If you’re looking for a unique way to make your kids next sleepover amazing, consider playing a Super Spy game!
We’ve provided some explanations, clues, challenges, and ideas here for you. You don’t have to use all of these and they should definitely be catered toward your child’s age and interests.
The kids are new agents in a spy organization and must recover a stolen top-secret item before the enemy agents decode and use it against the world.
Give each child a “top-secret envelope” containing their mission briefing and some initial clues.
The briefing explains that a precious artifact, “The Sleepover Crystal,” has been stolen from the organization’s vault.
They must follow the clues, solve puzzles, and complete challenges to find and secure the Crystal.
Clue: A coded message
Puzzle: Caesar Cipher
A Caesar cipher is a type of substitution cipher used in cryptography, where each letter in the plaintext is replaced by a letter a fixed number of positions down or up the alphabet. It’s named after Julius Caesar, who reportedly used it for his private correspondence.
For example, with a right shift of 3 letters, the letter A would be replaced by D, B would become E, and so on. The alphabet wraps around back to A, so with this same shift, X would become A, Y would become B, and Z would become C.
Decoding the message reveals the location of the next clue.
Realistic example: If you want the map to be hidden under the dining room table, you could write
Under the table= xqghu wkh wdeoh
Hint: Provide a code-breaking sheet to help them decode the message. This will depend on the age of the kids, but could include some letters filled in or pictures added for additional clues.
We’ve got a simple alphabet sheet you can print out to help make this easier for them:
Clue: A torn-up map
Puzzle: Jigsaw puzzle
Draw a map to the next location (3rd clue), then tear it up to make a puzzle. Put all the pieces in an envelope hidden in the location identified by the Caesar cipher (in our example, the envelope would be taped under the dining room table).
The kids must work together to assemble the map, revealing the location of the next challenge.
Hint: Number the back of each piece for an easier version of the puzzle.
Challenge: Laser maze
Set up a hallway or room with yarn or string crisscrossing like a laser security system.
The kids must navigate the “laser” maze without touching the strings to retrieve the next clue.
Hint: Place a clue at the end of the maze with a hint for a shortcut or the best way to navigate the maze to the next clue.
This 1 minute video shows how the maze can be easily created with streamers and painters tape:
Group Photo
Take a group photo with everyone wearing their “spy gear” (sunglasses, hats, or other props) to remember the event. You can later print the photo and send it to the kids as a keepsake.
