The Great Gator Caper at the Oceanside Zoo.

The Great Gator Caper at the Oceanside Zoo. (Ages 6-11, 5-24 Guests.) (Electronic Version). Created by mymysteryparty.com Copyright 2007 mymysteryparty.com All rights reserved. Worldwide copyright laws and conventions protect all mymysteryparty.com printed materials. This document may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written consent from mymysteryparty.com. The buyer has purchased this as a single use game and is hereby entitled to use these materials for one event only in a private setting. The buyer shall purchase Multi-Use licenses from mymysteryparty.com in the event this game is to be utilized for multiple events in any setting (commercial venue, private home, etc.). DISCLAIMER: Because we have no control over the application and production of this game, mymysteryparty.com cannot guarantee results and will not be responsible for any personal injury, death and/or loss to participants. No use of this production other than the stated entertainment use is implied or intended. Such use is the sole responsibility of the user. The subject matter contained here is fiction and is intended purely for entertainment. The names and actions carried out by the characters are not intended to represent or imply the behavior of any person, living or dead. Any likenesses to real persons or events are purely coincidental. TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Characters............2 General Instructions for the Host.........4 How to Play a Mystery Zoo Keeper Instructions...........5 Optional Pre-game Round.........6 Round One.......12 Message from Garry Gator #1.. 13 Scavenger Hunt Round One.....16 Zoo Keeper Investigation Sheets... 18-25 Round Two... 26 Round Three Solution Round..............30 Message from Garry Gator #2...32 Name Tags........ 33-34 Menu Suggestions.........35 Garry Gator Finale Picture..37 Synopsis (This outlines the flow of the party events). An animal loving mystery for 5-24 children ages 6-11 set in modern day times at the Oceanside Zoo. Oh no! Garry Gator the prankster is at it again! He escaped last night and released five animals and hid them somewhere else in the zoo! After the night of mischief, Garry Gator s back in his swampy exhibit fast asleep and refuses to talk. But before he went to bed, he slipped some envelopes under the door of the zoo keeper s office! Unfortunately, we think it s like last time and the envelopes probably contain riddles about the missing animals. We need to hurry and solve Garry Gator s riddles to figure out which animals he hid and where they are hidden in the zoo before the customers arrive or the Mayor will shut down the zoo! Host this party for your child s next birthday or special occasion so they - along with their friends - can have a chance to solve the mysteries behind the 5 hidden animals in the Oceanside Zoo and put an end to Garry Gator s mischievous behavior! This game includes multiple side games including The Create a Gator Challenge, Cleanin the Exhibit Relay, The Zoo Life Charades Challenge and the What animal am I? game. The game s finale is an exciting hunt for Garry Gator! Please note: younger guests may need some adult assistance in reading clues! Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 1

LIST OF ANIMAL LOVERS *The host parent is the Mayor of Oceanside (name tag is provided). CHARACTER NAME & RANK ANDIE MALL Head Zookeeper REQUIRED DR. FUREN FEATHERS Veterinarian REQUIRED CHARACTER DESCRIPTION Andie Mall is the best Head Zookeeper that the Oceanside zoo has ever had. Nobody cares more for the animals than Andie! Andie is a great leader and organizer and nothing usually goes wrong at the Oceanside zoo when Andie s there! Dr. Furen Feathers is the caring staff veterinarian of Oceanside Zoo. The doc loves to sing to the animals to help them feel better when they are sick. Sometimes, Dr. Feathers forgets s/he s speaking to humans and sings instead of speaks! COSTUME SUGGESTIONS A safari type outfit (khaki shirt and pants), a safari hat with a pair of binoculars as an optional prop. Either a white lab coat or a safari-type outfit with a stethoscope GROWLY KING Lion Trainer REQUIRED You ve never met a braver soul than Growley King. This lion trainer lives for the deadly challenge of taking care of the lions at the Oceanside Zoo. Some say this animal lover has actually been accepted as a member of the lion s pride! A safari type outfit (khaki shirt and pants) with a safari hat. A stuffed lion or a plastic steak (lion food) as optional props. ORAN G. TANG Monkey Trainer REQUIRED Stop monkeyin around! Oh never mind, Oran G. Tang that s your job at the Oceanside zoo. This monkey caretaker is as silly as the monkeys! If a prank is pulled around you, you better question Oran s/he probably had something to do with it! A safari type outfit (khaki shirt and pants) with a safari hat. A stuffed monkey or a plastic banana (monkey food) as optional props. ELLO FANTASIA Elephant Trainer REQUIRED The friendly elephant trainer, Ello Fantasia, is definitely one with the elephants. This zoo keeper has trained the elephants to do tricks just like circus animals! If an animal needs to learn a trick, Ello can do it. Rumor has it that Ello was a pet detective before s/he became an elephant trainer. A safari type outfit (khaki shirt and pants) with a safari hat. A stuffed elephant or a bag of peanuts (elephant food) as optional props. PAULY W. CRACKERS Bird Trainer REQUIRED Pauly Crackers is a highly skilled bird trainer and takes care of all of the birds at the Oceanside zoo in the avian exhibit. With years of experience at the City Zoo, this caretaker is a great asset to have around when there s a problem. There s nothing this seasoned animal lover hasn t come across just ask the parrots! A safari type outfit (khaki shirt and pants) with a safari hat. A stuffed parrot sewn on to the left shoulder as an optional prop. Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 2

