Television shows such as CSI (and the subsequent CSI Miami
and CSI New York), NCIS, and Cold Case Files have made crime scenes and crime
investigations the new murder mystery parties. They are a great deal of fun
when properly planned and well executed but leave a lot of room for failure if
poorly planned or inflexible. If you are considering a party such as this, a
great party for teens and adults alike be sure that you either have an actual
mystery to solve as the evening progresses or that you simply use the theme as
a backdrop. There is no real right or wrong way to do a birthday party but if
you want to throw the party that everyone will be talking about you’ll need to
create a crime for the scene you’re investigating and leave clues all around to
help with the investigation.
Decorating your crime scene party can be a lot of fun with
crime scene tape and chalk outlines on the floor. Be sure to make them
realistic in size by having someone actually lay down for you to draw the
outline. You can leave fake footprints, fingerprints, and clue cards throughout
the room (not too well hidden unless you want people snooping). You can even
enlist plenty of help when leaving the clues and decorating because of the
novelty of this sort of party. You do not have to limit the festivities to one
room and you can, if you are feeling truly adventurous, have a different case
going on in different rooms and have the kids draw numbers for teams and race
to solve the crime first.
You might also do well to set up a lab, complete with
microscope and tables dedicated to sorting out the evidence and make notes for
the shocking conclusion of the crimes in question. Of course you will want to
make the crimes simple and solvable by leaving clues that the kids will have no
trouble finding or deciphering without making it too easy. Use your favorite
episode for inspiration if you must and throw in a red herring or two to keep
things fun. Young and old alike, the kids will have a good time arguing over
the clues and trying to determine who really committed the crimes (and of
course making up their assumptions and stories as to why the crimes occurred in
the first place).
For food you can have an actual CSI cake or go with cookies
that are shaped like footprints or thumb print cookies for an excellent play on
words. Of course by the time kids are old enough to enjoy a party such as this
they probably would be happy with good food rather than themed food and pizza,
sloppy Joes, finger foods, chips and dips, and cookies and cake will make an
excellent food addition to the party without needing to fit in with any one
theme. Be sure to have plenty of pop and bottled water on hand though because
crime solving is thirsty work.
In real life it is best to leave the jobs of solving crimes
up to the men and women who were trained to do so. In the world of birthday
parties however, crime solving and crime scene investigating reign supreme as
the next great thing in birthday party ideas.
