Make a Spy Kit

Pretending to be spies is a classic make believe activity that has been capturing kids’ minds for generations. You don’t necessarily need anything but your imagination to play, but assembling a spy kit to use on your top-secret missions can add a whole new level of excitement to the game. If you’re an adult, a pretend spy kit can make a great gift for an imaginative kid, or provide a way to fill a couple hours with creative fun.

Steps

Assembling Readymade Objects

1. Find a container. You need somewhere to store all your cool spy gadgets. Anything that flips open like a briefcase (a lunchbox, a pencil box, an old typewriter case, etc.) will feel extra official and sleuthy.
   • There’s also a lot to be said for a spy kit you can have you on at all times and still be able to use both hands, so backpacks and fanny packs are good options too.
   • Thrift stores are great places to look for spy bags.
2. Make sure you can see what you’re doing. A good spy can’t be hampered by bad visibility. You’ll need to bring tools to help make sure you don’t miss any important details.
   • A flashlight for snooping into dark corners
   • A pair of binoculars for scoping things out at a distance
   • A magnifying glass for getting a close look at top secret materials
3. Be prepared to take notes. Spies need to be able to pass secret coded messages and record their discoveries. No spy kit is complete without a good pen and a notebook.
4. Stay in touch with your fellow spies. You never know when you’ll need to call for backup, or let the spymaster know about some urgent new information. Make sure your spy kit includes at least one communication device.
   • A walkie talkie
   • An old, unused cell phone
   • A digital watch with a big timepiece that can be spoken into like a communicator
5. Equip yourself to check for prints. You need to find out what the person you’re spying on has been up to, and dusting for fingerprints is a great way to do it. Put together a make-believe fingerprinting kit with a few basic household objects.
   • A small container (a baby food bottle, a small sealable plastic food container, or even a ziplock bag) full of flour
   • A clean makeup powder brush
   • A roll of transparent tape (for lifting the prints)

Crafting Your Own Kit

1. Build a briefcase. A spy needs somewhere to keep his or her gadgets. You can make your own briefcase with a shoebox, some duct tape, some string, and (optionally) some paint or construction paper.
   • Tape the lid onto the box along one of the long sides, so that it hinges open and shut without detaching.
   • Make string handles by poking four holes on the other long side (two in the side of the lid, spaced about two or three inches apart, and two in the side of the box itself, spaced identically) and threading a loop of yarn through each.
   • If you’re in a hurry to get out and play, you can leave it as-is and let your imagination do the decorating. If you’ve got a little time, though, you can make it look more official by painting it black, or gluing on black construction paper.
2. Staple together a spy notebook. Every spy needs somewhere to write down top-secret information. Fold a few pieces of paper in half, staple them together, and write “CLUES” or “TOP-SECRET” on the cover.
   • For a pocket sized notebook, start by cutting a few pieces of paper in half, and fold these into booklets instead.
   • Don’t forget to pack a pen to write in your notebook with.
3. Tape together some binoculars. Grab a couple toilet paper rolls and some tape, and whip up a pair of binoculars. You can make these look extra cool by decorating them with crayons or markers, or make them wearable by making a hole in either side and adding a loop of yarn you can hang around your neck.
   • If you’ve got a paper towel roll but no toilet paper rolls, you can cut it in half and do the same thing, or use it as a telescope.
4. Make a cell phone. You’ll need to be able to call for backup, or call HQ to let them know if something goes wrong. Cut out a phone-sized rectangle of cardboard, and draw on a screen and keypad with a marker.
5. Whip up a batch of invisible ink. Squeeze some lemon juice into a baby food jar or other small sealable container, and put it in a small bag with a handful of cotton swabs. When you need to write a secret message, dip one of the cotton swabs into the lemon juice and use it as a pen. It will dry clear, but all the recipient will need to do in order to read it is heat it up by ironing it, holding it over a candle, or putting it in the oven for a short time at a low heat.
   • Heating up one of these messages is, of course, not safe for children to do unsupervised. If you are an adult making invisible ink with a child, be sure to emphasize to them that they need to ask a grownup for help with this part of the process. If you are a child playing with invisible ink on your own, remember never to use irons, stoves, or flames without an adult’s help.
6. Be creative. Just about anything you need for a spy kit can be made with pipe cleaners and some cardboard. Spies are constantly incorporating new gadgets into their spy kits. Don’t be afraid to invent new spying technology, or to upgrade the technology you have.

Dressing the Part

1. Conceal your eyes. Cover your face with a cool pair of sunglasses so the enemy doesn’t uncover your true identity. They can be real, or pretend ones made of pipe cleaners.
2. Wear fake facial hair. This is a classic spy move. Throw your enemies off your trail by concealing your face with a fake moustache and/or beard.
   • Buy false moustaches at a dollar store or toy store.
   • Color onto cotton balls with markers, and attach them to your face with double-sided tape.
   • Cut a beard and/or moustache out of construction paper and attach it to your face with tape or string.
   • Draw on facial hair with an eyeliner pencil or makeup kit (with an adult’s permission, of course).
   • If you have long hair, bring it in front of your face and tie it at your chin, so that it covers your face like a beard.
3. Wear a hat. Of course the classic spy hat is a trilby, the iconic narrow-brimmed felt hat worn by James Bond, but any hat with a brim will help cover your face. Besides, a trilby isn’t appropriate for every spying situation. Depending on where you’re spying and whom you’re spying on, you might be better off with a baseball cap, a fedora, or even a cowboy hat. It’s all about blending in, and staying hidden.
4. Dress for your mission. A trench coat is the standard spy uniform. It’s black, which helps you fade into the night, it conceals your entire body from enemy eyes, and it has lots of pockets for your spy gadgets. That said, in some situations a trench coat will make you stick out like a sore thumb, which isn’t ideal for a spy.
   • If you’re going undercover, dress up as the kind of person you’re going undercover as.
   • If you’re sneaking into a high-security vault, skin-tight black clothing is a good idea, especially if you’re worried about tripping any laser-activated traps.
   • If you’re worried about leaving footprints, be sure to bring a pair of gloves.
5. Wear a communicator. You need to be able to contact HQ at a moment’s notice, and you don’t want to worry about your phone falling out of your pocket while you’re sneaking around. Strap a digital watch (preferably one with a big timepiece) to your wrist, and pretend it’s a communication device.

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• Make the Fun Kit

Sources and Citations

See also

• Create a Spy Organization
• Sneak Around at Night
• Make Spy I.D. Cards
• Build Near Infrared Goggles
• Hide
• Find Good Hiding Spots
• Spy
• Be a Spy Kid
• Be an Expert Spy Kid
• Be a Teenage Detective

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