Mystery Detective Activity Pack

Ready for a real OSHC session

Preview all 11 printable pages

Download 11-page practical printableCheck the preview, printing notes and licence before use.

When this resource is useful

The pack supplies a fictional case, three consistent clues, a decoder, evidence spaces, hints and a checking guide. Teams solve it at a table, then create another case.

What children do

Solve an invented missing-trophy case using the printed map, shape pattern, symbol code and two statements. No real people or belongings are investigated.

Materials and preparation

Materials: A4 or Letter paper, pencils and optional envelopes. Adults may cut the cards in advance. All clues and locations are printed; no real trophy, room search, device or personal information is needed.

Allow about 15 minutes to print and place the resource. The activity itself usually takes 120 minutes and can pause when the group needs to transition.

Run the activity

Use the page 3 map with pages 4–5 clues. Pages 6–7 separate pictured facts from inferences. Offer page 8 hints; hold page 9 answers until checking. Page 10 supports a new case; page 11 gives preparation and a 120-minute example.

The child-facing prompts are:

• CASE: an invented cardboard trophy has moved
• MAP: three fictional locations with shape labels
• CLUE 1: continue a repeating shape pattern
• CLUE 2: decode a four-symbol message
• CLUE 3: compare two true statements
• EVIDENCE: separate printed facts from inferences
• SOLUTION: explain your location using two clues
• NEW CASE: make and check two matching clues

Adapt participation

Simpler way to join: Use the map and two statements together at one table; point to the remaining location. An adult may read.

More challenge: Create two different clues leading to one answer, exchange cases, and revise any clue that permits another answer.

Children may draw, dictate, point, work beside a peer, observe or join later. Use the printed fictional locations only. Reading, pointing, drawing, dictating and checking roles can be shared.

Extend the idea

1. Write a second fictional case.
2. Design a clue-checking guide for another team.

Safety and privacy

This is an invented missing-object puzzle, not an investigation of real people. Keep clues at an agreed visible table. Never search people, bags, devices, private spaces or real belongings; no photography, secret recording or accusations. No child names or private experiences are needed.

Learning opportunities

Look for program participation, planning, collaboration and reflection. Record what children choose, explain, test or revise rather than treating completion as proof of learning.

Answer key

The cardboard trophy is at the book corner. The next pattern shape is a triangle, which labels the book corner on the map. The four-symbol code reads BOOK. The two statements exclude the craft table and game corner. Each clue reaches the same location; no real person is a suspect.

Printing notes

Choose the A4 or Letter edition and print at actual size. Page 1 is the case planner, page 2 is educator guidance, pages 3–10 supply activity materials, and page 11 gives preparation and a timed example. Individual page PDFs are A4; for Letter, select pages from the full Letter pack. The PDFs contain page images; the written web instructions can be selected or read with assistive technology.

Complete pack and individual pages

• Complete 11-page Letter pack
• Two-page case overview and educator answers
• Eight-page team edition, A4
• Eight-page team edition, Letter

The team edition includes original pages 1, 3–8 and 10. Pages 2 and 9 contain answers; keep them with the educator until checking.

• Page 1: Case planner
• Page 2: Educator guide and reference card
• Page 3: Fictional location map
• Page 4: Three evidence cards
• Page 5: Symbol code and decoder
• Page 6: Look closely: display scene
• Page 7: Evidence and inference record
• Page 8: Hints and team roles
• Page 9: Solution and educator checking guide
• Page 10: Create a second fictional case
• Page 11: Preparation and 120-minute session

Prepare and run the activities

Allow about 15 minutes. Print the team edition or pages 1 and 3–8 for teams. Keep pages 2 and 9 with the educator because both contain answers. Add page 10 for a second case. Keep all clues visible beside the map at a table. Page 11 gives a 120-minute example with case-making; a shorter session can finish after the first solution.

Use the clues: Use the three locations on the printed map only. Match the next pattern shape to its map label. Decode BOOK and compare it with the two statements. No walking search is needed.

Team roles and hints: Children may share reading, pointing, recording, checking and materials roles. Offer one page 8 hint at a time. A team may work beside an adult, observe, draw or pass. The educator guide supplies all answers.

A 120-minute example

• 10 minutes · Open the fictional case: Read the boundary and case planner; choose roles.
• 10 minutes · Read the map: Name the three invented locations and symbols on page 3.
• 15 minutes · Follow the pattern: Use clue 1 and match the next shape to the map.
• 15 minutes · Decode the message: Use page 5; read the code from left to right.
• 10 minutes · Compare statements: Use clue 3 to rule out two fictional locations.
• 15 minutes · Look and record: Use pages 6 and 7; keep pictured facts separate from guesses.
• 10 minutes · Check the solution: Explain two clues; use page 9 to compare.
• 25 minutes · Create a new case: Use page 10 to write and exchange a consistent fictional case.
• 10 minutes · Reflect and reset: Discuss which clue helped and return all cards.

Keep the quiet option open throughout. The times are a planning example, not an attendance requirement or staffing determination. Use your service's procedures and adapt the session to the group.

Clue checking reference:

The cardboard trophy is at the book corner. The next pattern shape is a triangle, which labels the book corner on the map. The four-symbol code reads BOOK. The two statements exclude the craft table and game corner. Each clue reaches the same location; no real person is a suspect.