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We know escape rooms are a fabulous way to increase critical thinking skills in kids. We know that in escape rooms, you have to interact with your surroundings rather than just look at them, but have you ever been to an escape room where you had to interact with other people in the room?
Well we made one where the kids do have to interact with another person to beat the escape room. My husband wanted a way to play the escape room with the kids when he came to co-op, so he decided to play the part of the game master in our Games Gone Wrong Escape Room. He just came as himself, but you could totally go all out in whatever outfit you think and evil game master might wear.
No matter how involved your game master, the kids will enjoy beating him at his own game as they use their logic to solve this escape room!
Supplies for Game Themed Escape Room
- Printables from Resource Library
- Coding Mouse
- Chess Board
- Chess Book (we used this one)
- 3-Digit Programmable Lock
- 4-Digit Programmable Lock
- 5-Digit Programmable Lock
- 3 Lock-able Containers
- A person to behave as the game master
Optional:
How to Set-up this Games Gone Wrong Escape Room
Begin by printing all printables from the Resource Library and laminating any pieces you do not want students to write on. Be sure to cut the page of chess moves into three columns; each will be hidden in one of the locked containers.
Once you have all the chess moves inside containers you can set you locks and lock them up! Hide the containers in the room.
Hide the gear puzzle and any gear toys you are using in the room. Also hide the paper with the three colored dots and arrows.
Set up the coding mouse puzzle by writing the 5-digit combination on the a sticker which you place under the block. Place a clear container over the puzzle, so the students can't move the block, but only program the mouse and place it in the container.
If using Cat Stax pieces find those that are the same shape as the pieces show and use washi tape to place the number on them. Hide them throughout the room along with grid. If you are not using cats, use the pieces included, and hide them in the room.
Set up the chess board in preparation of a game. Hide the chess book in the room. You can also increase the difficulty of the room by hiding all of the chess pieces and expecting the kids to set up the game themselves!
How to Solve the Games Gone Wrong Escape Room
While I did run this room with high schoolers, I am certain middle school kids could solve it easily as well. Before they can match up with the final Game Master they will have to solve all the smaller puzzles to locate all the chess moves needed.
The first puzzle is the gear puzzle. Once they locate the puzzle they will need to decide which way each gear in the picture will turn. The gear toys can help them to figure this out if they do not have a lot of experience with gears, but they are optional, and the puzzle can be solved without them. We did use a gear caterpillar to help them think through the puzzle though.
Once they know which direction they are turning, they can then compare the colored gears to the colored dots and choose the number shown that coordinates with the direction the gear is turning. They will need to be careful to match them in the correct color order as well. This will give them the 3-digit combination. Unlocking it will give them one portion of the chess moves.
The second puzzle they will need to solve is the coding mouse. They will need to input the correct coding directions into the coding mouse, so when they hit go, it will push the block off the sticker reveling the 5-digit combination. This is why I used a block rather than the magnetic cheese. The block can be pushed off while the cheese stays attached and obscures the sticker. However, at this point they may have to lift the cover in order to clearly see the code anyhow.
The third puzzle is the Cat Stax. The idea is for them to arrange the pieces on the grid, and whichever does not fit is the correct 4-digit code, so be sure to write the code on the correct cat! If not using the cats, the pieces of paper work the same way, but are much smaller!
Once they have unlocked all the containers they should have all three pieces needed to play an entire game of chess with whoever you have acting as the game master. My husband was our game master. He actually came up with this whole room just so he could take part on the day he made it to co-op!
The first column is their moves, and the second is the game master's moves. if they have found the chess book, they should have been able to find the notations to realize that these are chess moves. As they start the game they will have to recognize that the second column is what their opponent is playing. After they successfully make it through the game, the Game Master will release them from the room.
If your game master has never played chess before, be sure they look up the notations included as the second column will be there moves! You may want a labelled chess board, like this, as well since it might help make moves a little easier.
Either way, the kids are sure to have fun defeating the game master with their superior critical thinking skills!
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