Trust me, I know how hard it is to plan a great kids party.
All you want to do is make your little person smile - and I don't think that should be as massively stressful as it is!
So, I've gone ahead and put together this guide to give you everything you need to host an unforgettable kids party, without all the drama.
'The Ultimate Guide to Kids Party Success' is designed to help you:
Our techno-wizards work around the clock to try and ensure that everything is running as smoothly as possible. The tech-goblins work hard too.... but they mostly just cause accidental explosions!
If the signup form isn't appearing for you, here is what we've found helps:
If none of this solves your problem it means that the tech goblins have really messed up the system! Give our helpful problem-solving wizards a call and we'll go undo their shenanigans.
We've handcrafted this Master Class to start you on your design journey instantly et des stress-free!
It comes with all of the printable templates, puzzles, and props you'll need.
Perfect for a family activity, classroom lesson, or your own design hobby.
So, you've just died in your local escape room. You tried, but time ran out, the buzzer sounded, and the serial killer added you to his trophy case. You are left wondering how to beat an escape room.
Or maybe you escaped by the skin of your teeth. You could hear the mummy's steps close behind but found the right code and escaped to hearty congratulations from the gamemaster. You toasted yourself after, before realizing you failed to make the top ten list.
Or maybe you just booked your first escape room (need help finding an escape room near you? Read this guide). You want to look good in front of your friends. You ask Siri for help beating the escape room near you, and she refers you to Google. You scour the web for the Holy Grail of escape room guides and end up here.
We enlisted the help of some of history's most accomplished adventurers to show you how to win an escape room. Meet Joan, Huck, Alice, and Holmes, your guides to learning how to escape an escape room.
Follow their exploits step by step, from choosing their adventure through to planning the afterparty. Along the way, watch out for Joan's winning escape room tips.
I'm in a hurry. show me your best tipsJoan decided that the arc of her life would benefit from a smaller scale but intense campaign - un Escape Game ! But she couldn't do this alone, she needed a crack-team she could rely on.
When planning out how to escape an escape room, the first essential step is always to look at your team. What sort of people do you work well with? Which of your friends thrives under pressure? Will your brother wet himself (again) if a zombie lunges out at him?
As Joan assembled her dossier of candidates, she paid close attention to these sorts of details:
First, all team members need to communicate well. Joan needed partners who would listen to each other and build off of the information received. Thus, they need to accept input well and clearly state why a proposed idea may take them down the wrong path.
Second, she needed people with different strengths. Just as her armies had archers, infantry, and artillery, she needed people with different types of problem-solving skills. All need insight and the ability to think clearly through problems but should approach problems in different ways. The ability to approach problems differently increases the odds of defeating all types of traps found in escape rooms (such as these devious puzzles!)
Third, they must work and play well together. Joan knew that if she wanted to win an escape room, she did n'est pas want two people on her team competing for the glory. She needed people who, while bringing different qualities to the team, would place the team's success above their own. With only 60 minutes to successfully escape, any such disagreements significantly reduce the odds of success.
With these ideas in mind, Joan whittled down her list. She finally decided upon three specialists, bringing their team to an ideal size of four. Too many more, and communication begins to get garbled and lengthy. Too fewer, and the lack of mental diversity starts becoming a serious weakness.
First, she chose Huck, whose guile and ability to escape stressful situations makes him an excellent choice.
Next, she chose Alice, who can make sense of illogical and tricky riddles.
Finally, she chose Holmes, a puzzle solver with an unequalled mind.
Joan sent an email to her team the day before the big event. She was kind enough to allow us to reproduce it here verbatim:
Huck, Alice, and Holmes:
I can't wait for tomorrow's adventure. The descent into the Lost Mummy's tomb will test our wits, nerves, and cohesiveness. I believe that we will function as one unit, overcome the obstacles, and find the clues that will allow us to avoid a lifetime of confinement. I offer a few final thoughts on preparing for glory.
Do not drink before the challenge. Huck, I realize that this may be challenging for you. However, alcohol dulls your wits, reducing the odds that we can successfully navigate the many puzzles we encounter. Only 40% escape this room alive, and many only with significant penalties. On a final word, the escape room will not allow any intoxicated players, further reducing our odds of successfully escaping.
Eat only lightly before the escape room. I booked us a table at Newt's Wings, Dings, and Things after we finish. We can consume food and drinks aplenty there before waddling home. Overeating before the escape room will make you sleepy. Sleepy people exhibit reduced mental functioning, making it more challenging to solve the treacherous puzzles we will face. Failing to solve the puzzles will leave us in the mummy's tomb, where your full belly will offer the mummy an enticing meal.
Dress appropriately. Remember that you will encounter cobwebs, dust, and possibly sand. Only wear clothes that are comfortable and wash well. Wings, Dings, and Things does not have an imposing dress code! I also recommend closed-toed shoes. If you have a regular watch - the old fashioned kind with hands - wear it. The escape room will not allow smartwatches, cell phones, or other devices capable of receiving a signal. Having an old fashioned wristwatch will help us track the time remaining to escape.
We start precisely at 7pm. Be there at 6:30pm to ensure no hassles with traffic. We will also need time to sign the required waivers and make a final trip to the loo. No restrooms exist in the escape room!
We know how to win an escape room. We can prevail over the traps that the mummy has set for us. Remember to think positive. Arrive ready to do your job, and we will escape in record time! And the sooner we defeat the escape room, the sooner we can make it to Wings, Dings, and Things!
Yours Affectionately,
Joan
Une mystérieuse aventure de momie égyptienne qui redonne vie à l'ancien temps !
VOIR JEUEnchanting team quest with an infusion of fun and friendship
VOIR JEUUn jeu de meurtre mystérieux de luxe débauché de style Gatsby des années 1920.
VOIR JEUComical Zombie thriller with a deadly splash of the infected
VOIR JEUTreasonous mission that takes you on a daring super-spy adventure
VOIR JEUAfter releases are signed and valuables stowed in the locker, Joan, Huck, Holmes, and Alice sit down at a table. Ten minutes remain until the beginning of their quest.
(How long until the beginning of your quest? Let us help you get started).
Joan begins to brief the group on escape room strategy:
Joan: "Friends, if we want to ensure a swift victory, we must assign three important roles. First, we need a master of logistics. This person will be responsible for tracking all of the clues we find. We will bring the clues to you, where you will organise them, and make connections between the clues we have, and the puzzles we need to solve. You will also take charge of note-taking for the group, therefore, your handwriting will need to be neat and precise."
Alice: "I nominate Holmes. He's great at making sense of clues, so he'll be able to give us the information we need to solve tough puzzles. His handwriting is also really pretty."
Huck (chewing on a piece of straw): "Agreed. I can't even read my own scratch. Holmes fits much better here."
Holmes: "I accept. I will endeavor to keep all information orderly and to connect you with the clues that you need."
Joan: "Huck, you'll be the searcher. The searcher looks up and down, above and below, and anywhere a clue may hide. Pay attention to the rules at the beginning. Some things can't or shouldn't be moved, and you would waste your time. Bring anything you find to Holmes. Pay attention to the group discussions, so you will better understand what you need to find. And get that ridiculous piece of straw out of your mouth."
Huck (spitting straw onto the floor, to Joan's disgust): "Alright, alright. Well, the searcher suits me just fine. I'll have that room scoured and everything in front of Holmes before you can say Jolly Roger."
Joan: "Jolly Roger." [Huck snorts a laugh] "Now, I will be our group communicator. My role is to listen to what everyone is saying and coordinate our efforts. I'm not going to get deeply involved in the puzzles, instead, I'm going to focus on making sure that everyone has all the information they need to succeed. If you're not sure what's going on, come to me, and I'll fill you in."
Alice: "Sounds like a marvellous idea! You were born for that role... but... what about me?"
Joan: "Oh Alice, your imagination and creativity is our greatest asset. I don't want to pin you down with a specific role. Do whatever you need to. Help Huck search, work with Holmes to figure out clues, and solve puzzles you find in the room."
Alice: [starting to grin] "Alright, that sounds like fun! What's next?"
Joan: "Ok. In a couple of minutes, we will receive the intelligence briefing from the gamemaster. PAY ATTENTION! They will give us the background on the situation. It will likely contain our first clues."
