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Our teens often have their friends over on Sunday afternoon. We go to church in the morning and usually try to enjoy a relaxing rest of the day. This makes it the perfect time for just hanging out. They laugh, talk, watch YouTube videos, play games, watch movies and dig into our Teen Only Bin.
The last couple of Sundays we have been playing Escape Room the Game.
Escape Room is an interactive game where all 3-5 team members work together to solve the puzzle and escape. Everyone has to share their clues, take careful notes and put their brains together if there is any hope of escaping. This game is for ages sixteen and up. (Younger children would not doubt become frustrated by trying to solve the puzzles.)
A couple of weeks ago we played the first game, Prison Break and I am proud to say we escaped with ten minutes to spare! Escape Rooms sets up a scenario and you and your teammates have exactly one hour to escape. The Chrono Decoder counts down the minutes for you, so no need to set a timer.
There is always a nerve-wracking moment in the beginning, because you open your clues, but are given no direction. In the Prison Break game, we knew we had to escape, but that is it. We had to look at the included photos, papers, and notes to figure it out every step of the way.
There are three parts to each game, and once you think you have the code figured out, you place these coded keys into the Chrono Decoder to see if your answers are correct. If they are, you move on to the next round and open a new set of clues…if not, you lose a minute and try again to find the correct code.
This is a high-adrenaline game because you know you are working against the clock. At different times throughout the game, you are able to look an extra clue if needed. When playing Prison Break, we were ahead of the game and didn’t need any of the clues.
Hayley and Sam working to crack a code while playing Virus.
After having so much fun with Prison Break, I decided to set up a fun little surprise for the next round, Virus. I dug deep into our homeschooling (and tube feeding) supplies to pull out some tools and set up a mock science lab.
I pulled out test tubes, gloves, safety glasses, syringes, and a feeding bag.
For the posters, I simply searched “biohazard printables”. I photocopied my hand and taped that image to a computer monitor with “scan to access” to help add to the ambiance.
In the Virus scenario, a lab partner has dropped a vial full of a poisonous green substance and we had one hour to find the antidote…
So of course, I had to fill some vials with green Jello…
And since we also have tube feeding supplies handy, I filled a feeding bag with red jello!
Everyone working to crack the various codes…
To add to the excitement, you can add the Escape Room app to your phone for fun sound effects while you play.
At one point, to solve a clue, we had to draw lines on two different hands to figure out the next step. These are challenging!
I am very sad to say, that we died playing Virus…we finally figured out the answer nine minutes too late and only after I found a missing clue on the website ….but this just makes us all the more determined to win the next round!
And since we had nothing left to lose (we were already dead), Enoch and Sam decided to go ahead and sample the strange, green substance in those vials…
Tonight, Chuck and I are having our friends over so we can play. Wish us luck!
You can find everything you need to host your own fun Escape Room game night here.
You can purchase your own Escape Room here. While each scenario can only be played once (because after you have played you know the answers) I will absolutely be purchasing the expansion packs that are available!
Playing games is our favorite way to spend time together as a family! Cooperative strategy games are our favorite so this is right up our alley! In my Target shopping cart! Thank you Renee!
Melissa,
You guys are going to love this!
This looks like SO much fun! I love that everyone is working together.
Kim,
That really is the best part! Everyone has to work together to succeed. And it is darn fun to put your head together with friends and see who can solve which puzzles.
That sounds great!
It is so much fun!
How do you keep all of the younger kids from pestering the teens? Mine would be hanging all over them trying to play…..
Sarah,
This is a great question! The first time we played, Hezekiah and Tucker were camping with Chuck and Apollo was occupied. If you have younger kids, you probably want to play this after bedtime. In fact, when we played with friends last night we detonated the bomb four minutes too late…in part because of baby and toddler needs.
An escape room game night sounds like a hoot, and I will ask my friends if they’re willing to participate in this game night. I am sure that this will be an exciting game night, and we’ll have a lot of fun together.
It looks like a very atmospheric game. I already felt how I immerse myself in this game and open the safe in the picture and mix chemical elements. Where to buy one?