Spy Birthday Party Theme

Try these fun ideas for your Spy Birthday Party Theme.  We've listed our favorite ideas for Spy invitations, decorations, games, activities, goody bags, party favors, food and more! 

For some extra help, ideas and fun items for your Spy party see the International Spy Museum Store  www.spymuseumstore.org

Spy Invitation Ideas
There are many fun ways to send out Spy invitations.  The simplest is to buy or make invitations which are black and have TOP SECRET written in red across them.  You could also add some fingerprints (using your fingers, thumbs and some washable paint - use a paint brush and cover the tips of the fingers you are using.  Press onto paper or cards and let dry.)  You can use different colors of paint or simple black paint on white cards or white paint on black cards.
Invisible Ink - write a message to your fellow Spies in invisible ink.  On a seperate piece of paper that will be included in the invitation write out a secret message using a small paint brush and lemon juice.  Instruct the guests that to see the hidden message they need to hold the paper up to a light bulb. 
In your invitations use Spy language such as:
Assignment: Spy Training Camp 
Codeword:  Birthday
Report to Headquarters: insert address
at: insert time of party
on: insert date of party
If you choose to accept this mission then phone (insert your phone number) and give your name and the codeword: BIRTHDAY: to the person who answers the phone.
If you are unable to rendezvous or are on another assignment call the above number and tell them "No can do". 
If you want you can even change your answering machine message to being "HQ". 
Another fun way to create a Spy invitation is to code the party information in a cipher.  You can make an easy cipher by changing the letters of the alphabet into symbols or we found a How to Make a Cipher Wheel on Ehow.  
Or code the party information by printing it backwards then having guests look at it in a mirror to read it.  An easy way to do this is to print the message on white paper then paste it onto the invitation with the printed side down.  Make sure the paper is thin enough and you've used a large bold font and the letters will show through the back of the paper).

Spy Party Decorations
Decorate the Spy party in the colors of black, white and grey with some touches of red.  Make a fun fingerprint tablecloth by putting fingerprints (dip fingertips in non-toxic paint) all over a disposable paper tablecloth or a cheap cloth tablecloth.  Use white paint for black tablecloths and black paint for white tablecloths.  Tie red balloons to binoculars or any spy equipment for centerpieces. 

Spy Party Activities
Mission Possible - Send the spy recruits on a secret mission.  Set up clues that lead to one another around the house, yard or even neighborhood.  Make the clues in cipher form so that the guests have to figure out where to go next.  Set up some spying opportunities that make the recruits have to take photos of certain people - without being seen - before they can move on to the next clue.   Set up the mission so that they will end up finding the birthday cake, piñata or their goody bags. 
Tip:  Make the mission look realistic by placing clues in brown envelopes or manila folders with TOP SECRET written across them. 

Make a cipher wheel
Let all the guests make their own Cipher Wheel that they so they can send secret messages back and forth to each other.  See directions here.

Fingerprints
Let each guest make a set of their own fingerprints (with paint or an ink pad) on white paper.  Then mix up the fingerprints and see if the guests can determine who's fingerprints match who's fingers.

Disguise Buffet
Gather or buy different disguises like hats, wigs, glasses, mustaches, beards, coats, etc. and let the guests disguise themselves.   You can also take pictures of them in their new disguises, have them make up fake names for themselves and then make them a passport to take home and remember the party.  

Spy Party Games

Spy Training Obstacle Course
Make a Spy obstacle course throughout your backyard using things like slides, elevated boards, trampoline, big boxes to crawl through and hula hoops to make the course.  Compete against teams in this game or against the stopwatch.  Add in some target practice with empty 2 liter bottles and high powered water guns.  When they get good at the course make them do it again - walking or running backwards! 

Spy Relay Game
Gather two piles of clothes, hats, large shoes, gloves, glasses etc. where each pile has the same amount of items.  Divide guests into two teams and one by one have them race against each other across the room to where the disguise items are located.  After dressing in the items they must run back to their line, tag the next teammate and then race back to take off their disguise.  When they are done they run back to the line where the next person must repeat the process.  

Food for a Spy Party
A mystery dinner would be a fun idea for a Spy theme party.  Guests are only given vague clues about what they are ordering off the Mystery Menu.  It's a fun game with lots of laughs.  See complete directions here. 

Party Favors
Sunglasses, notepads, pens, fake mustaches, hats, secret gadgets, binoculars

Goody or Loot Bags
Plain paper bags with handles that are stamped with TOP SECRET across the sides.
White or black bags with painted fingerprints.  (You can also do this as a craft during the party)

If you have some great ideas for a Spy Birthday Party share them with us!