I Spy an Easy Birthday Party!

So when you have a few extra items left over from CSI: Cub Scout Day Camp...it is real easy to purchase the left over items and use them for a birthday party. I didn't think a group of nine year old girls would enjoy a crime scene party as much as they did!It was Sydney's idea to have the invitations printed backwards so her friends would have to read the directions in a mirror.
OK...so I remember when I would spend hours and hours creating the perfect cake. How did I do that!? I spent exactly 5 minutes on her cake. Two minutes buying it from the Wal-Mart bakery (it was blank other than the little circle candies sprinkled around the sides) Two minutes writing "I SPY" with store bought icing in a can (it comes out like the cheese in a can) and one minute to push the candles and magnifying glass into the icing. I can truly say that Sydney was thrilled with the cake...so glad I didn't worry about building a cake in the shape of a magnifying glass like I had originally planned.Decorations were easy...crime scene tape and caution tape everywhere. We always get a picture with each friend as they arrive at the party.Each "Secret Agent" received their own clipboard, and while we waited for the other guests to arrive they "fingerprinted" their boards.
The only other planned activity was the CLUE/TREASURE HUNT. Each girl placed her Suspect list on her clipboard and was ready for the big case.

To make the game go smoothly I let them know that it wasn't a race. All the girls could look for the two hidden papers at each spot but unless your name was on it you weren't supposed to pick it up. At each station there was a HINT and a CLUE. The hint helped them check off their suspect/item/room list as they tried to narrow down: 1. who committed the crime 2. what item was stolen 3. what room the item was taken from. Then there was the CLUE that told them what location they could find the next HINT and CLUE. All the girls did a great job. They would shout out the person's name when they found the hidden clue and then they all listened as they took turns reading the clues out loud.
The final clue led the girls to our BBQ Grill where hidden inside was their goody bag...a small Spy kit.
The bags were 3 for $1.00 at Dollar Tree. The girls also got a magnifying glass, tweezers, note pad, pen, specimen baggie, fingerprinting dusting brush, vinyl gloves, chalk, and candy.

With time left before parents would come, the girls continued to play "SPY" for the rest of the afternoon.