How Kids Mystery Parties Work

The Gumshoe Detective Agency is an addictive kids party in a PDF. You get everything you need to set up the game – Scenario, Invitations, Clues, Detective Handbooks, Decor, and all the instructions you’ll need. Each PDF even includes a fun and educational Facts page. We believe in learning while you play.

Download the Kids Mystery Party of your choice – Castaway Critters, Hobo Hullabaloo, or Fossil Furor. Print out everything you need. Follow the step-by-step instructions. Add some easy to find items for more fun. Use our Dress It Up suggestions, and our Free Kids Party Tips, to give your kids a Wow experience. Remember to give yourself at least a day to gather what you need and set it all up.

Read your Gumshoes the Scenario, give them their Detective Handbooks, and stand back! Once it is set up the game runs itself. Don’t be surprised if things get quiet – that’s the sound of active, engaged minds at work.

Need help? No Problem!

We’ve run these games countless times, and there is no question we can’t answer. just email Juanita from the Contact Page and we’ll help you along. Your Kids Mystery Party purchase includes unlimited email support.

TURN YOUR PARTY INTO AN EVENT!

Using the hobo mystery as an example of how to upscale the party with add-ons.

If your party space is small then you can simply hang the included Crime Scene and Suspect Spots pictures on the wall.

If you have a medium size space you can set up small tableaus on table tops. Four characters and a crime scene means you need five table tops. This can be a great pre-party activity for the week before the Mystery.

If you have an auditorium or larger space at your disposal then you can create actual spaces with life size props. Make a hobo camp with sleeping spots with sleeping bags or lean-tos and fake campfires for each hobo. If you’re outside, make real campfires! Following safety and common sense of course.

Pictures of clues could be replaced with the real deal – for instance if the clue is a dime then use a real dime instead of a picture of a dime, replace the picture of a chocolate bar with a real chocolate bar and like that.

If you have volunteers then you can dress them up as the characters to play along.

Encourage the participants to dress up following the theme, as hobos or railway officials. Don’t forget the bindle stick and the whistle!

If you have access to an oven you can start by making hobo bread – a bunch of ingredients thrown into a 14oz tin can and then baked in the over. Once the mystery is solved you have a warm, nutritious snack ready to go. Yum.

Since hobos were freight-hoppers it’s easy to incorporate trains into the theme. You could have a hobo campfire and sing railroad songs, imitate train whistles, get an old electric train and tons of track from somewhere and run it through the hobo camp.

All the mysteries can be upgraded in this fashion. All it takes is your time and some imagination.

Check Out These Samples

Have a look to see what a Gumshoe Detective Agency party looks like.

Castaway Critters Sample      Hobo Hullabaloo Sample      Fossil Furor Sample

Party On!

Pick up your Gumshoe Detective Agency party today:

Castaway Critters        Fossil Furor         Hobo Hullabaloo