Scooby Doo Party Games

Here are a series of party activities that you can string together to form one long mystery game. Completing each activity will reveal a “clue” that takes the participants one step closer to solving the mystery and finding the treasure that the Birthday Zombie has hidden!

When the guests have all arrived, tell them that Scooby-doo and the gang have asked their help in solving the mystery of the missing treasure. An evil ghoul has been terrorizing birthday parties, stealing all the loot bags, and they must find out where the ghoul has hidden the loot. To find the ghoul’s hiding place, they need to follow a series of clues that will lead them there. Ideally, each activity will take place in a different room in the house, but if you don’t have the room or want to keep the party in one room, you can set up each activity in the same space.

Tell the guests that to find the first clue, they will need to do battle with a bunch of ghosts

Ghost busters
To set up this game, you will need between five and 10 white balloons, white crepe paper, a black Sharpie marker, a dart from a dart board set, and a large piece of corkboard or foam board. Write out the clue for the next game and insert it in one of the white balloons. Decorate the balloons with dangling crepe paper and add ghostly eyes and mouths with the Sharpie. Attach each ghost to the foam board or corkboard using a pushpin stuck through the tied end, and attach the board to the wall. When the kids are ready to play, line them up a few feet away from the board. Each child gets at least one chance to throw a dart and bust a ghost. The child who busts the ghost containing the clue wins a prize, and the kids can’t progress to the next game until all the ghosts are “busted.” The clue inside the ghost should read: “If you want the loot to be seen by your eyes, look for the grave where the zombie lies.” This leads the group to the next activity that will reveal the next clue…

Tombstone tip-over
For this game, you will need to construct some tombstones out of cardboard. You can paint them grey and write funny or spooky inscriptions on them. Attach the tombstones to a cardboard base so that they stand upright, and stick an envelope on the underside of every base. In one of the envelopes, put a picture of a zombie, with the clue written on the other side. Stand the tombstones upright at one end of the room or a hallway, and have the kids take turns trying to topple them by throwing Nerf balls or tennis balls at them. Tell them that one of the tombstones contains the zombie, and the child who tips that one over wins a prize. As each child tips over a tombstone, give it to him or her to hold, but don’t let them open the envelopes until all the tombstones are toppled. Then let the kids open the envelopes, and hand a prize to the child who finds the zombie. The clue should read, “The ghoul’s hiding treasure from all you brats. To find where it’s hidden, you’ll need to stomp some bats!” Lead the kids to the next game…

Bat stomp
For this game, you’ll need some black balloons. Insert a piece of paper with the next clue written on it into one of the balloons. Cut bat wings out of construction paper and attach to either side of the balloons with double-sided tape to create floppy-winged bats. You can draw little bat faces on them (pointy ears, beady eyes and sharp teeth) with an opaque white marker). Tie lengths of curling ribbon to each bat balloon. When the kids are ready to play the “bat stomp” game, have them tie a balloon around each ankle. Let them know that there’s a clue hidden in one of the bats, and the person who stomps the balloon with the clue in it wins a prize. When you give the sign, everyone can start trying to stomp everyone else’s balloons. The clue should read, “To find out where I’ve hidden the loot, you’ll need to wrap up in a Mummy suit!” Now the kids can progress to the next game…

Mummy wrap and hop
This is the last game the kids need to play to get final clue. For this game, you’ll need the following supplies: a roll of toilet paper, an apple and a bowl for every two kids at the party. Take one of the apples and tape the last clue to it. Then put an apple in each bowl and place the bowls at the far end of the room. When the kids are ready to play, pair them up and give them a roll of toilet paper. The object of the game is for one child to wrap the other in a roll of toilet paper as fast as they can. When the “Mummy” is completely wrapped from head to toe, he or she needs to hop across the room without breaking their toilet paper wrappings, kneel down in front of the bowl and grab the apple in their teeth. The team that completes the activity first and successfully retrieves the apple before anyone else wins a prize. You can also give a prize to the team that gets the apple with the clue if you like. This final clue should be a rhyme that reveals where the kids can find their “loot.” For instance: “The ghoul thought he was smarter than you, but you’ve outfoxed him, clue by clue. And now this announcement brings me great pleasure: Look [under the kitchen sink/in the hall closet/etc.] to find your treasure!”

The treasure itself can be as simple as a bit of candy or something a little more complex like their Scooby Doo party favors! If you want to add an extra thrill to the game finale, you can have a grown-up dress up like a monster and try to scare the kids away from the hiding place or jump out unexpectedly.