CHARACTER NAME & RANK CHARACTER DESCRIPTION COSTUME SUGGESTIONS TAUL R. THINU Giraffe Trainer Optional It takes a special kind of person to work with large animals like giraffes. Taul Thinu is that sort of person! This trainer is friendly, super intelligent and most of all, great with animals! A safari type outfit (khaki shirt and pants) with a safari hat. A stuffed giraffe as an optional prop. ALET SLITHER Snake Trainer Optional Alet Slither is the mysterious snake trainer. This caretaker takes care of all of the reptiles at the Oceanside zoo definitely a job that only a few could do! A safari type outfit (khaki shirt and pants) with a safari hat. A stuffed snake as an optional prop. All characters can be played by either a male or a female. There can be up to 3 players invited for each character and they will work as a team. Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 3

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE HOST Thank you for purchasing the The Great Gator Caper at the Oceanside Zoo game from mymysteryparty.com! This mystery is a light-hearted and entertaining mystery that allows the children to step into a different character while trying to solve the 5 entertaining mysteries. The party can be a huge success as long as the guests relax and let the mystery unravel during each round. The party pack (this document) needs to be printed in advance of the party. Cut out the clues and stuff them into envelopes labeled with the appropriate round and character for each round of the party. The Scavenger hunt clues also need to be cut out and put into sealed envelopes (the envelopes are optional). It is optimal to choose different colored envelopes for each round. During the party, your job as the host is to ensure that the appropriate clues are hidden for the scavenger hunt and the envelopes are given to the guests at the appropriate times and most of all make sure that you and your guests are having a blast!! There are a couple of props you will need to collect in advance and plant at certain places and times during the party (see instructions each round for a prop list). Make sure to read the host instructions for each round prior to the party to ensure that you have everything in place for the big day! Therefore, if you do not want to know the solution, do not view the final round of clues. For a complete surprise, you can elect the pre-printed party ready party pack option from the mymysteryparty.com site and we will send you the clues in sealed envelopes ready to go (this is an additional charge). THE ROUNDS ARE DESIGNED AS FOLLOWS: The following is a suggestion on how to host your mystery, but it is only a suggestion, it can be played in any way that you prefer. PRE-GAME: these optional pre-game clues are to be delivered to each guest before the party or give them to the guests as they arrive. All pre-game clues are optional and do not alter the mystery, and are intended to enhance the pre-game build up for the event. These clues are not vital to solving the mystery. ROUND ONE: Deliver these clues as your guests arrive. Serve small snacks. Make sure the Zoo Keeper Instructions and the List of Characters are available for your guests to read when they arrive. You can also take the time to review these materials with your guests before starting the game. ROUND TWO: Deliver these clues while you serve a light dinner to your guests before you release them to investigate. FINAL SOLUTION / ROUND THREE: Cake and hot chocolate should be served during this round as the guests read their final solutions. Hide the picture of Garry Gator (page 37) or a stuffed alligator within your home for the kids to hunt for the finale. Depending on their age will depend on how challenging you should be with the hiding place. For further questions, check out our FAQ web page at www.mymysteryparty.com/frasqu.html If your question is not listed in our FAQ, contact us at the email addresses below. Mystery Questions: mailto:author@mymysteryparty.com Web based Questions: support@mymysteryparty.com Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 4

