On the Trail of the Aliens

“On the Trail of the Aliens,” made for kids ages 7 to 10, turns your backyard, a park, or your house into a search zone after the quiet landing of a small ship from the stars. Its pilot, a curious and very friendly visitor, has lost the way and left five clues behind: a three-toed footprint, a light signal to decode, a ship part dropped along the path, a message in invented symbols, and a sky map to complete. The kids move, search, compare, and figure things out, trail by trail, until they find the visitor and help it head home. Every clue points clearly to the next one, without ever going in circles. The book includes the clue cards, a map of the play area to customize, an investigation journal to fill in, and a guide for the grown-up that sets up the trail in a few minutes. The game works for a small group or a big crowd of kids, indoors or out, in daylight or at dusk. At the last stop, every player earns a Contact Agent badge to cut out and fill in. The guide also offers options for different amounts of space, backup hints, and a shorter version for the youngest players.