The hi-tech spy and surveillance equipment used by the spy kids in the Spy Kids Trilogy drove every kid crazy. Though they knew that every gadget used by Carmen and Juni were just fantasy items, it didn't stop them from longing for these gizmos. If there are secrets to keep in the world, there are going to be spies who seek these hidden information. Espionage or in simpler terms spying, has certain charm and intrigue that attracts both kids and adults. No wonder, kids love to enact undercover agents who risk their lives to get hold of a secret which is dear to their country or solve a mystery that has left everyone stumped with the help of intriguing clues and cool gadgets. In fact, the gadgets used by a spy are very important to him and can make all the difference in his line of work. So, if you are planning to form a spy group of your own, then you need to collect the most essential spy gear that will aid you in winning these games of spying. Spy Gear for Kids This is the most common and oldest spy gadget that you may need for sending secret messages to your group mates. Whenever you want to call a meeting of your fellow spies or convey some secret information regarding someone or some facts, invisible ink can come to your rescue. To write an invisible message, dip a toothpick or any other sharp object in lemon, milk, white wine, vinegar, apple juice or orange juice and write on the paper. Let it dry completely. To see the message, just hold it in front of a light bulb or candle flame (not too close). The heat of the bulb will make the message appear in brown color. You can also use sweat or saliva to write a secret message. Since, all body fluids are fluorescent by nature, they can be detected under UV light. So, the person who has to read the message should have a UV light source. This is a very famous war-time method of sending invisible messages. It adds thrill to the whole of game of hiding a secret and protecting it from your foes. This is a very useful device for a spy when he does the actual spy work. It can be used to peep through the windows and doors without being seen. The periscope is kind of a Z-shaped device that can be made from simple cardboard pieces. However, over the years this device has undergone a few minor changes. They are: central vertically slanting line is straight in a periscope and two mirrors are to be fitted firmly at the two joints where the slanting and horizontal lines meet at the top and at the bottom. The angle of both the mirrors inside the periscope should be exactly 45 degrees, with the reflecting sides facing each other, such that the upper mirror reflects the image, seen from the upper hole, to the lower mirror, which we can see through the lower hole. Make the periscope as thin as possible so that no one can spot it while you are holding it up. Periscopes are used in submarines to spy on enemies. Let us step back in time and cherish the mystery solving skills of the bygone days. Forget super-gadgets that tell you the exact location of a suspect through GPS, get hold of a magnifying glass and solve the 'what', 'when' and 'where' of a puzzling mystery through the old-fashioned way. Put on the garb of the greatest detective ever known - Sherlock Homes and find out where did your father forgot his favorite watch or some other little puzzles of your home and school through good old art of detection. Magnifying glass provides detail vision of clues left behind by the culprit. More than just cloak and dagger stuff, it takes the diligence of a focused spy to get to end of a otherwise baffling secret. You can also embrace the spirit of an unrelenting spy and find evidences which are hidden in plain sight. A walkie-talkie set is very essential for a spy to keep in contact with his fellow spies. A ready-made walkie-talkie set is easily available in toy shops or you can make one using plastic or paper cups. The paper/plastic walkie-talkie will work for a limited distance since it is made by attaching the two cups with a single continuous string. To make this walkie-talkie, make a small hole in both the cups at the bottom and insert a string through it. Pull out the string and make a big enough knot so that it gets stuck in the cup. This is the best spy gadget for teams which will help your fellow spies to communicate with each other. With the help of this device, you can pair up with your partner-in-sleuth and fool your enemies with elaborate schemes. If you want to carry some object very secretly without letting anyone know, the best place to hide it is in a book. You need a thick book like a dictionary. Keep in mind that the book has to have hardcover. Open one-third of the book and lay it flat on a table. With a sharp knife, cut a rectangular hole in the thicker side of the book. The hole can be as deep as you want. A very thick layer of pages cannot be cut. So, cut out a few pages at a time. Feel like walking on the footsteps of an old-fashioned spy? Then find a pair of binoculars and get your mission rolling. Carrying a binoculars on the neck comes with the job description of a secret agent. Satisfy your curiosity with a fine binoculars and explore the world around you. These binoculars can also be used for multiple activities like birdwatching, stargazing, fishing, exploring new places, traveling or playing other games like pirates. To get the actual feel of a spy, you need to carry fingerprint equipment with you to determine the true identity of a criminal. To make fingerprint powder, use black chalk, graphite from a pencil or charcoal and grind it to a very fine powder. Or, you can collect soot from the chimney directly. You will need a brush to dust away the powder from the crime scene and reveal the fingerprints. Clean and thin plastic sheets in small pieces are needed for storing the fingerprints in the database and comparing them with the suspect's fingerprints. So, get moving to dust some fingerprints from cookie jars to catch the late-night snacker in your house. You are not truly a spy unless you do a stake out in the night, keeping a vigilant eye on things! For such a night, while prowling the rooms of your house or camp and doing your 'secret mission' work, you need a perfect pair of night vision goggles that will enable you to find out what's going on even in pitch darkness. While some might frown upon kids using such high-tech gear, we know that such items actually come handy for some night-time adventures. Be it cookie hunt or a game of cops and robbers in your garden after the sunset, you can use your imagination and your night vision goggles to win from your competition. A spy costume is the most important thing that any spy should always have at his disposal. Have a spy theme party and invite all your friends for playing a game full of stealth and shadowing around. Use your wit and come up with ploys to get hold of a 'confidential document' from your enemy camp. To all my little aspiring secret agent friends, go out there and prove that you are indeed the next James Bond!