A family game night with a mystery to solve
Board games again? Try a mystery. It takes about 20 minutes to set up, works for kids and grandparents alike, and everyone plays on the same team.
- Detective host, start to finish
- Codes, clues and a case to crack
- Indoors or out
- Set up in about 30 minutes
Your case in five steps
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Pick the mystery. Something goes "missing": the last cookie, the TV remote, a favorite stuffed animal.
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Plant the clues. Hide five clues around the house, each one pointing to the next. The last clue points to the culprit.
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Write one code. Put one clue in a number code (A = 1, B = 2) so the family has to crack it.
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Hand out roles. Lead detective, code cracker, clue keeper and note taker. Little ones make great clue keepers.
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The reveal. Everyone names the culprit on three. Then swap roles and let someone else hide the next case.
Fun activities for the whole family
A mystery works on a rainy afternoon, at a family reunion or on a church family night. Pick a theme each month, let the kids take turns writing the case, and keep the case board on the fridge between games.
Want a detective to run it?
For a family day, church night or community event, the Family Mystery Festival brings two detective hosts, two 20-minute cases and a walk-up clue station for any number of guests. $1,375. Planning a birthday instead? The Junior Detective Party is built for up to 20 kids.