When I first started making escape rooms, I often found that figuring out how to get the game started was one of the hardest parts of the game. Once I started using welcome letters to introduce the game, it was easy! If you’re wanting to create your own escape room at or home, or virtually any location, you’re looking in the right place! Grab the best free escape room kit below. You’ll find various welcome letters as well as two completion certificates. Print them to get your game started!

The kit includes six welcome letters to start the game. The letters can be used for different themes, such as birthday parties, or for use in a classroom. Or you can choose a generic letter that can be used for any room and any theme. Choose any of the letters and post outside the room, give to players or place it in the room for players to find.

Whether you’re looking to bring the fun of an escape room to your home, or classroom, they are a great learning opportunity that kids won’t even realize they’re learning. They’ll work on teamwork, critical thinking skills as well as problem solving and perseverance.

Escape Room Puzzle Ideas

Once you have your welcome letter, decide on the puzzles you want to use in your escape room. You’ll find lots of ideas and examples on this site including the popular list of 40+ Escape Room Puzzle Ideas.

Once you have your printables, you can check out a DIY Escape Room for Kids that shows some ideas of how to use the printables in a full escape room game. The actual freebies featured below are used in the escape room link above.

For a few other popular escape rooms that you can check out for ideas and inspiration, visit the Best Free Escape Room for Kids and a top Free Printable Escape Room where everything is included.

Setting Up Your Escape Room

When you create an escape room there are a few things you’ll want to take into account. How old are your players and have they done escape rooms before? Depending on their experiences, you can choose to include more challenging puzzles or you can simply add more individual puzzles for kids to solve. Generally an escape room has between 5 and 10 puzzles. You can use puzzles that interest you and you already have the materials for.

You can also add music and decorations as you set up your room. A few table cloths and themed music will help bring the whole room together and add to the excitement. When choosing clues, you can choose what materials you have. If you don’t have locks, you can create your room to be lock free! Keep it simple with this kit and your choice of clues. As you make more and more escape rooms, then start adding special puzzles and materials that you purchased specifically for the escape room.

Best Free Escape Room Kit Welcome Letter

There are several welcome letters to choose from. If you are creating an escape room for a birthday or if you’re a teacher creating something special for your class, choose the welcome letter that works best for you. Keep in mind, you can always use the other letters for your second, third or fourth escape room!

Print the welcome letter that you want to use. You can stick it to the door of the room you’re creating the escape room in, or you can give it to players to signal the start of the game. Each of the printables suggest somewhere for the game to start.

One of the letters mentions to players to “burst your bubble”. If you use one of these welcome letters, your second clue, after the letter your players will search for will be a balloon with a clue inside or somehow worked into a balloon that players need to pop or burst. Some of the other welcome letters don’t lead to a second clue and keeps your game open for you to decide what your second puzzle will be.

DIY Escape Room

Once you have your welcome letter, create your other hands-on puzzles for your game. When each puzzle is solved, players will be left with a number, word, or some sort of clue that directs them to the next clue. Each puzzle will lead players to the next puzzle. You can choose to create all hands-on puzzles such as lock boxes and items to manipulate and move, or mix in some printable puzzles for players to solve.

You can be in the room as players move through the game and offer as much, or as little support as you choose to. Add your puzzles throughout the room and then place the free completion certificate in the final location.

The certificate is included in different colors. Choose the one you’d like to use for your game. Print and fill out players name. You can print a copy for each player or give one to the group. The certificate is a fun way to celebrate completing the game, and it also works as a clear message that the game is complete. You can place a small prize or treat along with the certificate.

I hope that you find this free escape room kit helps guide and inspire you to create the ultimate escape room game.

Download the Free Escape Room Kit Here

Grab your free escape room kit by subscribing to Hands-On Teaching Ideas below. Click the image and subscribe through Grow. Once you subscribe the file will download right away for you to print and save for later. When you subscribe through Grow you will also unlock all of the other freebies on this site.

Shortly after subscribing, you will receive an email with a link to the Free Resource Library. The library is filled with over 150 free printable resources. From math and phonics to full escape room games and STEM activities, the library has it all! You will also receive emails with seasonal and popular resources and freebies.