tradition or country...

Good luck with the party!