Make Your Escape Rooms Even More Interesting With These 11 Amazing Supplies

You have a killer theme for an escape room. You want the game to wow. But how to dress it up?

After all, you don’t want players thinking that they’re back in school solving word problems. These puzzles should be fun!

Don't worry, we've got this covered. Whether you're designing a game for an adult mixer or a DIY escape room for kids, we’ll show you 11 great ways to take your game from a killer concept to an incredible experience!

If you're still looking for fun ideas, check out this massive list of escape room puzzles.

We’ve played escape rooms for years. We’ve never seen an escape room without multiple locks. An escape room without a lock is like a tennis court without a net. It looks the same, but it’s missing an essential element.

Use locks on boxes, doors, cabinets, or other places players need access. There’s an infinite number of ways to use locks. Don’t limit yourself! Try these types of locks:

  • Keyed Padlocks. There’s no guessing the combination because there’s no combination! Hide the key somewhere fun and mysterious, like the underside of a coffee table or someplace kids will never look — in the fruit bowl!

  • Bike locks. They’re easy to find, but you can make finding the combination as tricky as you like!

  • Combination Locks. Transport your friends back to their high school locker as they frantically try to work the lock. Devise devious puzzles that reveal the combination only with superior sleuthing. Or hide it in plain sight as part of a recipe left carelessly on the counter.

  • Directional Locks. These locks lend themselves to creative puzzles as players try to find the correct up-down-left-right combination to open the lock.

  • Phone lock. Use your phone as a lock. The next clue appears on the screen when the players finally open it. Just remember to change the code after the game!

Lockboxes make awesome props, especially for kids escape rooms made at home! Leave them in plain sight while forcing the players to scour the room for the key or the combination. Players know valuable information lies within, so they will hunt furiously for the solution. Consider the following lockboxes:

  • Regular lockboxes. These may have a key that can be hidden or a combination to be discovered. Either way, using a lockbox adds extra excitement to the game.

  • Zippered pouches. A cheap and easy solution easily locked with string and a padlock.

  • Briefcases/suitcases. Many briefcases and suitcases have their own combination locks, making them excellent lockboxes. Tape a key or other clue inside to foil shakers. Or, maybe you want them to waste time wondering what’s inside rather than trying to solve the combination!

Nothing says spooky escape room like making a blacklight part of the game (more spooky tips here!). Write an invisible message, then lock the blacklight in a box or drawer. The thrill of discovery when they discover where the message is and what it says is unbeatable.

Most of us don’t have blacklights lying around the house. If you want to save money, use invisible ink and lemons. Just make sure your hints have precise directions for using the lemons. Not everyone has seen National Treasure 25 times.

Breaking a code or two is an absolute must for an escape room. That's why we wrote a whole guide on how to use ciphers. You must ensure the key is accessible (or can be retrieved from a lockbox!). Not everyone knows Morse Code, so they won’t even be able to send you an SOS (...---...) without a key.

You may wish to use another code, such as A=10, B=11, etc. Unlimited ciphers exist. Try to use one that matches the game’s theme. This helps the players unscramble the message.

  • You can work codes into your DIY escape room for kids in numerous ways. I’m listing some for you here but let your imagination run wild as you plan your room.

  • Play a code on an audio loop in the background. This works best with morse code. The players need to determine the beginning of the loop.

  • Work the code into your decorations. Place posters on the wall with symbols to be decoded, strings of numbers to be unscrambled, or directions to the salsa you hid before bringing out the chips.

  • Place the key to the code on a phone or USB drive that the players must unlock.

  • Hide the key to the code inside of a book. The key could be on a loose paper in the book or found on a specific page.

  • Have a series of images repeat on TV. The players must decide what each image means and then use the key to put them in order.

Everyone loves magnets. Hide a key or small metal container in a hard-to-reach place and let the players retrieve it with the magnet. Make sure you film the victory dance when they finally succeed!

Escape rooms occasionally create mazes that require you to use a magnet to move a key to the end. This requires more work than it is worth. A simple tube big enough for a magnet but not a hand makes an excellent prop. You can create a great prop with PVC pipe and a little paint.

Find things that they haven’t seen before to really put them to the test. You probably can’t find these on Amazon (are you listening, Mr. Bezos?). You may find them on Etsy, eBay, or at your local thrift shop. If all else fails, clean out the cabinets in your garage.

Lock a box with a vintage lock and skeleton key. Consider forcing the players to use a magnet to reach the skeleton key!

Other great props include puzzle boxes, hidden safes, and smoke machines. Some of these items double as puzzles, while others simply add ambiance.

Have players discover a switch that turns on disco lights for real fun! You get extra points if you can automatically play Stayin’ Alive when the lights come on!

Playing a DIY escape room for kids generates excitement and enthusiasm. You don’t want that enthusiasm to spill great aunt Mable’s ashes on the living room floor.

Make sure you find a way to mark items that are not part of the game. Red dot stickers work amazingly well for this purpose. You can also tell the players that anything above a certain height is not in the game. This keeps them off of mantles and high selves.

Once you have the theme for your room, take a stroll through your local dollar store. They have many great props, including plastic coins, statues, and fake weapons. You can find fake blood, spiders, and other fun items during the Halloween season.

Best of all, each prop is just one dollar! You can outfit your room for almost nothing. But make sure to keep your props on hand for the next time you DIY an escape room for kids! There will be another one!

If you have a smattering of artistic talent, make your own decorations (like this family did). I am often tempted to skip this step, mainly because my artistic talents failed to progress beyond the drawing of stick figures. Fortunately, having fun creating props is more important than your talent for creating them!

Grab some cardboard and make posters for your room. Add in the codes for the players to solve. Use paper mache or foam to make three-dimensional props. Remember, you don’t need museum-worthy pieces. Let their imaginations run wild! You’re building an escape room, not the next Picasso.

Everyone loves to show off. Physical tasks give us the chance to do that. Kids love the challenge of physical tasks. If you make a DIY escape room for kids, include one or two of these fun games. Possible challenges include:

  • Navigating a “laser trip maze” made of string. We don’t recommend real lasers. If a string is “tripped,” the player has to start over after the others try.

  • Navigating a minefield while blindfolded. We recommend using cardboard, even if you do have claymores. Cardboard is easier to pick up after the game.

  • Shooting aliens, zombies, or fish (if you have a barrel). Use a nerf gun to keep the house intact. Or move this part of the game outside so they can throw water balloon “grenades” at the zombies!

  • Construct an obstacle course using household objects. Make them crawl under a tent made from sofa cushions, then carefully step over an overturned chair before making them tiptoe through plastic hangers. If you want more fun and don’t have carpet, try making them perform these maneuvers with an egg on a spoon.


You can find endless physical tasks among the items at your house. If you play outside, your options expand. We don’t recommend making this step too involved. The players only have a limited amount of time to escape!

Players immerse themselves in escape games. They can see themselves at the scene of the crime, running from zombies, or in the depths of Tut’s tomb. Costumes complete the transformation.

If you’re making a superhero DIY escape room for kids, get capes for your players. Is your room more murder mystery? Try using Sherlock Holmes hats and pipes (from the dollar store or thrift store). You can create inexpensive costumes for any game theme!

You can DIY most costumes with a bit of creativity. Use towels or old sheets for capes. Use cardboard for shields. Use old clothes to hide the snacks you want to keep for yourself. With a bit of creativity, you can outfit the entire gang, and everyone will love it!

These props will make your DIY escape room for kids come alive. Your crew will have a blast figuring out the locks and wearing the costumes. 

Let your creativity flow and create a fantastic experience!