“The Great Oz Escape” DIY Oz Party & Scavenger Hunt Inspired by Wicked

❓ FAQs

Q: Is this suitable for younger kids?
A: Yes! The itinerary includes alternate activity suggestions for different age groups—perfect for preschoolers to tweens.

Q: How long does the party take?
A: The party is designed to fit comfortably within a 2-hour time window.

• For older kids, where you can increase the challenge of the clues and games, expect the full experience to run closer to 1.5 hours.
• For younger kids who move quickly through the activities, the guided portion typically takes about 1 hour, leaving time afterward for free play, extended makeovers, or revisiting favorite games.

Either way, we recommend planning for the full 2 hours to allow for flexibility, bathroom breaks, and time for snacks or cake if desired.

Q: Can I customize the clues?
A: Definitely! You’ll receive editable PDF files and a blank clue template so you can personalize your party based on space or theme tweaks.

Q: Do I need a Cricut machine?
A: No. Everything in this set can be printed and cut by hand, whether using scissors or an x-acto knife. However, a Cricut is preferred for quicker, no-hassle crafting!

Q: Are physical items included?
A: This is a digital download only. You’ll need to print the materials yourself and provide supplies such as:

• Two notebooks to decorate for the Spell Book craft
• Makeup, hair accessories, body gem stickers, and beads for the makeover station
• A stuffed animal to “rescue”
• Cardboard boxes (free from local stores!) to create life-sized props as desired
• Costume for the Wizard

Q: How many adults do I need to run the Oz party?
You’ll need at least two adult participants for a smooth and magical experience:

• The Party Host – This is the main guide who leads the scavenger hunt, helps the kids with makeovers, teaches them the ballroom dance, reads clues aloud, and brings the party to life with energy and fun.
• The Wizard – This is a brief, comical role near the end when the stuffed animal is saved. The Wizard realizes he’s been defeated—either through a surprise appearance or simply stepping into the role at the moment. They can be part of the party the whole time and just play the Wizard during this final scene.

You can absolutely run it solo with some planning (or by not including the Wizard’s finale reaction), but having a second adult adds that extra dash of theatrical fun and helps the magic flow more easily.

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🧒 How to Adjust the Oz Party for Different Age Groups

Younger Kids (Ages 5–7):
The original itinerary is already designed for this age range with simple clues, adult assistance for makeovers and puzzles, and engaging, imaginative storytelling.

Older Kids (Ages 8–10):

• Make clues more challenging:
  • Hide the Elixir Clue across multiple bottles.
  • Cut clues into several pieces and scatter them.
  • Cut the puzzle pieces into smaller sizes and mix them up to make it more difficult to put together.
• Add complexity to games:
  • In the poppy field, put Zzz’s close together and kids who touch a Zzz must try again and leave their clue behind.
  • Practice the dance of friendship multiple times and then perform it together to a song of choice
  • In the bell toss, assign specific orders or patterns to ring bells.
• Let older kids lead more:
  • Encourage small teams to read clues aloud and make decisions together.
  • Add time-based challenges or “missions” between scenes.

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👥 How to Adjust the Party Based on Group Size

Small Groups (3–6 kids):

• Run each game one at a time with full group participation.
• Use just one cage, one stuffed animal, and one boat for the finale.
• Turn each clue into a “shared moment” read aloud together.

Large Groups (7–15+ kids):

• Divide kids into color-coded teams with team names and have them each given clues leading to a different stuffed animal to save.
• Create multiple puzzle sets or scattered clue hunts so groups can rotate through stations.
• Add extra challenges like timed poppy runs or “dance team” duels in the ballroom.
• Have multiple spell books and elixir bottles hidden per team.
• Have one team escape by boat with their stuffed animal and the other escape by broomstick with theirs.

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🏕️ How to Adjust the Party for Summer Camp

Turn this into a 3-day Oz camp adventure! Here’s a suggested breakdown using your original party as the base, with added variety and inspiration:

🌟 DAY 1: Arrival in Oz & Glinda’s Sparkle Zone

• Makeovers at Glinda’s Station: Let kids glam up using face gems, body stickers, hair clips, or necklace beading.
• Create Spell Books: Kids decorate covers and insert printable pages inside.
• First Clue Hunt in the Dorm Room: Elixir bottles hold fragments of the first clue.
• Munchkin Land Visit & Bubble Photo Ops: Set up bubble machines or make bubble wands.
• Craft Time Options: Make poppy flowers or hand sew green Emerald City invitation pouches using felt and yarn.

🧩 DAY 2: Games, Clues & the Emerald Challenge

• Don’t Touch the Zzz’s Relay Game with timed runs and puzzle clues inside.
• Friendship Dance Puzzle Hunt: Hidden puzzle pieces around the grounds or camp room.
• Ballroom Dance Practice: Teach the steps, remix with fun music and include a dance off!
• Emerald City Mailbox Game: Kids decorate invites, drop them into a fancy mailbox, and compete in the Ring-the-Bell Toss game. Kids are in teams and each team must ring the bells in a specific order!
• Craft Time Option: Create and decorate magic broomsticks or decorate the boat for the next day’s big escape.

🗝️ DAY 3: Rescue Mission & Final Escape

• Spell Book Clue Hidden in the Camp Grounds: Let kids find it by solving riddles.
• Flying Stuffed Animal Hunt: Teams search for enchanted flying plushies hanging throughout camp. Each holds a hidden key. To retrieve it, they must first chant the spell together.
• Rescue the Caged Creatures: Use the retrieved keys to unlock multiple cages and save the trapped animals. Each team has its own mission for a certain animal!
• Grand Escape by Boat or Broomstick: Either teams climb into crafted boats with their rescued stuffed animal friend or the teams race with broomsticks, delivering their stuffed animal to safety in a fun relay.
• Defeat the Wizard: Add light theater or skit-style performance.