The document describes a math-infused mystery game called "Balloon Birthday Mystery" created by siblings Audrey and Zachary Pinski, ages 9 and 5. The game incorporates math concepts like patterns, addition, multiplication, and linear vs. exponential growth for grades 3 and up. It includes game pieces like a board, cards with math problems and clues, and detective pads for solving the mystery of whose birthday it is, their favorite treat, and location of their water balloon basket. Players take turns moving pieces and solving math problems to reveal clues and correctly guess the mystery contents.

1. Balloon
Birthday
Mystery
Kid Creators of a Math Infused “Clue-like” Game
For Grades 3+
By Nerd & Noodle (Audrey & Zachary Pinski, ages 9 & 5)

2. Balloon Birthday Mystery
by Nerd & Noodle
• 2-6 Players
• Ages 8+
• Math Concepts:
• Patterns
• Addition
• Multiplication
• Logical Reasoning
• Comparison of Numbers
• Function Equations (NOW-NEXT)
• Linear vs. Exponential Growth Tables

4. Balloon Birthday Mystery
by Nerd & Noodle
• Game Includes:
• Game board with 9 locations, and 2 opposite corners marked with secret passages
• 2 Dice, 6 pawns for people, 1 Joy Marker
• Mystery cards for 6 people, 6 treats, and 9 locations
• Math cards for problems A-F (3 sets of each, with A3-E3 where you can create your
own NOW-NEXT math problem; 27 cards total with a bonus for adding a secret
passage)
• Detective Pad (1 half sheet per player; you need 1 pencil per player)
• Math Pad (1 sheet per player, 2 sided for problems A-F): only use 1, 2, or 3 for each
letter problem
• Math Pad: Answer Key (set of 4)
• 1 Envelope

5. Sample Documents:
Math Pad
Math Pad: Answer Key
Detective Pad
People: Vivian Pink, Zachary Orange, Kieran Yellow, Eli Green,
Alec Blue, Audrey Purple
Treats: Cupcakes, Ice Cream Cone, Popsicle, Brownie, Cookies,
Sundae
Locations: Garden, Trampoline, Sandbox, Soccer Net, Pool,
Lemonade Stand, Games Area, Tree Swing, Deck Steps

6. Balloon Birthday Mystery: Set Up
• From the Math Card pile, choose one problem from each letter A-F, for a total of 6 to use plus the
bonus card to add another secret tunnel. Keep Math Cards as a separate pile.
• A.) From the Mystery Card pile, separate them out by categories: a) people, b) treats, and c)
locations. Mix up each respective pile, picking out 1 from each category and placing them in the
secret envelope. B.) Then with the remaining Mystery Cards, mix them up together in one pile
and divide them evenly among the players.
• Place each color pawn on the board for their respective starting places. No one person owns a
color, but everyone uses them at any point in the game.
The object of the game is to determine what’s in the secret envelope, representing:
1. Whose birthday party it is,
2. What is birthday person’s favorite treat, and
3. Where their laundry basket is (location) for the water balloon fight.
4. Using the agreed upon basket number (#1-10), the birthday person is also the one with the
largest number of balloons. (Or think of it as rounds of adding balloons vs basket number.)

7. Balloon Birthday Mystery: Playing the Game
• Overview: Starting with the youngest player, going clockwise, take turns using any colored
pawn to roll the dice, move into rooms, guess “person-treat-location” combo, and/or collecting
information from the Math Card pile. Use ALL of the following info. as each player take turns:
1. Roll dice and try to get onsite at a location. Any pawn color can be used by any player at any
time of the game. Locations with Xs and XXs have secret tunnels for their respective match and
counts as 1 space to use it. After any turn, you can guess envelope contents & basket number.
2. Once the player is at a location, they get to ask any other player: if they have any named a)
person, b) treat, and c) specific location of entry. If the 2nd player has 1+ of those Mystery Cards,
they must show the 1st player one of those cards secretly.
3. If the player rolls a double, see the Roll A Doubles rewards reference card or use the following
information: 1s): Pick 2 Math Cards and share 1 with everyone / 2s): Choose one named treat to
be revealed and it stays face up for all to see / 3s): Choose one location to be revealed and it
stays face up for all to see / 4s): Choose one person to be revealed and it stays up for all to see /
5s): Exchange 1 Mystery Card (your choice for category) with one player OR pick 1 Math card /
6s): Any choice above
4. To view a Math Card, solve the problem, and see the answer key: a) roll a “1”, b) roll the chosen
basket number on 1 die or the sum of 2 dice, c) when you enter the room with the Joy Marker
(first person to roll doubles or a “1”), or d) rolling certain doubles. See reference card too.

8. Math Problem F1
Starting Now = 1 (before the party)
NEXT = NOW x 2
(number of balloons doubled each round
0r basket #)
For each given laundry basket number (or
round number), write the number of
balloons for the given rule.
1 2 3 4 5
2 4 8 16 32
6 7 8 9 10
64 128 256 512 1,024
Math Problem A1
Starting Now = 50 (before the party)
NEXT = NOW + 10
(number of balloons with 10 added each
round 0r basket #)
For each given laundry basket number
(or round number), write the number of
balloons for the given rule.
1 2 3 4 5
60 70 80 90 100
6 7 8 9 10
110 120 130 140 150
Example Math Problems

9. Thank you!
Math Research Institute Contest Video
Logic Strategies, Math Infused Example, and Behind the Scenes:
https://youtu.be/3ZHrZLDPlZo
Bonus videos:
Time compared – linear (one to one) vs exponential (one to many) models:
A) https://youtu.be/mhyg1F7xJ38 and B) https://youtu.be/cLkHdjcBzl8
We hope you had as much FUN playing the game as we had designing Balloon Birthday
Mystery. We have intentionally integrated math concepts to help with meeting core math
standards, where addition table patterns and multiplication table patterns can be
compared, which is a foundational skill to learning about linear and exponential growth
models. It was created just for kids and where they love to learn best – through GAMES!
We’re bananas for games! Cheers from Nerd & Noodle! 
Please Note: Templates for Detective Pad, Math Pad, Math Pad: Answer Key, Mystery
Cards, Math Cards, Reference Cards, and back sides of cards can be given upon request.