"The briefing will also give us ground rules, things like where we can look and what is out of bounds. They will explain how to request help in the unlikely event that we need a clue or solution. If we are to beat the escape room, we need to take in every word of this briefing."
"Ask any questions you have in the briefing. Remember, there are no stupid questions, only people who feel stupid later for not asking questions! The briefing is our road map, our compass. As you examine the first clues, keep in mind what the gamemaster told us."
We now bring you delayed coverage of Joan and her team at work. Due to our agreement with the escape room, certain portions of the coverage are redacted.
Unfortunately, the briefing has been redacted to protect the secrets of this escape room (but you can read the thematic intro in our player guide). Fortunately, Holmes has agreed to write out his mental notes for us here in full.
"The briefing was full of flavor and charm to set the tone for the rest of the escape room. Cute, but an obvious distraction. The logical mind will filter out this facade and focus on the important information. From there, we can process the information and discover how to beat the escape room.
The gamemaster locked the door and retreated to her observation post. She called out in a grand voice, "the Ancient Egyptian tomb lies before you. You have one hour to get in, find the La momie perdue, and escape the tomb. Your time starts.... now!" The 60 minutes started. Holmes checked his pocket watch, noting a time of 7:04 p.m.
As an expert strategist, Joan realized the most important rule of an escape room: Identify your goal as quickly as possible. This helps focus the search (focusing down is a super-valuable strategy in competitive escape room games, like the one this youth group played).
She quickly looked around, then called over to her friends, "look for the exit door or the door to the next room. If we know our goal, we know what we need to achieve it, and we can avoid as many false trails as possible."
Huck, the searcher, sprung to action. His keen eye spotted something almost immediately, "Hey! There's a secret door hidin' over here," he pointed to a discrete corner of the room. "But it looks like we'll need a four-digit code to unlock this thing..."
Alice nodded and instructed Huck to scour the room, then skipped over to explore a strange stone panel on the wall. As Holmes began inspecting the clues located by Huck, Joan filled him in on all the puzzles they had found around the room so far.
Holmes was right, the room did contain a number of loose diaries left by their adventuresome archeologist grandfather. Surely the 4-digit code had to be in there somewhere. His brain went into overdrive, "how old is this tomb? Judging by the architecture, it looked to be based around late 1300s BCE Egypt..."
In an instant, Holmes snapped his mind from the wild goose chase it was about to run on. No! The answer would be simple. Good escape room design dictates that everything they needed would be in this room with them. He was just missing something.
Meanwhile, Alice was distracted again, admiring the four pretty hieroglyphic tiles hanging on the wall. Suddenly, Joan's voice cut through her daydreams, "Remember team, we're looking for a 4-digit code." Hesitantly, Alice cocked her head and looked more closely at the hieroglyphics... what if they were more than just wall tiles? A small nudge confirmed that these tiles were loose, and could be easily removed.
Smiling, Alice skipped over and delivered the tiles to Holmes, who instantly connected the dots between these tiles and the strange stone panel on the opposite end of the room.
As they solved the puzzle, and the door swung open, Huck slapped Alice on the back, "Well I'll be! I thought those were just useless decorations!"
Alice winced, "Thanks, I'm used to thinking outside the box. It helps to look at things and think, 'what else could we do with that?' "
As they descended the stairs into the next room, Joan turned to them and barked "loot this room. I see two obvious puzzles and a directional lock, and who knows what else is in here."
Joan realized that while red herrings may exist, every potential clue deserved scrutiny. "Huck," she commanded, "you have an incredible gift for finding the most well-hidden items. We need you to search the room until you're sure you've cleared it of useful clues." She paused, glanced at Alice, then continued, "Listen for instructions from Alice. She may have information that lets us see new uses for items that we think are useless."
(As you search, keep an eye out for these sneaky hiding spots)
The group began turning over many of the loose items in the room. Rugs, chalices, and spellbooks were examined, opened, and flipped over. Holmes carefully organised their findings as the group scoured the room.
As they searched, Alice watched Huck snort in derision at an artistic wall-painting of hieroglyphics. Wanting to watch her friend's back, she hurried over to examine it herself. "Huck," she whispered excitedly, "did you notice that the hieroglyphics on this painting match the ones on these puzzle pieces?"
Huck broke into a bewildered smile, "Well darn Alice, you're right! Let's tell Joan and Holmes!"
Huck then reported that he had looked everywhere. "I've seen the underside of every table and every chair. I looked behind the doors and under every item in this room!" He pointed his finger in the air for emphasis, "You'll want to know that these jars have strange markings on the bottom. it may be a clue. The only place I skipped was the cabinet. It has a sticker that states 'Not Part of the Game.'"
Holmes knew that they needed to stay organized. With so many items in the room, failing to organize would lead them to drown in information. He also knew that they needed to discard used clues. Rarely would one item contain the answer to two puzzles.
He added the new clues to the previous pile, quickly realizing that one of the new clues opened a drawer in the main room. He popped open the drawer and began examining the contents. As he did, he handed Huck the old clue, telling him to add it to the 'discard pile' so that it would not confuse them later.
We don't want to spoil the rest of the room for you, so our coverage ends here. However, this mighty group escaped the Lost Mummy's tomb with 13 minutes and 22 seconds to spare. Victory is sweet!
After taking a proud picture in front of the escape room's logo, the group walked joyfully into Wings, Dings, and Things. Here they ate, drank, and revelled in their victory for the remainder of the evening.
As the night grew longer, the tales grew taller. When Huck began describing how he had to scale Mt. Everest to find that last clue, Joan decided that it was time to take her full belly and waddle happily into the night.
Besides, he was chewing on straw again.
The next afternoon, still savoring the rush of victory, Joan sat down to write a congratulatory message to her crack-team. In it, she distilled the lessons learned from their adventure, telling them to keep the list handy. For now that they knew how to beat escape rooms, their next foray into an escape room would happen very soon. We reprint the vital part for you (leaving aside her sermons on Huck's straw chewing).
We will embark on our next adventure soon. We did not set a record for this room. But do not despair, not only did we have fun, but we can learn from these lessons to succeed in our next quest. Remember these precepts for any future escape rooms you enter:"
Remember, nothing is quite what you expect it to be. Keep your mind and eyes open. Consider the possibilities. And above all, have fun, even when you don't escape (which will never happen to our team)!
Yours in adventure,
Joan
Une mystérieuse aventure de momie égyptienne qui redonne vie à l'ancien temps !
VOIR JEUEnchanting team quest with an infusion of fun and friendship
VOIR JEUUn jeu de meurtre mystérieux de luxe débauché de style Gatsby des années 1920.
VOIR JEUComical Zombie thriller with a deadly splash of the infected
VOIR JEUTreasonous mission that takes you on a daring super-spy adventure
VOIR JEUReady for a magical escape room adventure? Here are your quest options:
Head into town and hit up some amazing local escape rooms which overload your mind and senses. With some resembling movie sets, you can easily lose yourself in these rooms, never to be seen or heard from again (or at least until 60 minutes expires). Escape room venues make for an excellent outing for you and several friends.
You probably missed it in the family photos and unmade beds, but your house holds the same magic! Downloadable escape room kits transform your living room into an escape room, complete with puzzles, locks, and zombies. (Creepy moss and jars of unknown chemicals that may explode not included.) Scalable to numbers dwarfing the standard 8 person escape room, the downloadable escape room kit works for a family game night or a neighborhood block party. Best of all, the games can be reconfigured and reused much quicker than your local escape room can install a new adventure!
Want the magical thrill of the escape room experience without the cost, travel, and maniacal gamemasters? Want to truly visit an escape room near you?
Download a game!
The printable, customizable games allow you to play at home, at a friend's house, or even your office. You control the theme, the execution, and most importantly, as gamemaster, your friends!
Creating an escape room game yourself requires determining the theme, determining how the game will end, creating clues, and making sure that the clues progress logically. You can also set up your own decorations to really supercharge the atmosphere.
You could spend hundreds of hours creating the game from scratch. Testing it, to make sure you did not miss anything and that the clues connect, would take additional hours. You also would need the help of a willing victim volunteer to playtest your game and find all the bugs.
Luckily, you won't be alone on this grand quest. We've got a comprehensive guide for brave adventurers like you!
