How to Host a Spy Party

For her 8th birthday, my daughter hinted that she would really like a "Secret Agent, Nancy Drew-ish, Super Sleuth, Spy Party". You know the one? No? Well, neither did I. So after a quick search for ideas (fantastic ones found here) and coming up with a few of my own, here is a step by step guide on how to host your own spy party. The party itself was a great success, with all the children really getting into it!

Overview:  Guests are invited to attend agency training to help foil General Tantrum's (the birthday bandit) plans to ruin yet another birthday party, namely, this one.  Guests are welcomed and equipped with the necessary spy gear. They attend agency training (games etc) and graduate just as Tantrum strikes, the cake and presents are missing! They then team together to complete a clue hunt to solve the mystery of the missing presents.

Of course, you may require to personalize quite a lot (depending on age, guest count etc), but hopefully this instructable will encourage you to host your very own Secret Agent, Nancy Drew-ish, Super Sleuth, Spy Party.

Step 1 Making the Invitations

Top Secret Letter Transcript: Intelligence sources indicate that Gen. Tantrum (aka the birthday bandit) plans to ruin another party. We believe his intended target is the 8th birthday party of ... Your Mission: Attend fast track agent training and foil Tantrum's plans. Training will commence ..., Completion ... RSVP... CONTACT DETAILS (possibly spread over the letter and elsewhere on the invitation).

Don't have a printer? Simply design photo sized invitations and have them printed cheaply as 6x4 photos at the store. I used Photoshop to design the invitations but there are free alternatives out there, such as the gimp. Working with photoshop type applications really requires instructables of their own.  So, I'm going to just step you through the creative side of the design.

1. First I found a rough gungy background (adds a touch of reality). 2. Then I added a dossier folder. 3. A few sheets of paper, one for a typed message (the invitation or mission) - I used 1942 as my typewriter font, but there are many out there to download. 4. I found polaroids rather spy-ish, so by downloading a polaroid template and inserting relevant images you can gather your 'intelligence', as it were. 5. I also added a written note with additional information - and a magnifying glass. 6. Finally, I added bits and pieces (to catch the eye) - Paper clips, a pencil, coffee stain, tickets and a piece of torn paper with a clue on it (each guest has their own clue to contribute along the way). Other eye catching ideas might be passports, coins or stamps.

A quick note on image size: A 6x4 photo is typically printed at 300dpi (dots per inch), so if you want to design a suitable image for printing at this size, you want to work with an image of 1800x1200 pixels (that is 6 inches x 300 dots/inch = 1800 dots or pixels and 4 inches x 300 dots/inch = 1200 dots or pixels).

Comments

[iminthebathroom]

excellent job, parenting and instructabling!

[justjonty]

Thank you for your kind words. Parenting is lots of fun, although I guess you don't need to be a parent to throw a party. Thanks again!

[tat2duck]

This is fantastic. I love the originality and (obvious) labor of love you put into this party. I can't wait for my grandson to be old enough to do something like this for him.

[justjonty]

Thanks for the encouragement! We really had fun during the party and I really enjoyed all the preparations too.

[Kerwinklan707]

My son is having a Spy-Themed Party this month. Can you tell me how you made the fingerprint ID cards & Spy Certificates? I'm pretty technologically challenged, but I'd like to try! They look so fabulous! Definitely the best I've found on the web!

[justjonty]

Hi there... To make the ID cards with their paired thumb prints I used Photoshop (the GIMP is a free alternative but you can use any drawing application really)... find a textured (or grimy) background... find enough thumbprints off the internet so you can pair the guests up... Added a barcode (with agent number)... Top Secret stamp is a must... for the graduation certificate, I just put the CIA emblem in the background and some official sounding words...

Cardholder agrees that the user of this card is subject to all applicable Agency rules and regulations and terms of the Secret Agent Code of Conduct. This card may be revoked by the Agency at any time and must be returned upon request. This card contains details regarding your secret identity and occupation as an undercover agent. If this card is lost, stolen, or found, your undercover status will be considered compromised and you will be relieved of duty and relocated under the provision of the witness protection program.

I still have the Photoshop files if you think they would help... Hope your son's party goes swimmingly...

[Puzzledd]

This is just brilliant. The guests must have been absolutely rapt... all those fancy commercial parties could never match up to this!

I just wish my son was still little enough to do this party for him. We had some fun parties but this one is in a class of its own! Well done!

[ibuddah]

Very Creative and well done.

GREAT JOB! The mug shots are the bomb...

[justjonty]

Thanks ibuddah!

[Kryptonite]

That's so cool! How everything lines up in a simplised setting to track down the baddie is so well done, nice job! 5*

[justjonty]

Thanks Kryptonite!!! Gen. Tantrum finally admits defeat by giving his gift (a constructable drinking straw... the last straw) and suggesting in his note that he was leaving his life of crime to become a party planner instead... :S Thanks again!

[Kryptonite]

Brilliant ending to another dastardly plot.

[ElusiveGreen]

Very well done, very well done indeed.

[justjonty]

Thanks TyrenRaven

[darkclaw42]

WOW. That would be the best birthday party, even at my age!

[justjonty]

Thanks darkclaw42... love your avatar

[Hero Under The Pine]

I wish you had been there for my birthday party!

[cowscankill]

Wow, that looks like an amazing birthday idea! Could be adapted for adults too, looks great fun!

[justjonty]

Thanks cowscankill! As a childlike adult... I, for one, would love to attend a novelty party like this (maybe a little more scripted)... :)

[Frogzard101]

bravo, well done!

[aah1]

That is impressive. You are so creative. I really like the "mug shot" thank you notes.

[justjonty]

Thanks for your encouragement, aah1!

I got the idea for the mug shot thank you notes from the link above. I was really glad I had planned them though, as one guest had put a lot of time in making my daughter a wonderful present with her mother. She had made a personalized fairy screen printed t-shirt, a screen printed card (same design) and even made the wrapping 'paper'! It really means a lot when people go to so much trouble... so the thank you notes gave us the opportunity to say so :)

Thanks again

[srohwer]

You are the best parent ever. Will you plan my next party? I'll be 48 next November....

Seriously, this looks like so much fun, I really might adapt it for my next bday.

[justjonty]

Thanks srohwer... you are very kind! :)