Turn your home into an adventure. Escape rooms are great to visit, but they’re even better to create in your own home. Use materials you already have and puzzles that you know your family, and players will love! This collection of 10 Best Escape Room Ideas using Numbers is a great way to mix fun and learning!

Escape rooms can use unique special materials, but they can also use simple, handmade puzzles for an unforgettable adventure.

Locks and number codes are common in escape rooms. You can give players these numbers in unique and fun ways like in the examples below. Players will count, solve and use their math knowledge to work their way through these puzzles and reach the end of the game.

If you love the idea of escape rooms, but also like the idea of not having to do any prep, check out the popular Free Printable Escape Room.

The clues below can be used in the same escape room, or combined with other escape room puzzles. For more escape room puzzle ideas, check out 40+ Escape Room Ideas or step by step instructions to Make Your Own Escape Room.

Creating Your Escape Room

You can use any combination of puzzles when you create an escape room. Typically 5-10 puzzles work well for an escape room. The more you add, the more challenging the game becomes and the longer it will take for players to complete.

Once you have selected your puzzles, you need to find a way to connect each puzzle to the next. The escape room ideas below all include numbers, or math in some way. The number the puzzle gives players when solved, can lead to a combination lock or something simple like a numbered envelop for players to open.

To use envelopes, place a bunch of envelopes in the room. Each with a number on the front. Players find different number clues throughout the room as they solve the puzzles. When they get a number, they open the envelope with the matching number. This works well if you don’t have a bunch of locks to use.

However, you can also use number clues by having locked boxes in the room. Each box is locked with a number lock. When a puzzle is solved, and players get a number code, they test the locks and open one of the boxes using the number code from their puzzle.

Another option for number codes is to use a collection of keys. Each key can have a number printed on the key. Each time players solve a puzzle and get a number, they match it to a key and then use the key to open a lock.

All of the puzzles below are intended to be used as ideas and inspiration to create your escape room. When you create your own clues, they don’t have to be the same as how they’re described below. Use the ideas as a springboard to create your own amazing clues.

Math Escape Room Ideas #1

Dice are a great addition to any escape room. A fun way to use them is to create your own. Use air dry clay to make your dice. You can use the numbers on the dice to correspond to numbers on a lock to give players a combination.

For example, if your lock combination is 123, on one die you can make each side a one. On another die, each side will be a two, and so on. This will give players three numbers to test out in their lock to find the right combination.

Another option is to place something, like coins or small weights, into the clay. Place the numbers you want to give players opposite the weights so when players roll the dice their numbers will land face up. You can tell players to roll the dice in a previous clue so they know to roll and then read the numbers that comes up.

If you don’t want to use numbers, you could use words or letters on the dice for this escape room idea.

Escape Room Puzzle #2

Try this escape room idea with kids learning about measurement and weight. Start by giving kids a specific weight to find. Include a scale and a bin full of random objects.

Players have to find a specific weight by placing each object on the scale.

Each object includes a word, code or clue somewhere on it to lead players to the next clue once the correct object is identified.

When they find the matching weight, players check the object for the word.

Escape Room Clue #3

Dominos are a fun and easy clue to use in an escape room and there are a few ways to create a clue from them.

Set a specific combination of dominos out and tell players to add up all of the dots. This will give players one number once they have added. This number can be the number to unlock a combination lock.

You can also have players count the dots of specific colors (if your dominos are colored) for a number combination. For example, count the blue dots for the first number, then the red dots, then the yellow.

Math Escape Room Ideas #4

The next escape room idea requires players to measure a material placed in the room. Make sure that it is a material that will not stretch or rip. Place the material in the room and tell players, or write somewhere on the material, that it needs to be measured.

They then need to find a ruler or measuring tape in the room in order to find the length. The length they end up with is the combination for a lock somewhere else in the room.

Math Puzzle #5

Place a calculator in the room, or several calculators, each with a number showing on it. This number can be the code for a lock or clue for something else in the room.

Another option for the calculator is to give players a huge math problem that they would require a calculator to solve. For example, 84743×6373892 or something similar that would be challenging for players. Players then have to find the calculator and put in the math question.

If the answer is too long, you can also add to this puzzle by telling players to cross out any even number in the answer, for example to give them a number for a lock.

Math Escape Room #6

The sixth escape room clue is an easy one and great for all ages. Fill a jar with a bunch of items. The exact number of items you put in the jar is the same number for a lock combination in the room.

Players count the items in the jar to get a total number to then open the lock.

Escape Room #7

Classic kids games are easy to integrate into your escape room. This coordinates game is one that a lot of kids are familiar with. If you already have it at home, it’s a great addition to any escape room.

Give children coordinates for several ships. Once placed on the board the boats touch together to form numbers that guide players to the next clue or to a lock combination. Since players aren’t playing a full game, you can use several boats from different boards to create the number you need.

Escape Room #8

You can use wooden cubes to create your own number dice. If you create them you can create dice to match math problems that you want players to solve. For example, you could create an orange cube with the number 7 printed on each side.

Players would receive a clue with the colors, orange, blue, red, purple, yellow and green. Players set the cubes out in the color order and solve. Once they solve the problem, they will be left with a number, as shown in the example.

You can also challenge players to create certain math problems by having them set up the number cubes. Create specific dice for your game. For example, a clue could say orange cube, blue cube, number 6 (have a number 6 on only one of the cubes) and so on until players form the number sentence. Once they make the sentence, they solve it to move onto their next puzzle.

Escape Room Ideas #9

This escape room idea does not specifically generate numbers, but does have children think with a math mind.

The line of objects create a pattern: green, blue, red, green, blue, red, green, blue. Players must look at the pattern of solid colored objects and decide what the next colored item should be if the pattern continued. In this case, the next object needs to be red.

This puzzle can be really challenging if you are in a room with a lot of things. Players must find a solid colored object that is red. (Once found, there will be a word or another clue printed on it). They will look around the room to find an item that fits the pattern. However, if there are a lot of items in the room this could lead to too many things.

If you are in a room that you can set up and remove a lot of random extra items, this clue may work better. If you can’t remove items, you could place a box with a bunch of solid colored items that players have to choose the right colored item to complete their pattern.

DIY Math Puzzle #10

This is another math related escape room idea, that doesn’t use numbers right away, but is great to develop math concepts. I loved using this idea with older children as they studied 3 dimensional shapes.

Ask players to line up specific 3d shapes. For example, cube, square based pyramid, sphere etc. Once they are lined up, and if it’s done correctly, then tell players that the first number for the combination they are looking for is the number of sides the second shape in the line has.

The second number in the combination is the number of edges the fourth shape has.

Continue giving instructions for each number in the combination.

This puzzle may be challenging for players who are not familiar with the math language, but virtually any math expectation you want players to work on can be incorporated into your escape room.

I hope these escape room ideas give you some inspiration for your own escape room at home, or in the classroom. Escape rooms are a fun way to engage children and work on essential skills. They are also a great way to spend time together as a family.

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