Read the Game Design BlueprintDesigning an escape room game from scratch can be about as punishing as crossing the Sahara desert on foot (unless you enjoy that kind of thing). Downloading a printable kit eliminates all the hassle of design work so you can skip straight to the fun!
Just download, print, and party!
Watch your friends go bonkers trying to figure out the clues. Laugh at their mistakes. Congratulate them if they win, torture them if they lose. Then have a glass (or two) of wine while you all laugh about the incredible adventure.
Or, jump straight into the action alongside them! Each printable kit includes spoiler-free setup instructions, so nobody needs to miss out on the fun.
Need to run the game more than once? No worries, these kits are yours for life - download once, use forever. Just print the game out again. They're also completely customisable, so you can edit the game, turn the previous clues into red herrings, and play it through with your group again. (As these teachers found, this makes them perfect for yearly classroom activities)
Une mystérieuse aventure de momie égyptienne qui redonne vie à l'ancien temps !
VOIR JEUEnchanting team quest with an infusion of fun and friendship
VOIR JEUUn jeu de meurtre mystérieux de luxe débauché de style Gatsby des années 1920.
VOIR JEUComical Zombie thriller with a deadly splash of the infected... and pizza!
VOIR JEUTreasonous mission that takes you on a daring super-spy adventure
VOIR JEUIt's all super easy! You print the game, complete with clues and decorations. Then, you decide precisely what type of room your players will face. You have options from super-simple work-free setups to setups involving intricate elven craftsmanship.
Spread the cards on the table, start the game's custom Spotify playlist, and start the clock. This setup works best for games where nothing needs opening. The players progress from clue to clue until they find the solution to the puzzle. It also works well when the players each have a glass of red wine poured pregame that you want to keep off your white carpet. Any player leaving their chair with their glass loses. (This makes for a super-easy date night)
No real-world skills are necessary. First, set a starting point with an initial clue. Spread other clues around the room or house. You can even incorporate your own props, for example, place clues in cabinets with a combination lock or a key that players will find elsewhere. Make your players look, move, and hunt. Remember to clearly mark the items which are not part of the game (here's how). Find yourself a perch to watch the mayhem.
You can try to recreate the ambiance of escape rooms near you by converting a room or two in your home in line with the game's theme. Think about what players would experience if they actually were in the world you created, whether a haunted house or futuristic alien craft. Make them feel your imaginary world.
Winter Faire? Light up the fireplace, scatter paper snowflakes, and prep some fun old-school carnival games. Bonus points for bringing in live reindeer!
Roaring 20s? Put posters on the wall, bottles on the table, play some Louis Armstrong or Duke Ellington tunes, and set your players to work.
Egyptian tomb? Darken the walls with black paper, play spooky music, light a few candles, and hide a few rubber spiders around the room. Sandy floor optional but not recommended.
Remember, you can set up the same game in different rooms to allow teams to compete against each other. Each room should, to the extent possible, exactly resemble the others. Keep this in mind if you set up more than one room.
Arthur had Merlin to mold him into the righteous master of the Roundtable. You have Lock Paper Scissors to finish your gamemaster training. Need a hand? Then get in touch, we will teach you how to cast the spells that unlock the escape room in your house.
Once you have finished the design and planned your setup, you need one more element for a successful room - – players. Invite some friends over for an escape room party. Let them know the theme before they come (maybe they can dress up). Most will be experiencing an at-home escape room for the first time and will arrive excited and anxious, so be ready with drinks and snacks to calm their nerves.
Food and drink. Have snacks and beverages available for the players. Escaping from serial killers et des zombies works up an appetite! To give them the best chance against the terror you've created, keep their bellies full.
Explain any special rules upfront. Do they need to lift anything? Did you hide anything under rugs or cushions? Can they find everything in plain sight? Explaining these simple rules will help move the game along and keep your house in one piece.
You can use multiple rooms. Just split the game into sections and hide the clues in two or three rooms. Having the answer to one puzzle unlock the door to the next room will make all your players feel like serious superspies!
Have a celebratory feast after the game. This is a must if you're hosting the game as a friendly house party like we did. Regale yourselves with stories of triumph and tragedy. Laugh as you toast the honors gained. Then begin planning the next great adventure, starting with who will assume the throne of gamemaster for the next party. Escape room club beats dinner club any day!
Une mystérieuse aventure de momie égyptienne qui redonne vie à l'ancien temps !
VOIR JEUEnchanting team quest with an infusion of fun and friendship
VOIR JEUUn jeu de meurtre mystérieux de luxe débauché de style Gatsby des années 1920.
VOIR JEUComical Zombie thriller with a deadly splash of the infected... and pizza!
VOIR JEUTreasonous mission that takes you on a daring super-spy adventure
VOIR JEULocal escape rooms sprout faster than hydra heads. Most towns boast at least one or have one within a reasonable distance. Googling "escape room near me" likely provides you with several worthy adversaries (choices). Reading the descriptions of the games whets your appetite for adventure, and usually gives you a pretty good idea of what you're up against.
Like any good leader, before you embark on the campaign to save the damsel, you should ensure that you will complete your quest with all members of your team intact (except the red shirts, of course). If you adhere to the task list below, your team will experience adventure, fame, and glory (ok, maybe just adventure and glory ).
You don't cast a spell without a wand. You don't attack Troy without Achilles. And you don't choose an escape room near you without knowing your teammates.
Many escape rooms resemble haunted houses or sets of horror movies, complete with gore and body parts. Conquering these rooms likely requires leaving queasy-stomached friends behind. You could choose a secret agent room or other less creepy experience with those friends.
Do you need novices or Grand Masters for your chosen escape room? If your friends lack experience in escape rooms, you may want to start with a simple room (even if it's an 'easy win', you may hook your friends and leave them begging for more!). On the other hand, if your friends have multiple escapes to their credit, go for the gusto and book the most challenging adventure possible.
Remember that some escape rooms lack space, or light, or both. Always take the environment into consideration before choosing the room. Someone leaving the room through the emergency exit will ruin your day.
X may mark the spot, but do you know the GPS coordinates for the X?
There are several different ways to go about finding fun escape room venues near you. First, consult the ancient scroll and visit the hermit on the hill for suggestions. If that effort fails, try these more modern solutions.
There are a variety of websites dedicated to helping you find your next great escape room. These sites are especially handy as they will often give you ratings and reviews for each venue, and may even help you through the booking process.
Here are some of the best online escape room directories to help you find an escape room near you:
As TripAdvisor catalogs and reviews local attractions, you should find most escape rooms in your area. Use the reviews to choose the most promising adventure and ensure that it meets the needs of your team's size and ability. Then it's just a matter of heading to the escape room as soon as possible to find the hidden treasure.
Google "escape room near me." If a standard Google search is proving unfruitful, try switching to Google Maps. Picking 'escape room' from Google Maps unlocks Google Local Guides, giving you reviews of the escape room, links to its website, and pictures of the facade and lobby.
Most escape rooms forbid phones, smartwatches, and cameras in the escape room, so reviews will likely be spoiler-free. The experiences of others will let you know how shiny the rooms look, whether the puzzles and challenges stay within reason, and whether you will likely meet a benevolent gamemaster or a troll from under the nearest bridge.
Ready for Mt. Everest? Or would you prefer to stick to the local hill? Escape rooms vary in difficulty. Choosing the right one for you and your roommates matters.
Several tools guide your selection.
Most escape rooms publish escape rates showing the percentage of people escaping in time. The lower the escape rate, the more difficult the room.
How low can you go? While most escape rooms do not publish average completion times, as some people don't escape, the site may publish the 10 fastest escape times for each room. Generally, the faster the time, the easier the room. However, the escape rate better represents the difficulty level as some quick times occur when people repeat rooms.
Most escape rooms allow 60 minutes (our games give you 45-60 min). They usually allow hints and answers to move you past sticky puzzles. Some allow only a limited number, typically three, of clues and answers. Some allow unlimited clues and answers but impose a time penalty, usually 3 minutes per hint and 5 minutes per answer. The time penalties do not shorten your time in the room but show in your final score. If you finish in 55 minutes with 3 hints (9 penalty minutes) and 3 answers (15 penalty minutes), you end up with 79 minutes as your final score. Consider which hint/answer structure you prefer.
