In our busy lives, this is a brilliant way to spend an hour or so with your family - It is fun, creative and at times challenging
Presented by: The Inhabitors
Reviewed: 24 February, 2024
Are you looking for a fun, family-friendly Fringe activity to do this year without breaking the bank or traveling into huge crowds? If you are, Squishy Taylor and the City-Wide Ghost Plague is the perfect Fringe activity for you and your family!
Unlike some at-home Fringe options, this is not a ‘watch on demand’ activity. Upon registering through FringeTix, you are prompted to fill in your postal address and the activity book is posted to you – yes, Australia post, the postman, your letterbox. My daughter couldn’t wait to open the envelope when it arrived.
In your envelope you will find an activity book that guides you through the sixty-minute activity. The only additional things you will need are scissors, a glue stick and mobile phone that has internet access (to read some QR codes throughout the activity). From the moment my daughter opened the envelope containing the activity pack, she was hooked on what would become a jam-packed hour of puzzles and mystery. The premise is simple. You are given a series of QR codes in a choose-your-own-adventure style book, and as you work your way through each chapter, you solve puzzles to help Squishy solve a mystery.
Squishy Taylor and the City-Wide Ghost Plague is based on the Squishy Taylor short-novel series by Ailsa Wild. In this activity, your family is invited to help Squishy solve the mystery surrounding some unusual sightings around town. Most of the activities are aimed at somewhere between 7 and 12 year olds. My daughter (8) at times needed help from both of us, as some of the puzzles were rather complex, but with careful thinking and problem solving they were easily able to be solved. 11 to 13 year olds would easily be able to do this themselves without much help.
The activities range from map reading skills, deciphering picture clues, hidden messages in cards and even semaphore signalling. They are fun, creative and also secretly educational. The book is divided into chapters, but, in another twist, they’re not laid out in chronological order. As you solve the puzzles, you discover which page to turn to next, and as you flip back and forth through the book, you solve the puzzles, you solve the story and help Squishy solve the mystery.
In our busy lives, this is a brilliant way to spend an hour or so with your family doing something other than watching a screen. It is fun, creative and at times challenging. Jump online, order an adventure pack and when the postie arrives, join Squishy as you solve a mystery together.
Reviewed by Ben Stefanoff
Venue: At home
Season: Until March 17
Duration: approx 1 hour
Tickets: $35 – $75
Bookings: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/squishy-taylor-and-the-city-wide-ghost-plague-af2024
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