Nancy Drew birthday party (part 2)

I survived Emma’s graduation open house (that’s a post for another day) but I did want to get a follow-up post about Josie’s Nancy Drew mystery birthday party on the blog.   In case you missed it, my previous blog post shows all kinds of Nancy Drew party decorations. 

When the invitations were mailed out, we had told the girls that they would need to help solve the mystery of Josie’s missing birthday present.  With it being a slumber party, I knew we would never several different things to do to fill up the evening.

The party kicked off with the girls completing an “observation game”. I filled a tray with random items from our kitchen junk drawer. They were allowed to look at the tray for 1 minute, then I took the tray away and using their detective kit notepads/pens they had to list how many items they could remember.

They also had to tell us the exact colors too of the various items. The girls really got into this observation game and it's amazing how many random items we had stashed in our kitchen junk drawer.

During dinner, the doorbell rang and a telegram was left on the front porch. The telegram kicked off their series of clues.

In case any of you want to do your own mystery, here are the riddles that I used. As the girls solved each riddle, they ran to that object in the house and they would find the next clue.   Each girl was given a chance to solve the riddle, but they could ask for help.  

Clue
Some people take me in the morning, others take me in the evening, but one thing you should know - that when I'm 'taken', I don't really go anywhere?
What am I? (Shower)

Clue
What has a ring, but no finger? What am I? (Phone)

Clue
I never ask questions, but always answered. What am I? (Doorbell)

Clue 
What has to be broken before you can use it? What am I? (Egg)

Clue 
I don’t speak, can’t hear or speak anything, but I will always tell the truth. What am I? (Mirror)

Clue 
I begins with a T.
I ends with a T
and mostly I am full of T.

What am I? (Teapot)

Clue
When I was invented, you can looking through the walls. What am I? (window)

Clue
I’m full of keys, but I can’t open any door. What am I? (Piano)

Clue
I am made of rock and shell.
I gather in millions by ocean, sea and stream.

What am I? (Sandbox)

Josie’s wrapped birthday present (it was a watch) was left inside the sandbox and I also found a bunch of detective kits at the Dollar Tree for each child and those were left in the sandbox for the girls.  

The girls also got to put their detective kit flashlights to use playing "find the bomb". To make the bomb, I wrapped 3 empty paper towels with a rubber band and attached them to our mini meat grilling thermometers. When it got dusk outside, the girls were divided into teams and each team took a turn hiding the bomb in our front yard. The other teams could use their flashlights to find the hidden bomb. Using a kitchen timer, each team had 3 minutes to find the hidden bomb.

Before bed, the girls then watched the 2007 (Emma Roberts) Nancy Drew movie.

I'd love to tell you that they all went to bed really good, but I was up several times during the night (including 4am) reminding them to go to sleep. I had also forgotten just how loud 9 & 10 year olds can be.  Wow!!  All in all, a successful slumber birthday party and I can't believe my baby is now in double digits! 

 Happy 10th birthday, Josie!  We love you so very much.