HOW TO PLAY A MYSTERY GAME Zoo Keeper Instructions ALRIGHT, YOU RE A ZOO KEEPER, NOW WHAT? DON T WORRY. YOU DON T NEED TO BE A PROFESSIONAL ACTOR TO HAVE FUN IN A MYSTERY PARTY. BUT TRY TO REMEMBER TO BE A ZOO KEEPER, VETERINARIAN, OR ANIMAL TRAINER WHATEVER YOUR CHARACTER IS & BE YOUR CHARACTER THROUGHOUT THE PARTY! BUT MOST OF ALL...HAVE AS MUCH FUN AS YOU CAN! WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE PARTY: ROUND THREE: AFTER EVERYONE HAS TURNED IN THEIR ZOO KEEPER INVESTIGATION SHEETS TO THE MAYOR, THE ENVELOPES WILL BE HANDED TO YOU TO START ROUND THREE. WE WILL MAKE A CIRCLE AND ONE BY ONE, WE WILL READ THE SOLUTIONS TO THE 5 MYSTERIES. THERE MIGHT BE A FEW ZOO GAMES IN THE MIX OF THESE ROUNDS AS I KNOW THAT ZOO KEEPERS NEED SOME FUN TIME TOO WE CAN T HAVE ALL WORK AND NO PLAY! SO, SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE MYSTERY FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND HAVE A ZOO-WORTHY GOOD TIME! Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 5

OPTIONAL PRE-GAME ROUND Host Instructions: Feel free to use the free party invitations on the mymysteryparty.com website. They can be found on the game page where you purchased this game just scroll down to the bottom and click on the link to the party invitations. The invitations can be printed and sent to your guests via snail mail, you can hand them out in person. This optional pre-game round is to be implemented approximately one week before the party. Please note that this round is to generate pre-game excitement and is not necessary to solve the mystery. The ways to deliver these clues are as follows: PRE GAME CLUES: Give these to the party guests ~1 week in advance of the party or put into sealed envelopes labeled with the appropriate character and round (pre-game) and immediately handed to the party guests as they arrive at the party. Hello zoo employees! I have some horrible news. Garry Gator was busy last night! He escaped again and has released 5 animals from their exhibits and has hidden them in secret locations. He slipped a message to the Mayor of Oceanside and some sealed envelopes with our names on them under my office door last night. I need you all to come to my office at the Oceanside Zoo and let s hurry up and investigate! The Mayor told me that if any customers arrive to the zoo before we put the missing animals back into the exhibits where they belong, she ll have to shut down the zoo! Oh no! See you soon! ANDIE MALL HEAD ZOO KEEPER Each guest will have one of these in the purchased game www.mymysteryparty.com Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 6

ROUND ONE Thanks for coming so quickly to my office at the Oceanside Zoo! Host Instructions: As the guests arrive, put on their name tags (page 33-34) with scotch tape and serve a light snack. When all the guests have arrived, read the Zoo Keeper Instructions to them (page 5). At this time, the Create a Gator Challenge can be played (see below). Again: the round two clues should be placed in the final scavenger hunt hiding place as finding this last scavenger hunt clue ends round one and begins round two. At the conclusion of the round, before the round two envelopes are opened, the optional game Cleanin the exhibit (page 16) can be played. PROP LIST: THESE ARE PROPS / ITEMS NEEDED FOR THIS ROUND. COLLECT THESE ITEMS IN ADVANCE AND HAVE THEM READY. The round one clues in sealed envelopes and labeled with each characters (or teams ) name (and round two clues). The message from Garry Gator (below). The scavenger hunt clues - cut out and put into sealed envelopes (envelopes are optional since they re hidden anyway). If the Create a Gator Challenge is played, the materials for the game are required (page 13). If the Cleanin the exhibit relay challenge is played, you will need the materials for this game (page 16). The zoo investigation sheets for each zoo keeper (page 18+). MESSAGE #1 FROM GARRY GATOR TO THE MAYOR CUT OUT AND READ TO THE GUESTS TO START THE PARTY WITH THE ROUND ONE ENVELOPES: MESSAGES FROM GARRY GATOR IN THE PURCHASED GAME Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 7

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY AT THE BEGINNING OF ROUND ONE: The Create a Gator Challenge ROUND ONE ROUND CLUES Cut out these clues and stuff them into envelopes that are labeled with the appropriate character s name and the appropriate round. Handing out these envelopes begins round one. TAUL R. THINU ROUND 1 Solving riddles can be stressful, why don t you tell a joke to your co-workers: What kind of animal goes OOM? A cow walking backwards! Your mystery is number 1. Your first clue is: You can find my wild brothers and sisters in savannas, grasslands, dense bush, and woodlands. Each guest will have one of these in the purchased game Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 8

