Red String (Inside the Kit)

Laser Training!!

Before you get started, create a backstory for the adventure and get input from your children. What kinds of spies are they? What are their spy code names? Is the treasure in a secure building, on a heavily guarded island or somewhere else?

You Will Need

•Red string (inside the kit)

•Bell (inside the kit)

•Start and end point

•Treasure: a basket or box and objects to put in it

•Pen and paper (optional)

•Costumes (optional)

•Miscellaneous props and obstacles (optional)

Preparation Time

10 minutes

Activity Time

10-40 minutes

Location

#1: Select Your Course

Take a walk around your home with your children and scope out the best place for the mission. You want to find somewhere narrow enough to place your string across. A hallway, for example, is perfect.

#2: Plant Treasure at Your End Point

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to retrieve the treasure at the end of the maze and return it to its rightful place at the start point. Simple, right?

So, take a treasure box or basket and fill it with objects such as small toys or costume jewelry. Bonus points for matching the treasure to the storyline you created. Now, place it at your maze’s end point.

The more awkward the treasure’s location, the more challenging the mission will be.

Remember, your children will need to weave through the maze without touching the string in order to collect the treasure without getting zapped! Keep that in mind when you place your treasure box.

#3: Construct Your Maze

Zigzag your string at varying heights down the hall or from anchor point to anchor point until you are happy with your string maze.

You don’t need to use tape to stick the string to the wall. You can wind the string around anything: doorknobs, boxes, furniture, large toys and other items heavy enough to use as anchors.

Add bells to the laser string so that even the slightest touch will set off the alarm

NOTE: Don’t use anything that may topple over and break. Remember, the object is to get through the maze without touching the string. However, you don’t want to cause injury—or a huge mess—if the spy happens to trigger the laser string.

#4: Complete the Mission

Now, send your agents off on their mission!

From the start point, your children need to twist, turn, climb and crawl their way through the maze. Once they get to the treasure, they need to bring it back with them through the maze.

Remind them: “Whatever you do, DON’T TOUCH THE LASER STRING!”

Retrieve the treasures one at a time or all together, whatever you decide as a group.

Secret agents are notoriously competitive. Try having youragents race against the clock or write down and compare times for each active agent. Don’t forget to record a video.

Parents, you can try it too! You know you want to go through the string maze.

#5: Make it Extra Fun

If your children think weaving through the string maze is a snap, here are some variations that might add challenge and intrigue to the mission:

•Change the course.

•Decorate the string or hallway with toy creepy crawlies or ferocious animals to add to the danger.

•Introduce other obstacles to avoid like boxes or cushions.

•Plant more or different-sized treasures within the maze and attempt to retrieve them en route.

•Try moving through the maze with both hands clasped together in front of you, but only if you can do it safely.