How to Make Homemade Spy Stuff

Homemade spy stuff can be used to pass messages to each other.

Homemade spy stuff can add a great touch to a birthday party or give kids something to do over summer vacation. Spies keep their communications secret through the use of code and other techniques. Learn how to make create coded secret messages with things you already have at home. You can also create a hiding place for important messages and use a ballpoint pen to hide messages you are passing to a contact. This can be adapted to use in a day camp situation or as part of treasure hunt. The coded messages are just one part of spying.

Things You'll Need

• Lemon juice
• Toothpick or cotton swab
• Candle
• Blow dryer
• Old book
• Exacto knife
• Ballpoint pen

Instructions

Invisible Ink

1. Dip a toothpick or cotton swab into lemon juice, and write a message on a piece of paper. Pure white paper may show the dried lemon juice so choose an off-white or cream-colored paper. Allow the juice to dry, and your message will vanish.

2. Disguise your hidden message by writing a misleading note or drawing a picture on the piece of paper. This will distract other people from finding your original message.

3. Heat the paper with a blow dryer on a warm setting or by holding it over a candle. The lemon juice will darken, and the hidden message will reappear.

Book Safe

1. Find a thick older book you don't mind defacing. You can find a book at a used bookstore or thrift store if you do not have one that you can cut up at home.

2. Open the book about a third of the way. Cut a hole in the pages of the book, hollowing out the center and leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Do not cut through to the back cover of the book; leave at least a half-inch thickness of uncut pages.

3. Hide your secret items in the hole in the book. You can then leave the book on a bookshelf at home to hide important items or use it pass messages.

Ballpoint Pen Message Compartment

1. Write a message on a small strip of paper about a half-inch wide. You can encode the message in case it is intercepted.

2. Disassemble a ballpoint pen, and wrap the message around the ink cartridge in the pen.

3. Reassemble the pen, and use it to pass information to your contact. This is a great way to pass notes in school or on the street.

Tips & Warnings

• Passing a secret message can be done in person or by leaving the message in a designated spot.

• Parents should supervise any children who are applying heat to paper, especially if a candle is used. Be sure to hold the paper several inches above the flame to avoid catching the paper on fire.

References

• Top Spy Secrets: Kids Spy Equipment