Attila the Hun or The Good Witch of the North? A good controller - generally referred to as a gamemaster - can make or break your experience. The gamemaster monitors the game from start to finish. Some provide unsolicited and unpenalized hints while others force you to request help, ensuring that you receive the penalties. You can find clues to the type of gamemaster each escape room provides on the escape rooms' website reviews, TripAdvisor, or Google Local Guides. A great gamemaster will show you which hints you missed if you fail to escape. Some gamemasters encourage you to return to complete extremely difficult rooms, an enticing option for an escape room near you.
Study the advance scouting reports. The description of an escape room's offerings will help you determine if the experience looks fun. Some escape rooms provide videos setting the tone for the room, allowing you to glimpse the trials that await you.
"Will someone jump out at me?"
We see this question quite often, especially at escape rooms with haunted or mystical themes. Typically, only you and your roommates occupy the room. Some rooms do offer live actors, dressed as mediums, zombies, or other appropriately ghoulish creatures, but the rooms announce this in advance. You may need to consider which friends can handle a room with live actors.
How do you complete the mission? You may need a final code to open the front door of the asylum to freedom. Or you may only need to enter the code to stop the impending explosion, which will bring the gamemaster into the room to congratulate you. Knowing how you wish to spend the final few suspenseful moments will help you choose the right room.
How many rooms? Some escape rooms confine their secrets to a single room. Linear escape rooms contain multiple rooms, but the clues from one room stay there. Each room serves as its own puzzle. Non-linear escape rooms include many rooms, but clues from the first room may unlock a puzzle in room No. 7, requiring you to move back and forth between the rooms. All present their own challenges and excitement but choose the one you think best fits your team.
You wouldn't want a Knight of the Round Table to defuse a nuclear bomb. And a Walther PPK provides little help against the Emperor. Choosing the adventure that captivates your team the most will bring the most joy, greatest glory, and raise you to new heights in the eyes of your friends.
Escape room themes vary wildly (just take our list of theme ideas, for example). You may end up in an Egyptian Tomb, a Louisiana swamp, or a hijacked airliner. Escape may mean defusing the bomb or finding the secret lever to open the last door. You could end up in an Asian jungle or the roaring 20s.
Most escape room websites contain enticing descriptions of their different adventures, with some including short video intros to the game. You should quickly find one that captivates your team. The right room will have you anxious to arrive, immersed in the game, and discussing it for hours afterward.
Can you imagine Arthur arriving at the stone, only to find a sign reading, "Pulling the sword out of the stone requires advance registration?"
Double-check the escape room's website to determine if they require advance booking or allow walk-ins.
Only the worthy advance. Each room contains an upper and lower limit on the number of players per playthrough. Some rooms allow as few as two people. Most allow eight, while some larger rooms allow ten. The upper limits generally reflect the number of players that can comfortably move about in each room.
Showing up with too many players may result in your team splitting to different rooms, or, much worse, half the group sulking in the lobby while the rest cover themselves in glory.
If your team fails to fill all slots, many escape rooms allow other teams to join yours... teams who may well end up stealing all your thunder!
Every quest ends with a grand dinner honoring the victors! Find the right venue for your team. Research Google Local Guides, Yelp or TripAdvisor to find restaurants, bars, and cafes for your post-escape entertainment.
If you travel to the escape room, search for the best hotels near the escape room. Discover other possible exploits, such as theaters, museums, and parks. Expand your experience into an unforgettable crusade!
Ensure your victory feast by readingAdventure is out there!
So why stay here? With so many options for your next escape room adventure, there really is no reason to let another humdrum weekend go to waste.
So go for it! Gather yourself a party of brave adventurers, stock up on supplies, and then quest forth into the unknown! I promise you, it'll be worth it.
Just start by checking out the escape room options near you, or by browsing our fun selection of at-home escape room games.
Une mystérieuse aventure de momie égyptienne qui redonne vie à l'ancien temps !
VOIR JEUEnchanting team quest with an infusion of fun and friendship
VOIR JEUUn jeu de meurtre mystérieux de luxe débauché de style Gatsby des années 1920.
VOIR JEUComical Zombie thriller with a deadly splash of the infected... and pizza!
VOIR JEUTreasonous mission that takes you on a daring super-spy adventure
VOIR JEUAnd I'm not talking about that time the office printer jammed right before your deadline.
No, I'm talking about the times when you find yourself transported outside of your humdrum everyday, surviving solely on adrenaline and camaraderie!
Been a while, huh?
But good news! You don't need to search far for an epic quest worthy enough to challenge your skills - that's what an escape room is for. So gather your party, summon your courage, and read on to embark on your own escape room adventure...
The High Wizards are here for you adventurer. Read on to discover exactly what an escape room is, how to start your own escape room adventure, and some handy escape room tips and tricks to help you out in your darkest hour!
We all want to be the 'clever hero'.
Some of our most exciting adventures involve the heroes being able to accomplish a task using not their brute strength, but their wits. Cunning heroes who can outsmart totalitarian governments and figure out ancient Elven passwords have always been admired - and those are the types of people who players of escape rooms are allowed to emulate.
Sounds exciting, right? But what est an escape room, you may ask - well, at a basic level, an escape room asks a party of adventurers a simple question - "are you clever enough to escape using just your wits, and the resources in this room?" In short, escape rooms create situations that make you feel a lot like MacGyver.
Escape games were originally fairly straightforward - the game was structured as an attempt to escape from a locked room. Today's games have moved a bit beyond that, but the goal is still to complete a very specific set of tasks within a certain amount of time. You might be tasked with solving a murder-mystery, disarming a bomb, or beating all the challenges at the Winter Faire before time runs out - and this will always involve solving multiple puzzles and completing multiple tasks.
You don't need to be as prepared as Batman's utility belt, but it sure will help to know what kind of adventure you're getting into here.
The way you beat an escape room is by solving a number of lesser puzzles that will eventually give you an answer to the final puzzle. (Like these puzzles, for example)
That's right, escape rooms work around time limits, and how long an escape room game takes will vary greatly (our games all fall between the 45-60min range). If you are playing a self-guided game, you might be able to play as long as you like. Likewise, some people choose to set even shorter time limits in order to win prizes or set records. The time limit is almost always set by the person or entity who runs the game, so make sure to check with them before you get started.
More of a stay-at-home Hobbit than a daring wizard? We feel you!
One of the biggest changes in the world of escape games is the rise of the at-home or DIY escape room. These rooms take the same basic skills and concepts that are involved in a more traditional escape game and package them in such a way that they can be played right in your living room. What's really unique about these games, though, is that they can even be played by the person who sets up the game - the puzzles tend to have their solutions obscured or outright hidden so that those who want to host can still get a chance to play.
One of the great things about this type of escape game is that it allows those who don't live in areas with multiple available escape games to play without having to worry about travel time or the costs associated with traditional rooms. (Plus, you can play anywhere - even on the beach!) While these games might lack some of the atmosphere that comes with a professionally-assembled room, they still include great stories and thrilling puzzles.
But don't sit here and take my word on it! See for yourself:
Hear what everyone is saying about usUne mystérieuse aventure de momie égyptienne qui redonne vie à l'ancien temps !
VOIR JEUUne quête féerique avec une infusion de divertissement, de convivialité et de travail d'équipe.
VOIR JEUUn jeu de meurtre mystérieux de luxe débauché de style Gatsby des années 1920.
VOIR JEUUn thriller comique de zombies avec une éclaboussure de sang infecté par un virus.
VOIR JEUUne mission perfide qui vous entraînera dans une aventure audacieuse.
VOIR JEUSo, now we know what an escape room is and how an escape room works. What next? Here's what - you get started on the greatest adventure you've ever had!
Every quest begins with the formation of a fellowship.
While some escape rooms may let you play them on your own, most games at escape room venues are built for a group of 2-6 people. It's not just a matter of brainpower, either - some games physically require at least two players to complete. If you intend on undertaking one of these fantastic journeys, it's generally a good idea to make sure that you have at least a few loyal companions to bring along with you on your quest.
Fortunately, virtually anyone can be part of an escape game's adventuring party. Adventurers of all ages can find something to enjoy here, ranging from physical challenges to word games to devilishly complex puzzles. No one is too old or too young - these kids certainly loved it!
