Mystery games are a fantastic way to develop deductive reasoning and problem-solving skills while encouraging cooperation, organization abilities, and communication skills.
This collection of thrilling murder mysteries, escape room challenges, and popular board games are sure to become a welcome addition to any family game night!
1. Detective Mystery Party Game
This mystery-style game is not based on murder but on the premise of a thief that has gotten a hold of party goods. Kids are sure to have plenty of fun figuring out the real culprit among the five suspects.
Age Group: Elementary, Middle School
Learn more: Queen of Theme Party Games
2. Find The Secret Message Printable Puzzle Game
This printable puzzle game challenges kids to unscramble a sentence and write it in the correct order in order to claim their hidden prize.
Age Group: Elementary
Learn more: Blimey Box
3. Interactive Mystery Series
This series of printable interactive mysteries guide kids on a clue hunt around the house. Each kit includes coloring pages, activities, and games to keep players entertained while developing critical reasoning skills.
Age Group: Elementary, Middle School
Learn more: Tiny Mysteries, Inc.
4. Detective Theme Topper
This illustrated detective mystery game contains ten clues that players must solve to nab the true culprit. It includes colorful item cards featuring suspect files, certificates, and even a detective notebook.
Age Group: Elementary, Middle School
Learn more: Printable Adventure Games
5. Cooperative Whodunit Game
This exciting mystery game combines decisive reasoning and visual perception skills to solve the detective fingerprint puzzle.
Age Group: Elementary, Middle School
Learn more: Growing Play
6. Fun Detective Game
Kids love pretending to be a real-life Sherlock Holmes while spying on people and completing top-secret missions. This difficult challenge is sure to put their budding critical reasoning skills to the test!
Age Group: Elementary, Middle School
Learn more: Growing Play
7. Classic Murder Mystery Board Game
No list of mystery games would be complete without Clue, the original murder mystery board game which has been a family favorite for decades. Featuring six game markers, various weapons, and challenge cards, it's the perfect game for older students to develop deductive reasoning skills.
Age Group: Elementary, Middle School, Highschool
Learn more: Ultra Board Games
8. Mystery Games for Rainy Days
This mystery rainy day activity features secret messages, fingerprint analysis, logic puzzles, and a fun invisible message for players to decipher.
Age Group: Elementary
Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers
9. Mystery at the Lux Museum
Kids are sure to love solving the clues for this escape room-inspired, mystery game, Mystery at the Lux Museum. Featuring a full-color game board, difficult challenges, and a series of secret messages, it also makes an excellent birthday party game idea.
Age Group: Elementary, Middle School
Learn more: Board Game Geek
10. Who Murdered the Ginger Bread Man?
This fun game features a series of clues, detailed character descriptions, and a detective checklist. It's sure to become a favorite addition to family game nights.
Age Group: Elementary
Learn more: Drama Notebook
11. Educational Escape Room Game
This escape game challenges kids to solve math problems to eliminate suspects and identify the real culprit. It's a fun game that's sure to keep kids engaged for hours.
Age Group: Elementary
Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers
12. Cat Crimes Logic Game for Kids
This award-winning co-operative mystery game challenges kids to solve increasingly tougher puzzles, making it a wonderful way to develop logical deduction and critical thinking skills.
Age Group: Elementary, Middle School
Learn more: Amazon
13. Make Your Own Escape Room Game for Parties
This DIY Escape Room guide shows you how to create your own set of challenging logic puzzles.
Age Group: Elementary, Middle School
Learn more: Learning Hypothesis
14. Play Scotland Yard
This classic mystery game for 3-6 people challenges players to track down Mr. X as he moves around the city of London.
Age Group: Elementary, Middle School
Learn more: Amazon
15. Top Secret Spy Mission
In this fun spy game, kids are tasked with solving ten clues to reclaim their stolen candy from a group of thieves.
Age Group: Elementary, Middle School
Learn more: Funtastic Idea
16. Ancient Egypt-Themed Mystery Game
This hands-on CSI-style game challenges kids to examine archeological and modern-day DNA evidence to solve the enduring mystery of King Tut's death.
Age Group: Elementary, Middle School, Highschool
Learn more: 123 Homeschool 4 Me
17. Easter Egg Math Mystery Pictures
This creative take on mystery pictures is a great way to get young learners familiar with a hundreds chart while practicing number recognition.
Age Group: Preschool, Elementary
Learn more: Inspirational Laboratories
18. Spy School Activities
Kids are sure to love completing their training missions and earning their spy badges in this DIY Secret Spy school that can be run out of the comfort of your home.
Age Group: Elementary
Learn more: Coffee Cups and Crayons
19. Plan A Classroom Crime Scene
This crime scene classroom setup idea is an exciting way to teach students inferencing skills, which will also strengthen their reading comprehension abilities.
Age Group: Elementary
Learn more: Poet Prints
20. Throw a Spy Party
This series of seven inventive missions including lock boxes, invisible ink, and a homemade laser maze is sure to keep kids engrossed for hours.
Age Group: Elementary
Learn more: Exploring Domesticity
20 Fun Ratio and Proportion Activities for Middle School