SpyKids Mission Training

The experience begins exactly as a clandestine operation would: with a covert contact and an exchange of oral paroles. Participants are told that their contact will be wearing a baseball cap and carrying a magazine in their right hand. The contact will approach and ask, "Do you know if there is a post office near here?" The correct response is, "I believe there is, but it is closed for construction." If someone approaches without the proper challenge and response, participants are instructed not to engage. From the very first moments, SpyKids are drawn into the mindset of an intelligence officer.

After successfully making contact, each SpyKid selects a code name and begins learning the fascinating true stories of spies, diplomats, intelligence officers, and traitors who once operated in Georgetown and Washington, D.C. As they navigate the historic streets, participants discover how intelligence officers secretly communicate, how covert meetings are arranged, and what motivates ordinary people to commit extraordinary acts of espionage. Along the way, they will also learn the surprising role a fruit company—and bananas—played in helping to overthrow a foreign government, demonstrating how intelligence operations can influence world events.

The adventure then shifts into a hands-on mission. Participants become CIA officers responding to an urgent situation: a valuable asset has left an emergency signal indicating they may have come under suspicion. The asset has deposited critical information in a dead drop, and it is up to the SpyKids to recover it before it falls into the wrong hands.

Working as a team, participants must locate and unload the dead drop, retrieve G/1's message, decode the information, and determine the appropriate next steps. Throughout the mission, they will practice authentic spy tradecraft, including:

• Reading and interpreting covert signals
• Creating concealment devices to hide sensitive information
• Decoding secret messages and encrypted communications
• Learning the basics of surveillance detection
• Conducting a mock dead drop operation to transfer information without face-to-face contact

Throughout the experience, SpyKids are encouraged to think critically, communicate effectively, and solve problems through observation, deduction, and teamwork. The program combines history, storytelling, and hands-on activities to create an engaging educational experience that is both entertaining and memorable.

Perfect for curious kids, aspiring detectives, and young adventurers, SpyKids Mission Training offers a unique opportunity to step into the shoes of a real intelligence officer while exploring one of Washington's most historic neighborhoods.