How to Be a Child Detective

Solving mysteries as a junior detective can be a whole lot of fun. Find a pint-sized mystery with something like lost property or a missing pet. Then arm yourself with great sleuthing gear and buff up your detecting skills. Once this is all done, you're on your way to having some fun finding the answers and maybe even solving the mystery.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Gathering Detective Gear

Your detective kit is where you’ll keep all your sleuthing supplies! A good detective keeps their kit with them all the time in case of emergency. You can use a bag, a briefcase, or even just a box--anything you want can be a detective kit.^{[1]XResearch source}
You'll need to show your badge when you're conducting official business. You can make a detective badge out of paper or cardboard. It should have your name and the name of your detective agency on it.
3
Get a detective notebook. Detectives get a lot of clues and ideas, so you'll need a notebook to write them down. You can use any notebook you want, but don't label it! It’s important that people don’t know it’s your detective notebook--you don't want suspects stealing it and looking at your secret evidence!^{[2]XResearch source}
- You’ll also need a pen or pencil to write with.
A big part of detective work is gathering fingerprints. You’ll need a few things to have a really good fingerprinting kit. Get flour or baby powder, a paintbrush, and some clear tape to collect prints.
5
Gather supplies for an evidence-collecting kit. You may need to collect evidence that is fragile or hard to see. It’s important to have supplies on hand that will let you find evidence no matter what! Start by getting a few plastic baggies to hold your evidence.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Gloves will protect you from getting fingerprints on the evidence.
- A tape measure will help you measure the length of hairs or footprints you find.
- Tweezers can be used to pick up tiny pieces of evidence, like hair or an earring.
- A magnifying glass can help you see even the tiniest evidence, like dust or dirt. If you don’t have a magnifying glass, don’t worry--you can still be a detective without it.
- Keep some chalk on hand to outline evidence you find.
- Flashlights are essential for nighttime work!
If there are other detectives in your agency, get some walkie-talkies so you can communicate quickly when you're on the case! It's okay if you can't get them, but it will make detective work a lot more fun.
Dark clothes are often best, allowing you to slip around unnoticed. Focus more on blending in than hiding. Dressing like the locals is always a good approach. For example, if you're going to solve mysteries at a dance, wear dance clothes, or if you're sleuthing at the beach, wear a bathing suit.^{[4]XResearch source}
Every good detective has a few disguises they use over and over again. Choose two or three to be your regular disguises. They should all be different from each other. For example, try having a football player disguise, a grandma disguise, and an artist disguise.^{[5]XResearch source}
You can be a detective by yourself, but it might be more fun if you had someone working with you--making jokes, helping you collect evidence, and representing the agency if you can't be there. Your sidekick can be a sibling, a friend, or even your dog!^{[6]XResearch source}
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Finding a Mystery

1
Advertise your detective agency. If people don’t know you’re a detective, they won’t know to come to you to solve mysteries! Put up a sign on the refrigerator or on your door advertising your detective agency. You can even make little business cards. Your ads should have your name, the name of your detective agency, a list of the kinds of mysteries you solve, and a way to get in touch with you.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Be sure to ask your parents before putting up signs outside your house.
2
Ask if anything mysterious has happened lately. Show people your detective badge and explain that you’re on the hunt for a mystery. Ask them if they know of anything unusual that’s happened lately.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Try saying "I'm Detective Keisha Tucker with Keisha's Detective Agency. We've been hearing a lot of stories about strange things happening, like weird noises and things going missing. Have you seen anything weird lately?"
A good detective inspects their turf daily to make sure nothing has gone missing. Check your house and neighborhood for any missing items or pets. The best way to do it is to start in your own bedroom, then work your way out.
Part of being a good detective is noticing when other people are acting strangely. Spend some time sneaking around so nobody notices you. If they don’t know you’re there, they might do something suspicious.^{[9]XResearch source}
5
Write down a description of any suspicious people you see. If you see anybody sneaking around, acting strange, or acting like they're hiding something, write down a description of them in your detective notebook. It might come in handy later.
- Try writing something like "Strange boy spotted on the sidewalk in front of the house. He's wearing a yellow baseball cap and blue overalls."
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Solving Your Mystery

Check out the scene of your mystery to get a good idea of what happened. Look closely at every detail. It often helps to draw a map of the crime scene in your notebook, or to mark the scene with chalk or caution tape.^{[10]XResearch source}
2
Look for clues. Check the crime scene for clues that could lead to solving the mystery. Things like trash, a loose hair, or footprints could be clues to the identity of the perpetrator. Pick up each clue carefully while wearing gloves, and put them in your evidence bags.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Clues can be things like footprints, garbage, or leftover food--anything that shows that someone was at the crime scene! Use your tweezers to pick up any tiny clues. If you see footprints or something else you can't pick up, draw an outline around it with your chalk to make sure others keep away. Then, draw a picture of it in your detective notebook.
Fingerprints can be an essential clue to solving a mystery. To check a scene for fingerprints, sprinkle a little bit of baby powder or flour on the surface, then use a paintbrush to sweep off the extra dust. Take a piece of clear tape and press it onto any fingerprints you see. Then, you can keep the tape in your notebook.^{[12]XResearch source}
Did you see anyone at the crime scene? Has anyone been acting suspiciously around you, or asking odd questions? Do you know anybody who might have a motive for committing the crime? Ask yourself these questions, and come up with a suspect list.^{[13]XResearch source}
A mystery is a great time to put on one of your disguises! Choose a disguise and spend some time spying on your suspects. It’s okay if they see you, but they can’t find out you’re a detective, so make sure you give them a fake name.
6
Interview people who might know the answer. Start talking to people who know the suspect or might have seen something suspicious at the scene of the crime. For interviews, you should tell them you’re a detective and show them your badge.^{[14]XResearch source}
- Ask them questions like “Did you see Mr. Smith in the kitchen when the cake went missing?” or “When was the last time you saw Sparky before he disappeared?”
7
List out all your clues and solve the mystery. Put all your clues together and think about whether or not they point to a particular suspect. Solving a mystery takes time and practice, so don’t worry if the answer doesn’t come up right away!^{[15]XResearch source}
- Don’t be afraid to visit the crime scene again or talk to someone you already interviewed. Sometimes new information comes up that you missed before.
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Community Q&A

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Question
Is it okay to be completely incognito, and never tell anyone about my spy or detective career?
Community Answer
Yes, if you want to. Remember that you can tell people you trust. You might get help from some people. Also, your friends might be upset that you did not tell them. Try to have excuses and a story to back it up.
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What if I can't solve the case?
Community Answer
If you can't solve the case, then go back to the start. Perhaps you missed something. If you still can't solve the case, try to get help from a friend or leave it alone for a few days. It might also be one of those mysterious cases that is never solved.
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Question
What can I do if I don't have a magnifying glass?
Community Answer
Buy a magnifying glass at a toy store or get binoculars instead. They usually don't cost a lot. Or, it's okay if don't have everything -- you don't need everything to be a child detective.
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Tips

If it has been a very long time since you have picked up a clue, try looking at the clues you already have. They may lead to another clue.
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If you’re caught, stay completely calm, and your suspect will forget about what you were doing.
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Warnings

Make sure your parents know when you leave the house and where you plan to be, and when you plan to be back.
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Don’t get involved in anything dangerous!
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