It’s a rainy day, and your kids are going stir crazy, jumping on furniture and driving you nuts. Escape rooms are a great way to escape the torture of being stuck indoors. They’re also perfect for kids’ birthday parties, as rewards for good grades and on hum-drum days when you and your little ones are bored out of your skulls. To put it simply, escape rooms are just plain fun…but how do you know if they’re fun for the whole family?
The premise of the escape room is all in the name. You’re locked in a room, and you must escape. But here’s where it gets interesting. Most escape rooms have a theme, such as pirates, spies, bank robbers and other crazy cool stories. The theme will give your room an immersive feel and put you right in the thick of the action. However, some of the backstories and characters are not “kid-friendly.” In fact, some have mature content that might freak your littler players out.
The bottom line is that if you’re tired of the same old family fun times and you want to try something new, escape rooms are a great option. Just use the following tips to figure out whether a particular escape room is appropriate for your kids.
Beware the Scare Factor
Many escape rooms are more adult-oriented in nature. The themes tend to be sinister or spooky, offering up incredible thrills and chills for grown-up and teenage crowds. While some escape room owners will allow you to bring kids as young as eight, doing so may not be the wisest choice. If your child hides their face when the wicked witch from the Wizard of Oz comes on the screen, they may not be ready for a scarier escape room.
If you’re not sure whether an escape room is too scary, remember that its name could offer a hint. Look out for certain words implying that the room is not all rainbows and puppies — blood, torture, murder, haunted, asylum, terror — you get the idea.
Watch out for Short Attention Spans…Squirrel!
Even if a particular escape room allows your kids to come, that doesn’t mean they’ll enjoy the experience. Escape rooms involve you being stuck inside for about an hour — and some kids end up getting bored within the first few minutes.
You know your kid’s personality best. If they have the attention span of, say, a goldfish, this activity may not be the best one for them. You won’t necessarily enjoy trying to solve all the fun clues if your child is whining about being bored.
Check out the Difficulty Level
The puzzles you encounter in an escape room require a lot of brain juice. Each varies in complexity, and some require deductive reasoning, creative problem solving and street smarts. Fortunately, most escape room locations have various difficulty levels. If you’re bringing your kids along, pick a room that’s a bit easier so they won’t get frustrated or stuck.
How to Find out If an Escape Room is Kid-Friendly
Before planning your family fun day at your local escape room, do a little bit of research ahead of time:
- Think ahead about what your kids are like and what you think they can handle.
- Check online for family-friendly escape rooms.
- Check out the company’s FAQ page for suggested age limits.
- Contact the game master by phone.
Are your kids drowning in electronics? Do you need some family bonding time? Look no further than Oak Grove’s own Exit Strategy Games. Our escape room Pet Snatched is perfect for little kiddos looking for some interactive fun. This mystery involves missing puppies and a crotchety old pet nabber. Your kids will feel like they’re starring in their very own version of 101 Dalmatians.
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