Spying Around

Alright friends as promised, here's the spy party blog...

It all started when we took a family trip over to the International Spy Museum in DC. Deryn really enjoyed it and then mentioned having a spy party. Then I went to pinterest and here is what I created.

First I discovered this. http://www.etsy.com/listing/71039694/spy-secret-agent-birthday-party I happily paid the lady her $15.95 and waited for the file. She had it to me within hours and that's when my brain really started working. This PDF file contains 30 pages of printables. You just add in your personal touches. Invites were first! I printed them off and got some envelopes from Hobby Lobby that look like they were printed with paper bag material. I had our birthday girl choose all the "Code Name" and "Secret Agent" assignment for her guests. Each invite included the "secret party password" and instructions on the "secret handshake."

With the invites out to the spy recruits, I went to create our spy mission. We created the clues and disguised some boxes for the girls to find their next clue in. Here are our clues. I then put them in the same envelopes we sent the invites in. Then we put 6 of them in each of the clue boxes.

Our friends in the neighborhood were happy to help. So it made creating our clues very easily. Here are our clues.

1. Go to 1945 Spy Street. Ask Secret Agent Cinderella for a glass of water to go. Be careful and try not to spill any and bring it back to HQ. Enemy spies have been seen in this area. BE ALERT! (At this one Cinderella had helpers who attacked the girls with silly string.)
2. Find the clue box under the ramp at HQ. What did you find inside?! Write it on the back. How many do you think are inside. BE CAREFUL!! Other spies might be lurking around and can break your cover!!
3. Visit 51 Spy Blvd. Find Secret Agent Pikachu. She has something for you to bring back to HQ when you are done. Don't let anyone see what she gives you. 
4. Slide down the slide 3 times at 57 Spy Blvd. What color is the slide? What color is the ball in the backyard? Write down the answers on the back of this card and bring it back to HQ. STAY ALERT: Spies could be trying to take your picture!! (Here I had 2 toddlers taking "pictures" with bubble cameras. They were happy to help.)
5. Find the secret message at 61 Spy Blvd. What color is the chalk and what did the message say? Write your answers down and bring them back to HQ. 
6. Find the adult at HQ whose middle name is Jane. Write the answer down and bring it back. 

Plans were in place and we just needed for the day to arrive. There was a lot of excitement leading up to the big day. The birthday girl had a very hard time waiting. She did not like being left out of the planning. I explained to her that it would be unfair to the other girls if she knew the clues and what was going on.

Here are all the spies ready to accept the mission.

Here's how the event went. The girls arrived and I gave them a chance to make sure they knew the "secret handshake and password" (that was found on birthday invite) before they came up for "processing". I had arranged the girls into teams of 2 earlier that day. So when I asked, "Who's ready?" I chose that girl then looked to see who her partner was. Once I confirmed their handshake and password then they were given their badge and then fingerprinted. Then the team was given their choice of fedora and given their "spy kit." Here are the girls practicing their handshake and password.

They each had to come up and tell me the password and show me the handshake. The they were processed and fingerprinted.

Their "spy kits" included whistles, magnifying glasses, ink pens disguised as lipstick containers, binoculars, sunglasses, colored hair pieces, flashlights, and chem lights (aka glow sticks). You know, the things all great spies need. Most of this was ordered from Oriental Trading.

Here are the girls getting ready.

After they checked out their kits and got to know each other a bit, two teams at a time came up to my laptop to get their initial briefing. A great friend of our family was very happy to make a spy briefing video for the girls. Deryn was very happy to have her a part of her day. Our friend simply recorded a message that got the girls super excited to get going. Deryn was so excited to see our friend pop up on the laptop. She lives in Maryland and Deryn just loves her. It was great to have her incorporated into our adventure. I wanted to keep the girls out of our home so I could keep the other surprises secret, so I had to improvise and bring my laptop outside and I put it in the back of our car so the girls could watch it.

Then they were off on their adventure. Demetria followed Deryn and her spy partner around so we would have pictures of as much of the adventure as possible. Here are a few of the pics.

I love this one too!! As you can see, Chaz got involved in the adventure too!

Deryn and her partner were first to finish. I checked to make sure they completed their adventure. They each had to bring back six clues and two items and answer some questions. Then they could go and complete the final task. They had to get through the "lasers" to get to their dinner. Chaz pepped it up a little by playing the theme music to Mission Impossible for them. This was a big hit.

Once the mission was completed, the girls were treated to a belly filling secret agent refueling. We had "Secret Agent Subs," "Chicken Bombs," "Cluey Chips," fruits, veggies and my favorite "Truth Serum."

After dinner settled, it was cake time! Check out this incredible cake that my girlfriend created!!! There was only a very small square left. It was fabulous!!!

Of course we had present time and then the girls went to play outside after. Before they all left they each received the "mission reward."

Of course, a great spy doesn't tell you all of her secrets. These are the ones HQ in DC approved. ;)