You must have heard of ‘escape rooms,’ where you are asked to solve a mystery or puzzles to escape the room within a certain time limit.
Over the years, escape room games have witnessed several transitions, from computerized escape room games to real-life escape room experiences.
Do you know there is this fun activity called ‘DIY escape rooms’?
A DIY escape room is a puzzle game where you don’t require a proper setup like usual; rather, the idea of escape here is to solve the puzzle and win the game.
Easy right? Well, not really.
Even though the idea of this puzzle game looks so simple, the games that can be created using DIY methods can be challenging.
So below is a list of DIY escape room ideas for kids that you can easily craft and challenge your kids with.
Top DIY Escape Room Games For Kids
1. Paper on Paper
For this, you’ll need two sheets of paper. One with a random text could be a page from an old textbook or a page from a book of another language. And a blank sheet.
Now, you’ll have to make cut-outs in the blank sheet, wherein each cut-out covers a letter from the text sheet. But make sure the word cutouts end up making a proper sentence.
Such as “check the foyer”. So the idea here will be that either the key to end the game will be placed at that place that the first paper code leads to, or another set of such clues will be kept.
The more paper codes, the more fun. You can also make the game time-bound.
2. GPS Coordinates
This game is especially for kids in secondary classes, so they have an idea of maps and geography.
In this DIY escape room game, a piece of paper with coordinates written on it is handed to the children.
The coordinates can be of places such as their high school playground, the town library, or some popular lake.
Then, they must reach the location where the coordinates show and get the key to finish the escape room task.
3. Map of the House
In this game, you must draw a simple map of your home/room and make copies. Then, each child is tasked to hide an object in any place of the house and mark the location closest to it on the map.
Then, the children/players look at the map and try to find the hidden object. Whoever finds it first wins the round.
This can go on as long as you like. Or well, until the locations to hide objects run short.
This game is a fun way to ignite treasure-hunting skills in kids and boost their teamwork skills.
4. Super-Tiny Text
As the name suggests, in this game, you must ensure your ability to write in the smallest font size is strong. Or else you can get help from a computer and print a single sentence or a clue phrase on paper.
Then, the kids are challenged to find what the text reads.
When the child correctly figures out the clue, they go to the next spot in the room and find another super-tiny text phrase. This game can be played in teams or individually as well.
5. Arrange the Word
This DIY escape room game includes words written on small pieces of paper, then cut into vertical pieces so that each word is divided into its letters.
For example, if the word is ‘cat,’ it will have three pieces: C-A-T.
Now, the game coordinator will hand one word to each child in the team, and once they have correctly unjumbled the word, they have to make a sentence out of it, and that will be the spot where the key to escape the room will be kept.
It’s a fun group or team-based game for kids.
Conclusion
This form of DIY escape room game affects your child’s crafting abilities and problem-solving skills. You can not only make the kids play the game but also be a part of the planning.
One reason DIY escape room games are so fun and creative to play for kids is that they can go on as long as you want while ensuring the kids are having a fun time within safe surroundings.
Once you have made your kids play DIY escape games within the home, you can even convert it to a treasure hunt game at a public park.
And don’t forget, the more the merrier.