The best party members, though, are those who have inquisitive minds and who love thinking outside of the box. Some puzzles can certainly be brute-forced and solved using outside knowledge, but many of the most impressive escape games include puzzles that require a bit more lateral thinking and excellent observational skills.
Once you have your fellowship assembled, it's time to decide upon your quest.
Traditionally, going on an escape room quest meant tracking down an outside establishment and choosing from among the games that are available. Unfortunately, this tends to be pricey - you have to pay per head in most establishments, and the games tend to be geared towards the widest possible selection of customers. While this can absolutely be a fantastic way to get out of the house and to try out something new, this isn't always your best option.
More and more adventurers are turning towards DIY escape rooms that they can play at home (see for yourself). These kits have everything that you need to create an excellent game, with puzzles and sometimes even props that help to bring the adventure to life. These games tend to be much less costly for a full group to run, and the possible selections can often feel endless. If you are looking for something that's perfect for your fellowship and that will give you the ability to play from the safety of your own home, you'll definitely want to look into how to play DIY escape room games.
Never forget second-breakfast!
Most escape room venues won't let you wheel a table of snacks in with you. And that's sad! But if you're playing a printable escape room kit from home, then you can set out a veritable buffet in order to keep your party's hitpoints up. And you should! A nice little selection of snackage and drinks always brings your game to the next level!
At a minimal level, you always want to make sure that you go into an escape game well-hydrated and sated. People tend to get a little less adventurous when their stomachs are rumbling, and many tend to turn back and go home if they'd rather have a good meal. If you can't bring some quality vittles into the game with you, then make sure you stop for a snack beforehand, and a celebratory drink after. Solving puzzles is hard work, so make sure you've prepared what you need to party on!
Finally, make sure that you allow your party the chance to enjoy their successes and deal with their failures at the end of your journey. For a friendly house party like the one we ran, this is an absolute must!
Make sure to keep a solid supply of good food and drink available for those adventurers who completed the quest as well as those who might have fallen by the wayside while you're all learning how to play an escape room game.
In short, a great escape room quest ends with all the 'warm fuzzies' you get from doing something fun. Even if you didn't solve the puzzle in the way that you might've liked, you've still managed to prove your worth against at least a handful of tough puzzles. You deserve to top up your mana and hitpoints with the finest cuisine and rarest vintages of the land - or at least, with a few good beverages and a hot pizza.
Enjoy the glowing feeling of glory, knowing that you've finally broken out on your own adventure... and maybe start planning the next one (you could even try your hand at making an escape room adventure yourself)...
Une mystérieuse aventure de momie égyptienne qui redonne vie à l'ancien temps !
VOIR JEUUne quête féerique avec une infusion de divertissement, de convivialité et de travail d'équipe.
VOIR JEUUn jeu de meurtre mystérieux de luxe débauché de style Gatsby des années 1920.
VOIR JEUUn thriller comique de zombies avec une éclaboussure de sang infecté par un virus.
VOIR JEUUne mission perfide qui vous entraînera dans une aventure audacieuse.
VOIR JEUCrafting your own escape room game together is the perfect way to engage your kids and captivate the whole family.
Our Master Class activity pack is fully loaded with all the printable content you'll need to get started - templates, puzzles, and even props!
It's perfect for immersive classroom lessons and quality family adventure.
Every new adventurer needs some sage advice.
So let us pass on the wisdom of the High Wizards. Follow these escape room tips and tricks and discover how to beat an escape room. With style!
Find the big red button!
Ok, there may not actually be a literal big red button, but the first thing to do on any quest is to figure out your goal. When you first begin learning how escape rooms work, take a moment to figure out if there are any obvious goals. If you know that you need to enter a code and then press a big red button, you know that your final goal is going to be assembling that code. This gives you something to work towards, even if you know that there will be many steps between you and that goal.
After you've identified the major goal, start to look at other, smaller goals. If you notice a lock, for example, you know that at some point you will have to find a key. If you find a puzzle that will require inserting some kind of part, be on the lookout for something in that shape. A huge part of learning how to play an escape room game is learning how to observe the area in which you find yourself so that you can figure out where the parts of the various puzzles are located.
Teamwork is the name of the game when it comes to any escape room.
While there are many strategies that can be used to conquer the various puzzles, the most tried-and-true is simply choosing a partner to cover your back. Partnering up allows you to bounce ideas off of each other, puts a second set of eyes on those confusing puzzles, and keeps everyone involved and having fun. Knowing how to beat an escape room is knowing how to band together!
Learning how to play an escape room game also means making sure that you communicate as efficiently as possible. Many partners get in trouble in these games because they assume that the other party knows what they are thinking. Given that your partner probably isn't a mind reader, try to announce what you're doing to the rest of your team so that they can all get on the same page as you. It can be very embarrassing to be stuck on a puzzle only to find out that another person had the key you needed and wasn't aware of this fact because he or she did not know what you were doing.
It's the final countdown!
Time matters, even if your particular journey doesn't have a time limit attached to it. Frustration can mount when you are trying to beat an escape room, so make sure that you take a few basic steps to ensure that you don't get stuck.
Try to limit the number of times that you try the same solution for each puzzle. If you have tried inputting a code twice or using a key more than once, put it down and try something new. If your game is not linear, move on to another puzzle. If it is, hand the puzzle over to another one of your teammates and let them attempt to solve the puzzle while you work on something else.
The biggest enemy you'll ever find when learning how to beat an escape room is your own frustration. If your game allows you to get hints, call out for help before you start to lose your cool. Not only will this stop you from wasting time, but it will also help you to keep the morale in your group from dipping too low.
Why so serious?
If you're trying to beat an escape room, try to remember to have fun. It can be frustrating not to know where to go next and it certainly can be disheartening to feel like you cannot beat a specific puzzle, but remember, you only lose an escape room game when you stop having fun!
If you find yourself getting too worked up in a game, call a brief timeout. Count to ten, do some deep breathing, or just tell a joke. Remind yourself that this isn't a life or death quest (it isn't... right?!) - it's an hour or so that allows you to escape from the rest of the world.
It's also important that you remember that your teammates can just get as frustrated. Don't get mad if someone can't solve a particular puzzle or continually comes up with wrong answers. Instead, try to encourage them to try new strategies and to find new ways to contribute. The last thing you want to do during your game is to break up your fellowship.
So, as you're figuring out how to beat your escape room game, don't forget to emphasize the fun!
And make sure to read the rest of our winning tips hereUne mystérieuse aventure de momie égyptienne qui redonne vie à l'ancien temps !
VOIR JEUUne quête féerique avec une infusion de divertissement, de convivialité et de travail d'équipe.
VOIR JEUUn jeu de meurtre mystérieux de luxe débauché de style Gatsby des années 1920.
VOIR JEUUn thriller comique de zombies avec une éclaboussure de sang infecté par un virus.
VOIR JEUUne mission perfide qui vous entraînera dans une aventure audacieuse.
VOIR JEUWe used the ticket cost from this popular escape room and calculated printing costs from Office Depot ($0.49 / color page) and Fnac photo prints (0.12 each).
You list out the guests and start reviewing your options. Visions of busted budgets dance in your head. You even consider walking down to the dungeon to find spare gold pieces in the couch or a spell for great parties at a reasonable price.
Then you remember you don't have a dungeon or even a basement. On to plan B.
Snacks and drinks? $100+ (Buying 60 cupcakes, candy, and chips and dip adds up.)
Renting the latest and greatest bouncy castle (you want to win parent of the year, right?) - that's another $250-$400.
What about party favors? Easily $50-$100.
You could hire a real entertainer instead of dressing up dear old dad as a clown again. This would set you back another $200 and leave some kids less than enthused, if not downright scared.
Renting out a facility will save you the pain of setup and tear-down... but it'll hurt you elsewhere. Typically, you have to pay for food from the facility even if you know of cheaper options. When we rented out The High Castle last year for Junior's 13th birthday party, the cost, not including catering, was $300. They charged another $250 for the food, even though Yvette's Country Fried Toads and Newts quoted $100 for catering. Junior may need to settle for The Low Castle next year.
If you host the game in your home, you need the snacks and drinks usually served at these soirees. This could run you over $300 (adults like more expensive food than kids) before you begin considering entertainment options.