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY AT THE CONCLUSION OF ROUND ONE: Cleanin the exhibit relay SCAVENGER HUNT CLUES Cut them out and place in sealed envelopes (optional). Hand the first clue to the Head zoo keeper to start the game and - BEFORE THE PARTY - hide the rest of the clues via the directions on each clue. Hide all of the round two envelopes with the last clue in the chain on the front walkway. Instruct the guests to work together to find the clues. IN THE PURCHASED GAME Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 9

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ZOO KEEPER INVESTIGATION SHEET ANIMAL LOVER NAME - PAULY W. CRACKERS MYSTERY # NOTES FROM THE RIDDLES WHAT TYPE OF ANIMAL IS IT? WHERE IS IT HIDDEN IN THE ZOO? 1 2 3 4 5 Each guest will have one of these in the purchased game Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 11

ROUND TWO Host Instructions: At the conclusion of the scavenger hunt in round one, the guests were handed the round two envelopes. Allow the guests time to read the clues and write them down on their zoo keeper investigation sheets and talk about them with each other before moving on to this round you don t want to information overload them! You can serve a light dinner at this time. When everyone has filled out their zoo keeper investigations sheets with their best guesses of which animals were hidden and their secret locations the guests hand them into the Mayor (host). At this time, the optional What animal am I? game can be played. PROP LIST: THESE ARE PROPS NEEDED FOR THIS ROUND. COLLECT THESE ITEMS IN ADVANCE AND HAVE THEM READY. The clues for round two in sealed and labeled envelopes. If the What animal am I? game is played, the cut out squares with tape affixed to the back of them are needed (page 29). ROUND TWO CLUES - cutout and stuff into labeled envelopes, Seal the envelopes and handing them to your guests begins round two. Each guest will have one of these in the purchased game FUREN FEATHERS ROUND 2 Your mystery is Number 2 Your next clue is: Find me and my long black hair, but my face, ears, and digits are bare. I m scared of my new habitat get me out before my legless cage mates eat another rat! Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 12

ROUND TWO OPTIONAL ACTIVITY To be played at the conclusion of round two. What animal am I? FULL INSTRUCTIONS AND GAME PIECES IN THE PURCHASED GAME ROUND THREE SOLUTION ROUND Host Instructions: Serve dessert and hot chocolate and ask the zoo keepers to sit in a circle. Hand them their round 3 envelopes. Ask the optional players (i.e. Alet Slither, Pauly Crackers, Taul Thinu - if they are playing) to read their clues first (they were optional players so they don t have solutions to the mysteries on their cards, but they still have an animal joke to tell the group.) PROP LIST: THESE ARE PROPS NEEDED FOR THIS ROUND. COLLECT THESE ITEMS IN ADVANCE AND HAVE THEM READY. The round three solution cards put into sealed and labeled envelopes. The message #2 from Garry Gator (page 32). If the charades challenge is played, you will need to write the charades topics on strips of paper and fold them. Put them into any container you would like for the guests to draw them from. You will also need the printed Garry Gator (page 37) (or a stuffed alligator) for the finale hunt. Garry Gator will need to be hidden in the home before the message #2 from Garry Gator is read to the group. Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 13

ROUND THREE SOLUTION CARDS Cut these out and put them into envelopes labeled with the appropriate character name. Seal the envelopes. Handing out these envelopes signify the beginning of the final solution round. GROWLY KING ROUND 3 It s been a hard day, let s hear another joke: What day are fish scared of? Fry-day. The answer to mystery 3 is: Tommy the tarantula is hidden in the gorilla exhibit. Each guest will have one of these in the purchased game ***Make sure to hide Garry Gator (page 37) somewhere in your home before you read the second message him to the group! ***You can hide the picture of him given in this game pack or you can hide a stuffed alligator. Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 14

ROUND THREE - OPTIONAL ACTIVITY THE ZOO LIFE CHARADE CHALLENGE NAMETAGS If you have expanded this game to multiple players - print off as many name tags as you will have guests. GROWLY KING played by: ALET SLITHER played by: Each guest will have one of these in the purchased game MENU SUGGESTIONS IN Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 15

Cut out and hide for the finale to the game. You can also choose to hide a stuffed alligator and can allow the winner to take it home as a prize! FINALE CUT OUT OF GARRY GATOR IN THE PURCHASED GAME Copyright mymysteryparty.com Page 16