Visiting escape rooms is always a great adventure, but did you know that you can create an escape room in your own home? Turn any room into a space filled with adventure and mystery using simple materials, like paper! Use this collection of 20 of the Best Escape Room Ideas and the free printable resources to create the ultimate escape room game.

Kids love puzzles and problem solving. Escape rooms are a great way to take this learning opportunity and make it hands-on and fun for kids of all ages. If you aim to keep the puzzles simple and easy to make you’ll find that adding an escape room challenge to your classroom or home on a regular basis isn’t that challenging.

Grab a few sheets of paper for this collection of the best escape room ideas. The ideas are simple and many are twists on popular paper and pen activities, such as word searches and connect the dots, which are familiar to kids. Add a theme, or any details you want to make the puzzles even more engaging.

If you love the idea of an escape room, and want to make it even more interactive, check out Hands-On Teaching Ideas popular collection of over 40 Hands-on Escape Room Ideas at Home. Or check out a few printable escape rooms that include everything you need to play. You won’t need locks or keys, just the printables. Visit the Escape from Mystery Manor and a Free printable escape room game to play around the house.

Escape Room Set Up

A template for several of the puzzles are included as a free download at the bottom. When creating an escape room start by choosing at least five puzzles/clues that you like and then find a way to connect each one to the next.

Escape rooms can generally be set up in any room or location. Typically I suggest a one hour time limit on an escape room, but you can choose how long you want your game to run. For younger and inexperienced players you can eliminate the time limit completely.

You can add music and decorations to fit any theme. Place your first clue somewhere visible in the room for players to find and get started!

Paper Puzzles

Sometimes something as simple as a piece of paper can create amazing puzzles. For the puzzles below all you’ll need is paper and a pen, and a few other items from home, such as scissors, to create the puzzles. You can always make your puzzles more impressive by creating them on a computer, but it’s okay to keep it simple as well. Do what works best for you.

1. Word Search Paper Puzzles – Create a word search with escape room themed words, or decide on a theme for your escape room and have player find words in your word search. Once you have put all of the words into the word search fill the leftover squares with letters to spell out the location of the next clue.

2. Letter Code – Create a grid filled with letters and a page with instructions for a path for players to follow on the page. Label where to start and instruct players to move a specific number up, to the right two etc. Each time writing down the letter they stop on.

3. Mirror Image – Write a clue in reverse that players need a mirror to read. the mirror can be placed somewhere in the escape room that players must find.

4. Cut and Paste – Cut out and hide letters that players have to find and then place together to make a sentence to form a clue.

Best Escape Room Ideas

5. Strip clue – Print a clue on a sheet of paper. Cut small lines along the sides of the page and have strips of paper that players floss through the lines, line them up letter on the strip and on the paper behind, to reveal a new clue. It can either be a picture or words that appear.

6. Connect the Dots – Make a connect the dots page where players connect to create a picture or word revealing where to find their next clue. You can also leave a code word or sentence that players connect letters, not numbers, to create a picture or word.

7. Peek-a-Boo Clue – Fill a page with random words, except a few that create a sentence to reveal the next clue. Players then must find another page with a few squares cut out of it, that when laid on top reveal the next clue.

8. Origami Puzzle – Players fold a piece of paper by following a set of instructions to create a figure. Once folded, a letter or a picture is revealed.

9. Print a list of locations or items on a page and include another list of descriptions. Each description eliminates at least one of the items. Once all descriptions are read, players will be left with one location.

10. Puzzle Clue – Draw puzzle pieces and then either a picture or words on the pieces that when put together the next clue is revealed.

11. Battleship Puzzle – Create a grid with letters placed within the grid. Give players coordinates that they match up and draw lines to connect. When connected, each code will give players a letter to then unscramble and lead to the next clue.

Games for Kids

12. Short Story – Write a short story or poem and include a few random words that don’t seem to fit and are out of place within the story. These words together create the next clue.

13. Create a map of the room. Players either find directions that lead them to something specific in the room or players find another page with an X on it to match up.

14. Write a clue, words or picture and then cut the page into strips. This is easier than creating and cutting out puzzle pieces. The image below uses a printed image and popsicle sticks, but you can print words or draw a picture on strips of paper using the same idea.

Best DIY Escape Room Ideas

15. Write a short story and include a clue that tells players to read only the fifth word. These words put together create a sentence and the next clue.

16. Create a list of riddles that players have to solve. Each riddle can reveal a word that when put together gives players a sentence with the next puzzle location.

17. Print several words, but scramble the letters. Once players figure out the unscrambled words, one letter from each word is used to then unscrambled to spell out a final, special word.

18. Number Code – Match each letter of the alphabet with a number. Print a number for players to match with letters to spell out a clue.

19. Create shapes that when placed together in a certain order create a word.

20. Print a bunch of numbers and arrows all over a piece of paper. Give players instructions on how to fold the page. When folded properly a combination will be revealed. The combination can be for a lock with the next clue somewhere in the room.

Download Free Printable Escape Room Puzzles

Get started today on your escape room with these free printable puzzles. Print the puzzles and decorate based on your escape rooms theme. Create a puzzle, alphabet code, grid and more with the freebies! Creating puzzles using just paper is easy especially with free printables to get you started.

Click the box below and subscribe through Grow. When you subscribe this way the printables will immediately download and you will also unlock the other freebies on the site.

The freebies below are described in more detail in 7 DIY Escape Room Puzzles for Kids.