Maybe you want a night out with the gang. After paying for a restaurant and entertainment, the bill could exceed $300, even if everybody pays their own way. Paying those costs might send you back to the couch looking for gold coins, or to your computer looking for bitcoins.
Escape rooms make great nights out. So much so, that we'll help you find one! They provide unmatched camaraderie and showcase your critical thinking skills or lack thereof. But how much do escape rooms cost?
Escape room tickets tend to cost around $40 per person for a good experience. That means that for you and three mates, you're gonna have to part with around $160. A larger group of eight is looking at a daunting total of $320. And that's la sortie avant factoring in food, drink, and transportation.
You could try other entertainment options. Who doesn't love a good board game? The thing is, board games can get pretty pricey, typically starting at $40 and moving to over $100. Plus, you need to factor in the space they're gonna take up sitting on your shelf waiting for game night.
Cards are a cheap option, but do you really want to spend 2 hours trying to teach Uncle Gawain Bourré? Again? Cards and board games are fun, but they lack the excitement of escape rooms. You want a party with pizzazz, one that will cause the elves to brag to the dwarves for the rest of the year.
Need a fun activity for the team-building day next month, but stuck with a budget set before the invention of electric lights?
We feel your pain!
Team-building events businesses charge unbelievable prices for what is basically just a super-lame party. For real, quotes can climb into the thousands of dollars!
Luckily, there's a much cheaper option for you.
We've got a Plan B.
We told you Plan B existed, even though your house lacks a dungeon. And the diy escape room cost? Only $29 plus very cheap printing!
You can print everything you need at home or use commercial services. Office Depot typically charges $0.49 per color page, and Fnac charges $0.12 for photo prints.
You only buy once, regardless of how many people are playing. The price for 4 people? $29 plus printing. The price for 8 people? $29 plus printing. The price for 272 excited escape goblins? $29 plus printing.
For that price, you can skip looking through the couch for gold coins.
Escape rooms also work well as team building events. Colleagues can work together or compete against each other, in a fun and light-hearted atmosphere designed to bring employees closer together. All within your employer's 13th-century budget.
How many do you want? You can scale your escape room to any size you wish, no magic needed. Just divide your players into teams of 4-6, and print off one copy of the game for each team. Set it up anywhere - the living room, backyard, a park, even in a dungeon (if you ever build one).
You will need to perform additional printing for each team of players. Most do it yourself escape rooms cost about $8 per room to print. You can set up a game with 5 teams of 4 players each for less than the escape room event cost for two people.
You can set up your escape room in minutes without the assistance of the dark arts or IT support. Print out the game, set clues in easy to find places then let the players in. For added fun, dress up to match the game's theme.
Or go all out! Turn your living room into a winter wonderland, a zombie-filled landscape or an Egyptian tomb, with mood lighting, music, and decorations. Sand not recommended. Unless you have a vacuum cleaner sales rep coming the next day.
You determine the difficulty and cost of set up and takedown. Fit the design to your players, your budget, and your skills. Let your imagination run wild.
The best part? Vous can join in the adventure! Our setup guides are entirely spoiler free, so you can host the game and play alongside your friends at the same time.
Check Out Our Comprehensive Setup GUidesYou're already here, which means you're almost done. So why is downloading the game the hard part? Because you must choose which of the brilliant designs your players will love. Zombies or mummies? 1920s speakeasy or saving the world from annihilation? Consulting an oracle could help, but you have to make the final call.
Once downloaded, you receive instant access. While there, grab some advice from the escape room trolls to help make your party a blast. Got a question? Then get in touch. We don't just send you out alone, we stay with you every step of the way. We have your back! And you don't even need to give us snacks (although that would be greatly appreciated)!
You can print the game on your own printer. No special ink or paper required. This is the fastest setup possible - print the game on standard paper and you can move onto l'étape 3 in minutes.
Read our printing guideNeed to print somewhere else? Maybe your printer's in the shop. Maybe you left it in the dungeon. Maybe the ink runs out faster than a witch at a pool party.
No worries. Economical printing services exist in many places. Office Depot charges 49 cents a page for color printing, and Fnac charges 12 cents per photo printing. These are merely examples of national vendors.
You may find vendors with better prices. Local print shops sometimes advertise lower prices or pledge to match or beat national chains. If your event benefits a local organization or otherwise allows advertising, they may print the game in exchange for the advertising.
Better yet, use the excellent printer of the kindly tech-wizard next door. (Make sure to bring tasty snacks as a thank-you.)
Thick, glossy card stock produces the best looking game. If you wish to go all out, do not skimp here. The pieces could make the game.
Certain game pieces can also be laminated and recycled to use in your next event and cut-down on printing costs. Just make sure you don't laminate the sheets that players have to tear up during the game!
The big night arrives. Everyone shows up and checks swords, shields, and cell phones at the door.
You roll out the snacks and the games and let them get to work. As gamemaster you're in control, and we're not gonna tell you how to run your show. However, we do recommend taking into account these tips from the High Wizards to really max-out your excitement:
Decide how much space you need. Each team will need their own space, be it an entire room, or just a hidden nook behind the couch.
Remember, you decide how intricate to decorate. Want a real escape room feel? Buy some cheap props to place around the room (just like this mom did for her daughter's birthday party). Program combination locks the players have to solve to find the next clue. Hide clues in a sock drawer. Darken the windows if your game requires it. Have period dress ready for the players, or, better still, weird wigs. Green and purple work great!
Bonus tip: Make sure you set the right vibe by using the free Spotify playlist that comes with each game. Check out this gloriously Gatsby-esque playlist for our Lueur d'Envie game.
If you could download snacks like you download our games, you could save tons of money on your party. Without a replicator, this isn't gonna happen. And you don't even have a dungeon, much less a replicator.
Snacks and drinks keep the game moving. Hungry players make for distracted, ornery players. Imagine a group of trolls trying to solve a puzzle. Not an inviting sight.
Snacks give the players the energy they need to complete their adventure. You can even hide snacks in a locked drawer or box, forcing the players to solve the puzzle to find the candy bar. Have fun!
If you're short on ideas, our puzzles guide has a whole bunch of ways you could sneakily lock away snacks.
Some players may have lived in caves for the past several years. They do not understand escape rooms, solving puzzles, and opening locks. You need to provide these novices a basic understanding of the challenge they now face.
If you invited a group of veterans, explain to them that this challenge will be slightly different to traditional escape rooms... but just as deadly!
Split the players evenly into teams. You can nominate team captains and allow them to draft players, but this could take time and hurt feelings.
Besides, as gamemaster, you own the room. You are the Master of this Universe, all-powerful and all-knowing. Choose the teams before the guests arrive and simply tell them where to go.
Set the scene. Read the background-text of the game aloud, or show them the opening video, and let your players immerse themselves in their epic quest.
Keep this part short. They only need enough information to start the game. 1-2 minutes should suffice. If you go longer than that, players will wander back to the chips and guacamole.
Remember, if you decided to play spoiler-free, you should tell the players now that you do not know how to solve the clues. If playing in a larger group, other teams need reassurance that you will not "lead" your team to victory due to your advance scouting of the game. Disclose your brilliant lack of knowledge now!
Check out our player guidesThe game is on.
First, you should place an easily seen official timer in each room. Phones, tablets, and laptops work well for this purpose. This allows players to know at a glance how close they are to serving as zombie fodder.
Then you can either let your players run free and find a quiet corner to save the world from (like in our classy house party), or lock each team in their own room (like this cool teacher did)
Now you find out! If you do not, your team will remain trapped in the tomb forever. The chips and salsa will run out. All will be lost, and your spirit will wander the walls of the tomb until the next party, when a more successful group may let it out.
Work together and cooperate to win the day.
This is your moment - it's time to really lean into the playful banter!
You can bet that your friends will let you know whenever your ideas seem more Gilligan than the Professor. Repeatedly. So have fun with it - laugh it off and tease them back!
Don't spare you adversaries from your sharp wit either - make sure to taunt them as you go. They may win this one... so get your digs in while you can!
Just remember, you're in this together. So make sure that everyone is having fun.
Have a prize for the first-place team.
You could print t-shirts, hats, or have a special bowl of premium candy only for the winners!
Make the prize known before the game. Display it for all to see. The victors can then grab the award as they recount the ease with which they carried the day.
