A children's mystery combined with a mini-scavenger hunt - THE SPECIAL ONES

Our children's mystery for ages 8 to 12. This is a thrilling, action-packed mystery combined with a mini-scavenger hunt for a cast of 8 prime suspects (kids) PLUS any number of guests (these children will play detectives and work to solve the mystery) and one adult "character".

*This is a great idea for schools and larger parties of 20 or more.

HOW IT WORKS: This kids' mystery game is geared towards larger groups of 20 or more.

You'll need to provide 8 kids willing to take part in the mystery as the primary suspects. You can also have adults play these roles as an hilarious alternative that will certainly amuse the kids.

The rest of the kids will take on the role of detective and it will be their job to actively solve the case.

Essentially, everyone will have a crucial, interactive part in the mystery.

There are 2 versions of this game:

THE KNOW IT ALL VERSION: Your prime suspects will know whodunit. They won't have to memorize a lot of dialogue but they will have to be familiar with a sequence of events that will move the mystery through the clues and the solving of the crime. They'll have to carry out certain actions and suspicious activities to set themselves up as suspects. I do recommend that you give your primary suspects about 2 weeks to get familiar with the script and to prepare their character. It takes at least one read through to get everyone (the suspects) straight. Set a time to get together, perhaps add some food and drink to the "rehearsal", and just TALK through the script. Don't have everyone read it word for word - it won't help anyone really understand what's happening and it's pretty boring. I've always found that if you all talk through the action/sequence as your character, it helps loosen things up, the kids start finding the humor in their character and they get a better understanding of the whole picture. It's informal and relaxed - two things you need to alleviate some of the actors' nervousness.

THE NARRATOR VERSION: Your prime suspects won't know whodunit. You'll use a narrator (the Simon/Simone character described below). The narrator will read the script as if telling a story. Your suspects will need to act out what he or she says. You'll give them their characters descriptions ahead of time but not the script itself.

This will not be a stationary mystery - it will be action-packed; we get all the kids active and involved.

AGE RANGE: Age 8 to age 12.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: Due to the interactive nature of this kids' mystery game, it's best suited for groups of about 20 to 50 kids.

LENGTH OF MYSTERY: Approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

PRE-EVENT PREP TIME: Anything and everything that can be downloaded is included with this game. You can prep the mystery in a about 2 to 3 hours. You'll need to print programs and other such documents, shop for inexpensive, easy to find items (arts and craft supplies and some scavenger hunt items) and organize the props (clues, etc.) and supplies but it's all very simple to do.

The story set up and the suspects:

Dear Special Ones, You know why you're here. The President of the United States of America asked you to be here because you're one of the Special Ones, an elite - by "elite" we mean "cream of the crop" - group of children with very special DNA and very special skills and intelligence. The world is counting on you to save us all from Evil. So train well and train hard. And be warned and beware, wherever there's good, there's evil. And Camp Fredo is no exception.

NAME OF MISSION: Operation: Dingleberry Muffin.

CODE NAME: C.O.O.L. KIDS (Covert Operatives: Off Limits)

MEETING PLACE: Camp Fredo, a top secret training camp on the outskirts of Gotham City.

YOUR CONTACT: Simon (or Simone) Snuffle (the adult character who will play the camp caretaker and your narrator in Version 2).

PRIMARY SUSPECTS (AKA The Special Ones): Note: These roles can be adapted for an all boy or all girl cast - look for alternate names in the script.

1. Dare Devill: A very fearless young man willing to brave anything and do anything to save the day - or so he says. Danger is his middle name (really)!

2. Lauren Little: Lauren seems to be awfully well, dim for a special one. What's her secret?

3. Gypsy Seer: She says her gift is that she can almost always predict what is about to happen. We'll see about that, won't we?

4. Cody Frost: He can freeze people - but only people who don't believe in his special power because, really, what's the use of freezing people who believe in you (unless they want you to freeze them)?

5. Treat "Doc" Thomas: His nickname is "Doc" because he can cure things - not everything because he's still developing his power, but lots of things.

6. Hunter Safari: An excellent tracker due to his amazing sense of direction and his amazing sense of smell. Can he track down the bad guy - or is he the bad guy?

7. Stephanie Snooze: Stephanie tends to be very sleepy all the time but there's a reason for that. She says her brain needs it.

8. Gina Grump: Okay so she's grumpy all the time. She's argumentative and she doesn't like to play with others or cooperate. So you might be asking, why would she be a special one if she won't play with others and is grumpy all the time? Ask her if you dare!