The games are a foot

So my husband's work always does this elaborately themed summer company picnic.  This year the theme was Sherlock Holmes and my children all got mini messenger bags filled with bizarre hats, mustaches, side burns (yes, I said sideburns) and a magnifying glass and so on.  I couldn't help but turn this into a MYSTERY SINGING TIME.  It's just too cute.  This stuff all came from Oriental Trading if any of you are interested in actually ordering...or perhaps you have a pipe and some mustaches laying around.  Of course you do.  HA HA.  But maybe in our eclectic dress up box (doesn't everyone have one) you may have something that would work as a detective or perhaps the party store would have something cheap to make up a cute disguise!???

This can be used a few different ways.  Like with the game of Hot and Cold, you pick someone to hide an envelope.  And then someone is Sherlock.  And Sherlock has to get dressed up to find it, singing hot and cold, Sherlock looks for the envelope.  When he finds it, he opens it up and it either leads to another clue or it can have a song inside that you have to sing. 

OR

You can create a mystery and in order to obtain each clue, they have to solve the song puzzle and sing it.  At the end of the hunt, they find something desirous...like a gum ball for each child or a Smarty or sucker.  I will leave the PRIZE up to you.

The clues to the songs will have to do with program songs.  EX:

This song has 3 verses, it was written by Naomi Randall.  It's our primary favorite program song.  It talks about our Heavenly Father.  It tells us how to get home to our Heavenly Father.  What song is it?  (finders clue- look under the on the side of the piano)

I AM A CHILD OF GOD -

This song has 3 verses.  It is about our Savior.  It tells us to be aware of what we are doing as if our Savoir was near us at all times.  It reminds us to be a good example and missionary.  What song is it?  (finders clue- look behind the pulpit)

IF THE SAVIOR STOOD BESIDE ME

Trees, birds, butterflies, flowers.  This song talks about nature and all of Heavenly Father's creations.  It's talks about the world we live in and how it is a gift from our Heavenly Father.  What song is it? 
(finder's clue - look behind under the 'scripture' chair.

And so on...you make up clues for all the program songs you want to review. You can make the clues as hard or simple as you want.  And you can call out one clue at a time so that it prolongs the MYSTERY.

MY HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES ME


Print these clues on slips on paper and have the first out to start and the subsequent one in their hiding spots as they lead to the final destination. 

OR

You could have envelopes filled with one puzzle piece at a time, and each piece has a song on the back, you can assemble the pieces one by one as you find them and see what the picture is at the end.  You can either make the puzzle up or use a simple child's puzzle with 5-10 pieces!

The funny part of any of these options will be of course getting the kids dressed up and having them look like Sherlock.  There were also mustaches on sticks which were pretty funny...those could be used as well.  And if you have a cape or anything would be fun.  Someone could play "Watson"...there is just a lot of possibilities with this.