Looking for something different to do with the kids? Maybe you’ve wondered what it would be like to experience an escape room game with kids?
While most of the game rooms are oriented toward adults and with many of them having sinister themes to spook teenagers and grown-ups, there are also some rooms which are more suitable for children (usually seven and older) with parental supervision.
If you are curious what goes on behind the closed doors of the rooms, here are five things to know before attempting the escape room games with the kids.
Escape Room with Kids
1. Make sure your kids are old enough
Most games rooms need kids to be at least 12 years old to play alone. Kids younger than 12 can usually play in some of the rooms if accompanied by an adult. Why? Puzzles need brain-juice to solve and that is where the adults come in. Furthermore, games entail being stuck in the room for about an hour. Young kids would quickly end up being bored within first five minutes of the game. We suspect you won’t enjoy being stuck in a small room with a bunch of whining kids.
2. Choose an easier and age-appropriate room
There are different difficulty level rooms available. Ask the game provider to recommend something easier that parents and kids can attempt together. You want them to be able to solve the puzzle, not just to be frustrated and stuck in a room for an hour. Some of the rooms can also have dark themes and may be deliberately spooky – something not suitable for young children. There could be props such as blindfolds used as well. Check with the game provider first before attempting a room.
3. Give kids a chance to solve the puzzle
As an adult accompanying some kids into an escape room, let them have the room and be the ones to solve the puzzle. Of course, you can nudge them in the right direction (or get hints from the game provider along the way), but also give them the room to experience that “ah-ha” moment. Similarly, give each child a role to play, for example, one could be responsible for checking the bookcase for clues while another could be in charge of helping to decipher codes.
4. Be persistent and keep the energy level high
If you are the kind of person who gets bored easily and wants immediate answers all the time, escape room games are probably not for you. It takes time and patience to solve a room puzzle. Kids will need encouragement to keep on going and not just to keep calling the Game Master for hints. On the other hand, the payoff is in solving the mystery as a team and escaping the room together!
5. Celebrate the victory
So you and your young sleuths have solved the case! Hurray! Time for a celebration. High fives all around and head out for a treat! Recount the game – the high-points, the challenges and what they have learnt from the experience. After that, it’s on to the next mystery!
Read about our experience with an escape room with kids.