Oh, the glory!
Don't forget to eat and drink.
Eat before the game. Eat during the game. Eat after the game. The last thing you want is leftover snacks.
Besides, if you fail to escape from the zombies, you want an excellent last meal.
Now's the time to kick back, and take a long rest around the campfire with your fellow adventurers.
Restore your mana and HP, swap stories, brag about your conquests and bemoan your unlucky defeats. Next time will be different!
Sit with your friends and listen to what they loved about the game. The puzzles that were too easy, the clues that seemed unsolvable, and what they thought of how you set the mood in the room. After all, you will design another game. Even a gamemaster needs feedback.
Then, when the guests are gone, clean up and consult your notes... the next one is gonna be EPIC! (Maybe you could even make your own...)
Une mystérieuse aventure de momie égyptienne qui redonne vie à l'ancien temps !
VOIR JEUUne quête féerique avec une infusion de divertissement, de convivialité et de travail d'équipe.
VOIR JEUUn jeu de meurtre mystérieux de luxe débauché de style Gatsby des années 1920.
VOIR JEUUn thriller comique de zombies avec une éclaboussure de sang infecté par un virus.
VOIR JEUUne mission perfide qui vous entraînera dans une aventure audacieuse.
VOIR JEUCliquez sur le pack Escape Game qui vous convient le mieux ci-dessous et préparez-vous à devenir le champion du fun !
What a breakthrough! Old Professor Lee and his assistant, Field Expert Ally Simons have finally cracked the DNA sequence that can clone the woolly mammoth. But treachery! The jealous Professor Doctor Sneed has abandoned them in the arctic! Can you break back into the research station before you freeze to death?
Corban/Micah- We were trying to think of the opposite of a usual escape room since we are stuck inside during Covid-19, so we wanted something where you have to try to get back inside instead of getting out.
Corban- my favorite was designing the Colored Wheel and clues.
Micah- my favorite was coming up with the clues and most especially making the picture of Dr. Sneed's office and the crossword puzzle clues.
Ryan (Dad)- my favorite was purposefully misspelling words as part of the story.
Corban- my favorite was how to order the DNA codons correctly.
Micah- I enjoyed making the part that involves the Periodic Table of the Elements.
Ryan (Dad)- I enjoyed the crossword puzzle the most.
Corban- First, try to make simple clues and make the people overthink the clues. Also, don't give them too many clues.
Micah- You don't want the clues too easy, and not too hard.
Ryan- try to think of making clues or activities that involve the different senses (sight, sound, hearing, etc.).
The year is 2347. Humanity has joined with other alien races to protect the solar system. But treachery is afoot! The Vingons have betrayed you and are turning the Solar Defense Station's weapons against Earth! Can you escape the cell they've locked you in and stop the countdown?
James: Making an escape room takes a lot of time and work, but it's really fun to see it when it's finished.
Lydia: At some point, you might get frustrated at how the story doesn't make sense or how a puzzle isn't working, but you don't want to give up or else you'll regret it later. It's okay to take breaks, you don't have to get it done overnight, so just go slow and take your time. I also want to say play test, play test, play test. This is how you find all of the bugs in your escape room and how you'll be able to fix them. Overall, it's really fun to build and awesome when you see the completed project.
Nobody ever found the thieves who stole the largest diamond in the world. They vanished without a trace way back in 1954, and now it's your turn to try and crack the case. Solve the clues quickly, before the criminal underworld 'takes care of you, once and for all!'
I liked making and designing the clues to the puzzles and the introduction story at the beginning of the game.
My favorite puzzles were the 4 circles dial and the notes from Mr. Myers to his brother Billy-Bo-Bob Myers (III).
Think of simple puzzles then a good story with lots of detail and then go back and make the puzzles harder. It helps at the beginning to backwards map out the entire thing.
YOU are the protagonist! Solve the puzzles in each chapter to uncover a thrilling tale of magic, dragons, and an epic quest for the Philosopher's Stone.
I loved it all!! It was a really cool moment when I came up with the general format thinking ok this could work, but it was also very exciting to work on the puzzles, I've spent a lot of time drawing them.
There is a puzzle with runic dice early at the beginning I like very much. This is a simple task where players just have to put together two pieces of information they have, I think it's a nice little aha moment and also introduces the logic of the game.
Don't be afraid to be creative! Do a game that you would love to play instead of trying to copy something that already exists. And most importantly have fun in the making!
Oh no! A dark wizard has swooped in and stolen all of the dragon eggs! Quickly, solve his puzzles to break the spell and save the dragon eggs, before the poor baby dragons hatch and freeze to death!
For the escape room idea we wanted to do something that can be related to Easter, but still different from a usual treasure hunt. Everyone in our family is a huge Harry Potter fan and Dani is also into How to Train Your Dragon, so we decided we'd go for dragon eggs. We did not want to design the game specifically for either fandom, as we also had in mind your contest and aimed for anyone to be able to play and enjoy it. Plus we did not want to make the puzzles too Eastery so that it can be fun throughout the year.
Our favourite part was seeing our brother enjoy what we did, and perhaps the anticipations when the game was ready and we waited for the big day to come - so if you get feedback from other people who play it, we'd really love to hear! Other than that we enjoyed the whole porcess of making the game. Before the lockdown we did not spend this much time together and now we had secret meetings coming up with the theme, dafting the story, then brainstorming puzzles. We sat together in front of the computer and it was a great bonding to do something good together. (Of course mom and dad knew, so they allowed us more computer-time)
Picking a favourite puzzle is impossible, we love them all equally! (We did not stop until we came up with something we both loved 100%)
We hope that many will join your contest (even if it means we have less chance of winning), designing this game was the best thing that happened to us since this craziness started! It's scary at first (at least it was to us), because it's something we haven't done before, but we went through the material on you webpage and it really helped to get a picture of how this could be done step by step. And once we started it went pretty easily. If we are to give one advice, it's maybe that one should not be affraid of dropping an idea that they liked yesterday but don't like today.
Drats! Your save file on 'Labyrinths and Lagomorphs' is corrupted. That's your favourite game! You'll need to play through the opening level to figure out what went wrong. Be quick, or hundreds of hours of progress will be lost!
I love video games and escape rooms, so when my parents told me about the contest, I wanted to see if I could put the two together. I picked the theme because I also like rabbits.
My favorite part was making up all the story elements for the puzzles.
I really like the crossword puzzle because you need to remember that you found clues to the answers earlier in the game.
Be committed to making the game, but be willing to get rid of things that you can't make work out so that you can finish it.
Prison life is not for you. It's time for a breakout! Can you decipher the cryptic clues hidden around your cell before the guards catch you, and you lose your one chance at freedom?!
Ever since I got into making/doing escape games I have wanted to make one about a prison break. When I was looking at the blueprint for making your very first escape game I saw "Escape from cell block 58" as a theme and I instantly loved it! It was so fun to develop the idea and make it my own.
My favorite part about making my game was designing the story. I had a really good time thinking of an interesting plot and then trying to find puzzles to match the theme.
My favorite puzzle of the game is the one with the pictures of the criminals and the arrows. This one is my favorite because I had a really fun time searching up different criminals to include and I really like how it goes very well with my theme. This said, I love all of the puzzles I made!
To all the kids making escape games, I encourage you to spend time making the story fun and interesting because it makes playing so much more fun! Also, even though it can be frustrating sometimes, don't give up!
Life is good on the ISS space station... until it isn't! There's a leak on the outside of the space station, and you need to get out there to fix it ASAP. But what was the code to the door again? Find the code to open the door before something terrible happens!
When we're thinking about a theme, we want to choose something mysterious and something we find interesting. Koen like the space very much, so that's why we came up with the space theme. The fun is that you can use a lot of information for the puzzles.
We worked out some together, but also some puzzles apart from each other. It was really fun to try the puzzle from each other to check if it's working. On that way we're and designing and playing at once.
Our tip for other kids: search on the internet for great and creative puzzle ideas. There are a lot.
If you have a theme, search for information about it and use that in your puzzles. In that way, you not only make it fun but also something to learn from. Like in our game the puzzle with dates or the final puzzle.
Woah! Your grandparents have a secret attic... and what's this, a treasure map? So cool! Will you be the one to finally decipher George Washington's treasure map, and uncover his hidden riches?
