Team Building Murder Mystery Games - Think Outside The Box
- Number of teams/players
- Length of these teamwork games
- Pre-event prep time needed
- What's included with the activity kit
- Sample timeline
- How are team mystery games are played
- Mystery game themes available for purchase and free script samples to download
Number
of teams/players: Up
to 12 teams of detectives (a minimum 4 to a maximum of 10 per team) plus a team of 6 to
8 suspects (your cast), depending on the script you
choose.
Length
of these teambuilding games: Approximately
2 to 2 ½ hours .
We recommend adding time for a team assessment discussion at the
conclusion
of the mystery.
Pre-event
prep time needed for the teambuilding murder mystery game: You
can prep any of these mystery games in an hour
or two. You’ll need to print
programs and other such 
documents and organize the props and
supplies but
it’s all very
simple to do. We do recommend however that you give your
prime suspects about 2 weeks to get familiar with the script
and to prepare their character. Although you can wing it,
we recommend at least one cast read through of the script prior
to your event. We'd
also recommend that you all watch our little video to
get a "visual". Set
a time to get together, perhaps add some food and drink to the "rehearsal",
and just TALK through the script. Don't have everyone read it
word for word - it won't help anyone really understand what's
happening and it's pretty boring. We've always found that if
you all talk through the action/sequence as your character, it
helps loosen things up, people start finding the humor in their
character and they get a better understanding of the whole picture.
It's informal and relaxed - two things you need to alleviate
some of the actors' nervousness. More
advice and helpful tips.
- Upon arrival, the guests receive a program that will be a guideline for the mystery .
- The primary suspects start to mingle in character, usually during the reception, and begin setting up the mystery with clues, arguments, gossip, that sort of thing.
- Just about the time the first course is served, your teams of detectives witness the murder.
- The suspects then take a short break from any major action so everyone can enjoy their main course and discuss the mystery, finalize their team project and use this opportunity to question the suspects.
- As the main course is being cleared, the teams should present their team project.
- After which, the mystery continues to unfold with more dramatic action and more clues that will lead to the mystery's conclusion.
- The "detective" character then allows the guests to asks the suspects any final questions and has the teams fill out their detective evidence record
- Each team presents their findings via their team speaker.
- The solution is dramatically revealed around the time dessert is served.
- Awards are presented and the mystery concludes.
- You can include a debriefing, team assessment discussion here
Our
murder mystery programs include:
- Friendly, helpful support from the game creator. My many years (since 1988) of hands on experience, expertise and knowledge will help you take the guesswork out of how to build a better team and will save you hours of prep, research and design time.
AND MASTER COPIES OF:
- Detailed Facilitator Guide (includes
additional teambuilding elements to add into the mystery
and the following):
Facilitator step-by-step to do checklist
Facilitator opening speech
Teamwork adaptations to mystery script
Teams in trouble/conflict: what to do Facilitator assessment form for teams
Team assessment questionnaire for follow up and debriefing
Bonus project
- Choice of any of the murder mysteries. Adapted to teambuilding: The participants will be divided into teams (usually each table represents a team) and will receive instructions for solving the case as a team. They’ll be assigned team roles and, to incorporate multitasking, they’ll be asked to complete a project while working together to solve the case. The other teams will judge that presentation. Each team’s speaker will present their findings at the conclusion of the mystery.
- Prime suspect instructions (for mysteries in which the suspects know whodunit)
- Scoring cards: teams will judge other teams' projects
- Team evidence records
- Team roles and rules & teamwork cheat sheet
- Team ID table tents
- Teamwork project
- “Open Now” labels for team project instructions
- The invitation
- The program (you will provide this program to all participants. It will be their guide to the mystery by providing the basic plot of the mystery, the primary suspect list and the "rules" of the game.)
- The clues (paper clues; you may need to provide other items, like a murder weapon)
- Award certificates
- Historical, props and costuming links if this is a period mystery
- Secondary suspect instructions
- Name tags/dinner placecards
Compare
our teambuilding murder mysteries
to our basic murder mysteries.
