A Guide to Creating a DIY Escape Room for Kids

Kids can be a handful. At times, they can be extremely active. They may need to release all that energy through a game or activity.

An escape room may be a great way to channel your children’s energy. This is because it requires players to utilize teamwork. The players must communicate and act fast to solve puzzles in the room.

If you want to try this at home, it’s time to create a DIY escape room for kids. In this way, you can involve your children in the fun. Keep reading for a guide to setting up an excellent family or friend activity.

Pick a Theme 

When deciding how to pick a theme for a kid escape room, you should consider the age and interests of the kids. Younger children might be more interested in themes revolving around animals, cartoons, and movies.

But older children might enjoy more sophisticated themes such as puzzles, math problems, and science experiments. You should research escape room ideas and look online for inspiration to determine what kind of theme best suits the group of kids.

Additionally, make sure the materials to create escape rooms are safe for children and are age-appropriate as well. If needed, add interactive elements to the room such as secret passages or code-breaking activities to make it more exciting.

Gather the Materials

Starting with locks, keys, clues, and tasks, these elements are essential for an escape room. One can pick up locks, keys, and puzzles from a local hardware store or online. Digitally-made clues and tasks, such as riddles and code-breaking games, can also be made from home.

For props, one should look for objects that could have meaning to the player, such as tools or puzzle pieces. Also, materials that point to a theme should be used, like costumes, books, and plants. Lighting and sound-producing materials can also be added to the atmosphere.

Further, for every clue and task, one should plan a reward, such as a clue or a task that must be completed to proceed. Once the materials have been gathered, the best escape room experience for kids can then be created.

Create Puzzles

A great starting point is to identify the goal of the escape room, such as finding a hidden object or escaping from a locked room. Once the goal is determined, draw out the room schematics with a pencil and paper so that it will be easier to plan out the upcoming puzzles. Choose a variety of puzzles, such as word searches, decode the code, mazes, and hidden pictures.

Tailor the puzzles to the age of the kids, making them simple enough to complete but still incorporating a challenge. For example, if you were planning an escape room for a group of 10-year-olds, provide a clue that requires using math or an analogy.

Finally, provide the answer sheet to the exit puzzle or create a master sheet where the solutions to all of the puzzles are listed. This will make it easier for kids to check their success rate.

Set Up The Room

Start with the basics, declutter, and ensure the space is clean and free of distractions. Next, clear away furniture and create an area for your escape room. Make sure it is large enough to accommodate the necessary items.

Add furniture to create a comfortable atmosphere – a bean bag chair, a floor cushion, bean bag chairs, and more. Then, set up the props and decorations that will make the escape room unique. Keep the room’s theme in mind and use items that are not too challenging to find.

Finally, set up the clues and puzzles, and make sure the clues are challenging enough for the age group and that they are organized. Have a few “emergency” hints or clues if the students struggle with one of the puzzles. Have fun and enjoy the creative process of setting up the room.

Guide the Kids

Start by discussing ideas with the kids on the theme of the room and the props they want to use. Next, please give them a structure and instructions on constructing the escape room. Help kids design the escape room, divide tasks, and make sure they do their part.

Give the kids a time frame to finish the room and set a deadline. Plan the puzzles and clues. Provide support and guidance throughout the process while allowing the kids to do creative work.

Encourage them to be independent and think of more exciting challenges for their peers. Explain the rules and help them evaluate the effectiveness of the escape room. Last, let the kids have fun playing the game with their friends!

Reward the Kids

Start by considering the available rewards and age groups of the children. Rewards should be tailored to the level of difficulty and theme of the escape room adventure. For instance, you can provide something as simple as a prize that symbolizes the success of each individual.

This could be something like an Achievement Certificate or a small trophy. If you have space and motivation to build out the escape room, consider offering other bonuses like game tokens, a gift card to their favorite store, or even a little trinket they can keep as a reminder of the experience.

Whatever your reward is, make sure you recognize the individual effort of each child and the team spirit that brought success.

Make the Best DIY Escape Room for Kids Today

Creating a DIY Escape Room for Kids can be a great way to provide an intriguing and exciting challenge for your children. By following the step-by-step guide, creating an escape room that your kids can enjoy can be easy and fun.

With just a few simple items, such as puzzles and locks, you can prepare them for hours of enjoyable playtime. Give it a try today!

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