Lizzie wanted to do a rob the mansion game. I thought that sounded like fun. Then we wanted to give it a theme so that we could build a story around it. We had recently watched the movie "National Treasure" so we thought what if the owner of the mansion was an American history buff. We started researching some history and we ended up looking at the website for the George Washington Mount Vernon House and we thought what if we were robbing that house. I thought an added bonus was sneaking in some history and learning for Lizzie and anyone who played it.
Lizzie says, "Making it with you."
I say, "When we watched my wife and son play the game. It was so much fun watching them trying to solve these puzzles that we came up with."
Our favorite puzzle is the pyramid. We used your template and it tied in so perfectly with our theme of American history once we thought of the pyramid on the dollar bill. We like this one because it has so many steps and reveals a lot. My daughter had the idea of looking into the pyramid to get the final answer, which I thought was cool and we just built on that.
When we made our game it seemed overwhelming at first, but once we had the theme it started to become interesting and once we created a map it all fell into place. So we would suggest working on a fun theme that gives you a story for the puzzles.
Bad robot! Mikkins is a cute little robot, that is until he totally flips out and locks you and your friends inside your lab. Quick, you need to solve the clues you've left inside the lab to find the passcode, get out, and reset that devious little robot!
Tobias - I liked making the puzzles look good using lots of different apps on the computer (like paint and piksel).
Bonus answer from a happy parent: My favourite part, for the record, was seeing the kids busy, working together and using their brains over the holidays.
Tobias - Orange 1 - I like the wordsearch because it's really simple and the way it makes the letter works really well.
Phoebe - Blue 2 - I really like the word clue in this one and also that there are multiple steps to get the answer.
Try lots of different ideas to see what works best.
Don't overthink it and have fun!
Nurse Alex is working late, when all of a sudden her COVID-19 patients start going crazy! Help Dr. Smith and Nurse Alex find the cure that will defeat evil Mr Jenkins' dastardly plot!
NOTE: You will need your own props to play this game at home. Full details are in the instructions sheets.
Our favorite and most enjoyable part in creating the game was the story line. from who the main character is, to finding the reason for being trapped in a hospital room was exciting. During the first step the structure of the game relied on the story line, it was exhilarating to imagine and watch our creation unfold with words.
We all agree that the our favorite puzzle was the message in the book and the end when the victims escape by mixing the ingredients for the cure.
What my sisters and i would like to say to other escape room craters is have fun! think outside the box, add your own twist also don't turn in your escape room in a contest at 1 AM, and if you did thank your parents!
Princess Angelina is missing, and the king is furious! Gather your best knights and follow the clues to find the missing princess, before the king's patience runs out!
We wanted to do an escape room with a kingdom, and we looked at things that happened in history for a little inspiration, then our idea came to us!
Our favorite part of making the game was testing out the escape room on our family to see if it worked. It was worth our hard work to see the looks of triumph on their faces when they figure out the answer to a puzzle.
Our favorite puzzle of the game the puzzle where players had to figure out a message written in code, because it was fun to make, and at first the players were confused, but they did eventually figure it out!
It's hard work, but worth it if you stick with it. You also need to be creative and positive, because your escape room may not work the first time, but if you do all these things, your game will be successful!
You and your friends are on the verge of an archeological discovery that would make even Indiana Jones jealous, but alas, your treasure map has been stolen! Can you piece together the clues and find the treasure before your rivals steal all the glory?
My sister and I like reading books about adventures and mysteries, so we thought it would make a good escape game. One day, Renee was reading a book about Egypt and treasure hunting. She suddenly blurted out "This would make a good story for the game!" And The Race to the Blue Scarab Stone came to life.
Renee: My favorite part of making the game was when my brother and I made it together. Johannes: My favorite part is when our parents and uncle tested our game for the first time.
Renee: My personal favorite is the newspaper because it is simple and easy. Johannes: Mine is the Mini Pyramids because that puzzle needs a lot of interaction with the players.
Make sure to test your game with someone (like your parents) because it is essential. You will find out the things that you will need to fix and the things you could still improve.
Your best friend Allen is a science genius, but sometimes he makes pretty big mistakes... like today. Allen has accidentally shrunk himself at school! Can you piece together his growth formula before class begins?
When my mom told me about the contest, I started thinking about ideas. The idea of getting shrunk came into my head and so I thought out an idea of how that could happen.
my favorite part was figuring out the puzzles.
I really like the one with a secret code with pictures for the letters.
I would tell them that they should be creative and have fun.
Oh no! Somebody has stolen all of the triangle shape blocks! Who would do such a thing?! Solve puzzles and track down clues to help Daddy the Heart and J the Square find their missing triangles.
It is because Jake really likes shapes, especially triangles.
Jake's favorite part was putting all the shapes in the game.
Jake's favorite puzzle was bowling puzzle because that is his favorite game.
To have fun!
Kevin loves animals, and the animals love him too. He's the perfect zookeeper. But Kyle is jealous, and he's let all the animals out of their pens! Oh no! Can you find the code to the security locks and close the cage doors before all the animals wake up from their naps?
Our techno-wizards work around the clock to try and ensure that everything is running as smoothly as possible. The tech-goblins work hard too.... but they mostly just cause accidental explosions!
If the signup form isn't appearing for you, here is what we've found helps:
If none of this solves your problem it means that the tech goblins have really messed up the system! Give our helpful problem-solving wizards a call and we'll go undo their shenanigans.
Une mystérieuse aventure de momie égyptienne qui redonne vie à l'ancien temps !
VOIR JEUUne quête féerique avec une infusion de divertissement, de convivialité et de travail d'équipe.
VOIR JEUUn jeu de meurtre mystérieux de luxe débauché de style Gatsby des années 1920.
VOIR JEUUn thriller comique de zombies avec une éclaboussure de sang infecté par un virus.
VOIR JEUUne mission perfide qui vous entraînera dans une aventure audacieuse.
VOIR JEUThis kit is sure to engage them because it's based on our ready-to-play escape kits. Usually, these sell for $29 each and come with beautiful custom artwork, background music, and challenging puzzles.
Simply drop your email in below to download the Kit.
It comes fully-loaded with all of the printable templates, ready-to-use puzzles, and super-cool props you'll need.
Just download and print for days of epic family fun! (perfect for holidays and schools)
The DIY escape kit comes as a super simple to use pdf printable. You can print it out as many times as you like and give it to friends.
It will take your kids through the three stages of designing a simple, but totally playable, escape room game. It should take a minimum of 4 hours but they could keep going for days since the kit links to our extensive guides such as our massive list of escape puzzles and our Designers Blueprint. These guides are written for adults but with the Builders Kit your kids will be able to draw awesome inspiration from them.
I know, I know, I hear you.
There are loads of 'fun' ideas out there that supposedly keep your kids entertained all day.
And somehow, kids hate most of them!
So we've run our kit through the gauntlet and given it to actual kids to play with.
The result? Pure, epic fun!
See for yourself. Kids from around the world have taken our kit and transformed it into something truly spectacular.
Check out the awesome games these kids madeSo, what are you waiting for? Download the designer's kit template and let your kids become genius escape room overlords. Before long they'll be designing, puzzle-testing, playing, and chuckling their way through the apocalypse!
Need help getting started? No worries at all, you can check out our handy online guides for extra ideas and inspiration:
Our techno-wizards work around the clock to try and ensure that everything is running as smoothly as possible. The tech-goblins work hard too.... but they mostly just cause accidental explosions!
If the signup form isn't appearing for you, here is what we've found helps:
If none of this solves your problem it means that the tech goblins have really messed up the system! Give our helpful problem-solving wizards a call and we'll go undo their shenanigans.
Une mystérieuse aventure de momie égyptienne qui redonne vie à l'ancien temps !
VOIR JEUUn jeu de meurtre mystérieux de luxe débauché de style Gatsby des années 1920.
VOIR JEUComical Zombie thriller with a deadly splash of the hungry & infected
VOIR JEUEnchanting team quest with an infusion of fun and friendship
VOIR JEUTreasonous mission that takes you on a daring super-spy adventure
VOIR JEUCliquez sur le pack Escape Game qui vous convient le mieux ci-dessous et préparez-vous à devenir le champion du fun !