We’ve all been students sometimes and let’s be honest: Classrooms can get really boring!
Students deserve to have a chance to break free from the conventional teaching mold. And a classroom escape room might just be the right invitation for both educators and students alike.
A Classroom escape room can inject excitement and engagement into learning, turning any subject into a captivating adventure.
But where do you begin?
This blog is your one-stop guide to setting up and running a classroom escape room that will have your students begging for more.
A Guide to Creating an Escape Room at School
Here’s a step by step guide on an escape room for students that will leave your students buzzing with excitement.
Step 1: Define Your Learning Objectives
Before diving into the details, it’s crucial to identify the educational goals you want to achieve with the classroom escape room.
Whether you’re focusing on reinforcing a specific subject matter, promoting teamwork, or enhancing problem-solving skills, clearly outline your learning objectives.
This foundation will guide the design of your escape room for classroom and ensure that it aligns seamlessly with your curriculum.
Step 2: Choose Your Theme
The next step is to decide what you want your students to learn or review.
Is it a historical period? A scientific concept? A literary work? Once you have your theme, you can start weaving it into the story and puzzles of your escape room.
Here are classroom escape room ideas:
- History: Students become time travelers trapped in ancient Egypt and must solve hieroglyphic puzzles to escape the Pharaoh’s tomb.
- Science: They’re shrunk to the size of atoms and must navigate the human body to reach the nucleus.
- Literature: They’re detectives investigating a mystery in Victorian London, using clues from Sherlock Holmes stories to crack the case.
Step 3: Design the Puzzles and Challenges
Now comes the fun part! Get creative and think of puzzles that are both challenging and relevant to your theme. The heart of any escape room lies in its puzzles and challenges.
Tailor these to your students’ grade level and the subject matter you’re covering. Include a variety of puzzle types and hands-on activities.
Here are some ideas for escape room activity for students:
- Logic puzzles: Use riddles, mazes, and ciphers to test students’ problem-solving skills.
- Physical challenges: Have them build a bridge, decipher a code using colored beads, or escape a locked room.
- Scavenger hunts: Hide clues around the classroom that lead them to the next puzzle.
- Tech integration: Use QR codes, online puzzles, or even augmented reality to create interactive elements.
Remember to strike a balance between difficulty levels to ensure that all students can contribute and feel accomplished. You want them to be challenged, but not so frustrated that they give up.
Step 4: Gather Your Supplies
You don’t need a fancy escape room company to create a thrilling experience. Most of the things you need can be found around the classroom or at your local dollar store.
Here are some essentials for student escape room:
- Boxes and containers: Use them to hide clues, puzzles, and props.
- Locks and keys: Add an element of mystery and suspense.
- Decorations: Transform your classroom into your chosen theme.
- Paper, pencils, and other writing materials: Students will need to take notes and solve puzzles.
- Timer: Create a sense of urgency and keep the game moving.
Step 5: Set the Stage
Transforming your classroom into an escape room requires some preparation. Create designated stations for each puzzle or challenge, and ensure that the flow of the room encourages teamwork and collaboration.
Dim the lights, play thematic music, and set out props that create the atmosphere and immerse students in the theme.
Consider using props, decorations, and lighting to enhance the atmosphere and immerse students in the theme.
Step 6: Establish Rules and Guidelines and Introduce the Story
Communicate clear rules and guidelines to your students before they enter the escape room classroom.
Emphasize the importance of teamwork, time management, and respectful communication.
Then, introduce the story and explain the goal of the game. Get your students excited and ready to solve!
Step 7: Facilitate the Game and Provide Hints
Once the game is underway, be the game master! Monitor progress, answer questions (without giving away the answers!), and provide hints if needed.
Observe their interactions, keep track of the time, encourage collaboration and problem-solving, and create an atmosphere of excitement and suspense.
Remember, the goal is for everyone to have fun and learn something along the way.
Step 8: Celebrate Success and Reflect
When the students finally escape the classroom, celebrate their accomplishment! Take pictures, have a discussion about the challenges they faced, and what they learned.
Allow them to share their thoughts and insights. You can even award prizes for teamwork, problem-solving, or creativity.
Bonus Tips
- Get your students involved in the planning process. Let them choose the theme, design some puzzles, or help decorate the classroom.
- Divide the class into teams. This will encourage collaboration and communication.
- Have a backup plan in case things go wrong. If a puzzle is too difficult or a lock gets stuck, have a way to keep the game moving.
- Most importantly, have fun! Your enthusiasm will be contagious and make the escape room experience even more enjoyable for everyone.
Final Words
A classroom escape room offers a dynamic and engaging way to reinforce educational concepts while fostering teamwork and critical thinking skills.
By following these steps, you can create memorable school escape room experiences that will leave your students inspired and eager for more interactive learning adventures.
Unleash your creativity, and watch as your classroom transforms into an educational escape room extravaganza!
While a classroom escape room offers a taste of the excitement, nothing beats the heart-pounding immersion and collaborative triumph of a real escape room adventure.
So, if you’re ready to step beyond the textbook and into a world of pulse-racing puzzles and electrifying narratives, Paranoia Quest, Atlanta’s premier escape room awaits!
We have themed adventures for every group and every level of expertise, from deciphering the secrets of a Murder Mystery to outsmarting cunning Zombies in an Apocalypse.
Unleash your inner problem solver and create memories that will last a lifetime. Book your escape now and let the adventure begin!
Happy Escaping!
