🎂 The Case of the Missing Cake: facilitator kit
Kids 4–8 · 15–25 minutes · Level: Easy · 6 stages
Opening story: The party is ready, the balloons are up, everyone is waiting… but the cake has vanished! Solve the clues to find out where it went.
Setup
- 3 candles or notes: red, blue and yellow
- 7 balloons (2 red, 4 blue, 1 green)
- Printed clue notes
- A cake or a surprise in the fridge
- Print the 6 stage cards and put them in order, or hide each card around the room so every answer leads to the next one.
- Read the opening story to the group and start a timer.
- When the group gets stuck, give one hint from the table, one at a time.
- Stick the first clue on the party table next to the candles.
- For children who can’t read yet, a grown-up reads the clues aloud.
- Put a “You found it!” note inside the fridge so the ending feels like a real discovery.
Answers and hints (facilitator only)
| Stage | Answer / code | Hints |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The clue on the table | yellow | The sun is a warm, bright color. · It’s the same color as a banana. |
| 2. The balloon code | 4 | Count only the blue balloons. |
| 3. Warm-up route · Counting the stars | 4 | Point at each star and say a number out loud. · Start at 1 and keep going to the last star. |
| 4. Warm-up route · The color lock | red | Think of a tomato. What color is it? · 🍅 |
| 5. Warm-up route · Keys in the baskets | 5 | Count all the keys in the picture, one by one. · Start at 2 and count on 3 more. |
| 6. The kitchen door | fridge | It’s the place that keeps food cold. |
Read at the end: You did it! The cake was in Capy’s fridge with a note: “I just didn’t want it to melt.”