Spy Party -6yr- Flight Suit Uniforms

We just completed a spy themed birthday party for our 6 year old son.

Recruit Letter: We sent out Recruit letters inviting participants to a Special forces training mission at our spy academy. I got the actual CIA emblem from their website and modified it to read "Last Name Spy Academy" 

Uniforms: When the kids got there we issued uniforms; Black flight suits with the academy logo, American flag and their name on the back - all done with stickers) The instructors had black T-shirts with the same stickers as well as a whistle and black hat with "LSA" for (Last name - Spy- Academy) Badges: I printed out badges with the logo, a place for a photo, fingerprint and a signature.  We took pictures of the kids in their suits with an american flag backdrop.  They signed their cards and we sealed them.  I got the self laminating badge pouches from an office supply store.  We also got the retractable badge holders - the kids really liked those. 

Training Missions: Mission 1: Finding Clues. Prep - 5 Large puzzle pieces.  4 fit together, the 5th is the red herring.  On the back of the 4 that fit together, stensil a large number with invisible ink. (So that you can only read the number when all the pieces are together)   Place each puzzle piece in a color coded envelope. (we used plastic cd envelopes) The kids were in teams of 2.  Each team was givin a "tip" (one of the puzzle envelopes) - and instructed to find the rest of their clues (hidden throughout the facility).  When all were found they were told that clues fit together like a puzzle - but that some false clues may have been planted - the red herring - and not  to let that throw them.  They then put the clues together.  

Mission 2:  Interpreting Clues We told them that they would now get the training and gadgets to uncover the hidden meaning hidden in their clues.  We issued them the spy pens with the laser light so they could read the invisible ink number.  We then told them not to share their secret number - that it was a secret communication for their next mission

Mission 3:  Blend into your surroundings Prep:  Create mission location post cards - we had 12 kids so I made 12.  Not all the kids could read  so pictures were important.  Example:  A picture of  a baseball diamond for a mission to the world series.  I created the locations based upon the costumes I already had.  We did stuff like The World Series, Tour de France, The whitehouse (a kid sized suit with tie and a small black brief case), the ididarod, construction site, fire company, Tennis tournament, Hawaii, a rodeo, etc.  I put the location postcards in envelopes marked CONFIDENTIAL and with a Number that was meant to correspond with the invisible ink number that was revealed to them on the back of their puzzle clues. 

Since the kids were in teams of 2's for the secret number in the clues mission, I had 2 #1 mission envelopes, 2 #2 envelopes, etc so that each child was sent on their own mission. I made corresponding wardrobe bags with a location tag on them that matched their location post card in the envelope. So, after they discovered their secret number, we told them it was a secret communication that revealed their next mission. 

The teams came up to me and whispered their secret number and I gave them their numbered envelopes.  Once everyone had their envelopes, they were told to open their envelope to reveal their next mission location.  We told the kids that if they were to show up at their mission location as they were now - in their spy uniforms, they'd be found out.  That they needed to be in a disguise that would allow them to blend into their surroundings. 

They were then sent to the wardrobe department (where the bags were) to change [the kids loved this one] Mission 4:  Surveliance We issued disposable cameras for them to practice taking surveliance photos - This came them some running around "free" time.  Haven't got the photos back but I am sure they will be interesting. Mission 5: Bomb detination The kids got to burst black baloons by sitting on them.  The balloons were filled with confetti so it made a terrific "explosion"  up to this point the baloon bombs were disguised in a large bomb decoration - Black garbage bags sealed at the top with duct tape to make a wick and tissue paper flames at the end.  We put large white vinyl letters from an office supply store on them that read BANG! And BOOM! 

We had pizza and cake afterwards.  For the cake we had individual round cakes decorated like magnifying glasses.  The handle was a black fork stuck into it. Each one had a letter that when arranged on the table read "HAPPY 6th BIRTHDAY AGENT JOE" (Very easy to serve up - no cutting and the fork is already there) There a lots of cute spy goodie bags stuff out there - From the birthday supply store I got the brief cases marked confidential - they came with spy stickers, magnifying glass, pen and note pad. I added a pair of sunglasses and spy bubble gum.  The bubble gum comes in a briefcase with an edible ink pen.  The young spies can write secret messages then eat the evidence.  After I had already purchased the goodie bags, I noticed small duffle bags at the dollar store that would have been very cool too.