Escape rooms, also known as breakout rooms, are an exciting and engaging way to bring a new element of fun and challenge to the classroom. In a live escape room, players are locked in a room and must use their problem-solving skills and teamwork to find hidden objects, solve puzzles, and ultimately “escape” within a set time limit. These rooms often have a thrilling story or theme, such as trying to stop a mad scientist from creating a zombie virus.
Not only are escape rooms a great source of entertainment, but they also have several educational benefits. They can increase motivation, promote cooperation and communication among students, and help students practice logical thinking and strategy skills. Escape rooms can be adapted to fit any topic or age group, making them an excellent tool for introducing or reviewing new material. They also fit neatly within a one hour lesson.
So why not bring the excitement of an escape room to your classroom? Your students will love the challenge and you’ll love the educational benefits.
Now available: “Escape Rooms in Education – a practical guide” by Julia Morris.
Amazon.com + Amazon.co.uk Available on other Amazon stores as well.
If you’re thinking about incorporating an escape room lesson into your classroom, you might be wondering how to get started. While creating an escape room can take some time and planning, the end result is an unforgettable experience for your students. To save time and streamline the process, you can use templates or pre-made escape room kits.
There are different types of educational escape rooms:
- With boxes and padlocks – see here on BreakoutEDU
- Digital only -also on BreakoutEDU
- Digital + paper puzzles – my method. Each group of students needs a computer / tablet. Try out a mini escape room that should take about 10-15 minutes: Find Bigfoot (this version is digital only, but the included documents could be printed for a mixed media version)
If you’re considering creating an escape room lesson for your classroom, the digital + paper method is a cost-effective and flexible option. This method uses a combination of online puzzles and activities, as well as traditional hands-on tasks such as code wheels and jigsaw puzzles.
One of the benefits of the digital + paper method is that it’s free, unlike purchasing a BreakoutEDU set which can be quite expensive at $150. Additionally, this method allows for multiple small groups to play at the same time, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to participate in all of the puzzles. The digital “locks” also automatically check for correct answers, making it easy to track progress and even award prizes to the fastest team.
Overall, the digital + paper method is a great way to create a well-rounded escape room experience that combines the convenience and interactive nature of online puzzles with the tactile enjoyment of hands-on tasks.
Digital Escape Rooms in Lessons 