Scooby Mystery Party -8yr- Stomp the Ghosts

These are the notes from the party we just had for my 8 year old son. I had typed this up for my husband to carry with him durng the party since he was compering" and the party was planned down to every last detail - and he had to make sure the clues appeared at the right time. We had 10 kids for the party - aged 5-8. The kids had a really great time solving the mystery. A few of them are asking us to have the same party again next year.    Kyle's 8th birthday party  Theme: A Scooby Doo mystery birthday  

Guests arrive and are shown which team they are in (a list is pre made with their names in either the Scooby or Shaggy team)  the Scooby team or the Shaggy team. The Scooby team will get a dab of black face paint put on their nose Mummy Ghost etc  using http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com/ maze  from http://www2.warnerbros.com/scoobyvideos/mazes.html coloring pages  found via Google) to do till all the guests arrive. There also is a bowl of home made cookies cut in a bone shape - in a bowl with the label "Scooby Snacks" on it.

The kids can eat this while they do their activity booklet. If they have finished and are still waiting on a few guests play selected Scooby Doo DVD/ video for a little while.  When all the guests have arrived and are working on their booklet one of the parents  will say they need to go finish packing the rest of the goody bags. We will come back in a couple of minutes and say the goody bags are missing and in their place was a note.  Read out the note to the kids:  Kyle's turning 8 isn't that great? Have a fun time and don't be afraid Find all the clues and you will see The goody bags aren't where they used to be NOW follow the footprints down the stairs Stomp on the ghosts if you dare Maybe you'll find another clue  And solve the mystery  yoo-hoo 

At this point give the note to the kids if they want to read it themselves  or if they have figured out they need to go down to the basement  let them go in a single line following the black footprints stuck to the carpet down the stairs. Here they will play the game Stomp the Ghosts. In the basement there will be white balloons with black eyes drawn on (for the ghosts face) and a piece of yarn attached to the top of each balloon. These will be hanging in the basement and the kids will be instructed as follows:  Each child will have a ghost tied to their ankle. When you say Go stomp the ghosts each child will walk around trying to stomp on the other kids balloons to burst them. The last person with a balloon still tied to their leg is the winner. There will be ONE extra balloon hanging up in the basement and this one will contain the next clue.

After the game is over  look surprised and say  hey we have one ghost still left how about the winner stomp this ghost too. The winner will stomp the ghost and then the next clue will be found. Take this clue and read it out to the kids:  Out where the air is fresh and the grass is green All of you must line up in your respective teams What do dogs love to chew most of all? Chase it when your number is called Will the Shaggy or Scooby team win?  Who knows  another clue may be lurking within  The kids then go out to the backyard where they play Scooby's Bone. They are divided into their 2 teams  Shaggy and Scooby. Explain the game to them. [The team members are given numbers 1 to 5 (depending on how many members are in each team). The team members stand in a line facing the other team. A bone is placed in the center. When their number is called  one person from each team  whose number was called will run to the center and try and grab the bone without getting tagged by the person from the other team with the same number. The winner is the one who either gets back with the bone without being tagged or the one who tags the person holding the bone before they reach their side. Play the game till everyone has got 3-5 chances to run in and get the bone.

Then while replacing the bone in the middle put a clue along with the bone on the ground so that when they pick up the bone  the next clue is found. Read out the next clue to them:  In the place where cars rest at night Make a mummy but don't get a fright Wrap up your mummies well So that they do not come alive & scary tales tell !   The kids then run to the garage where the next game Mummy Mayhem is set up. Explain the game to the kids. The kids get to pick slips of paper with names written on them  Fred Velma Daphne Shaggy Scooby etc. They need to go around trying to find their partner. The kids who do not know how to read will need to be helped out finding their partner (the other person with the same name on their piece of paper).

After they have found their partner  they run to the Mummy station (a table with an adult supervising) where they are given a roll of white toilet paper. They need to roll the toilet paper all around their partner to make them into a Mummy. The team who finishes their roll of crepe paper first is the winner. After everyone has finished making their mummies a clue is found at the Mummy station. Read the clue aloud to them:   What does Scooby love to eat? I wonder which team will collect more treats. You are finally getting close! Run on outdoors and collect the most  The kids go back outdoors to play the Scooby Snack game. Explain the game to them.

 Here they are back in their Scooby and Shaggy teams for a relay race. Each of them is given a brown paper lunch bag with their name on it (I printed out the names along with a little picture of Scooby's face on each label). For this race they need to run to a table where an adult will place a Scooby Snack  (a mini Kit Kat bar with a paper bone stuck on it) for them to hold between their teeth or lips they run back to their team to drop the snack into their doggie bag. Then the next team member runs along to get their Scooby snack and repeats till 20/25 snacks have been given out (snacks need to be pre-measured and kept in a plate for each team). Team that finishes first wins. Give Scooby stickers to all the kids starting with the winning team first.  Then while clearing up the table a clue is found underneath one of the plates.

Read the clue to the kids:  Oh now you are getting closer to the finish! A treat is what you all deserve to relish No the goody bags are not what you get  You haven't solved the mystery yet! But pizza and cake are always hearty While mystery solving at Kyle's birthday party Just keep your eyes open for one more clue Will you find the goody bags before the party is through?  Then the kids go in and sit at the tables. Pizza will be served.  After finishing pizza play one episode of a Scooby DVD for the kids to watch and relax.   After that the cake will be cut. When the children have finished eating their cake the last clue is found while putting the rest of the cake away.

Call all the children to gather near while reading out the clue to them:  The party is over now Time to go home Yoo-hoo  the goody bags are mine alone You'll never find me  I was in the place you went first You followed the footsteps but missed the real ghost So bye-bye my friends these goody bags look fun The party is over and looks like I won!  The clue should lead the kids to the basement. In one corner of the basement will be one of the adults covered in a white sheet with two black circles for eyes. They will be clutching a box which has the treat bags. The kids need to pull off the sheet to uncover the ghost. One of us will say So it was you who stole the goody bags and the ghost will reply And if it weren't for you meddling kids I would have gotten away with it!

 After that distribute the goody bags to the kids - consisting of "Scooby mystery books" from Scholastic and Scooby fruit snacks and they also have the "Scooby snack" kit kats from the other game to take back. Then the kids can go back up to the family room. If the parents or kids want to linger a while  the Scooby Doo DVD can be played. "