Many years ago I visited my first escape room. It was a blast! After telling my kids about it, they wanted to try one out. However, most escape rooms aren’t geared towards younger kids. They’re too challenging and often the themes are not kid friendly, so I created our own escape room game. Using materials from around the house, I was able to create puzzles that my kids loved and worked well for a DIY escape room. Over time, escape rooms became a common family activity and I started created themed ones to use for holidays, seasons and special occasions. I now have a collection of 19 Best Year Round Escape Room Ideas.

The ideas range from Christmas themed, and other holidays to seasonal escape rooms and even birthday themed. There are lots of ideas for just about every event and month. Escape rooms are a great way to share hands-on and screen-free fun that kids will love and they’re easy to create.

Most of the escape rooms below include printable puzzles that you can print to help make set up easy. You will also find that there are a lot of free resources included within each of the links. To access the freebies, click the images below and it will take you to each escape room idea.

If you love these ideas, or are looking for even more ideas, check out the popular collection of 40+ Escape Room Ideas or a Free Printable Escape Room Game to play at home.

If you are looking for even more holiday fun and learning, make sure to check out 13 Best Holiday STEM Challenges. You’ll find lots of hands-on building challenges and lots of free task cards for the activities.

Best Year Round Escape Room Ideas

Kick the new year off right, with a free New Years Eve Escape Room this game is perfect to play at home. Easily set the puzzles up around the house in a matter of minutes with the free printable puzzles. This game is perfect for kids or for groups. Another great idea is to play with others not in your home. Everyone can set it up in their house and everyone plays in their own home at the same time. This is a great option as a way to celebrate when you can’t be together.

When it’s too cold to be outside and you’re looking for a cozy indoor game, grab a copy of this Winter Escape Room Printable Game. Print and set up at home as you enjoy some hot chocolate. This winter themed game is great for elementary school kids and tweens.

You can prepare this game and play outside. When I did this game with small groups at school, we played outside in the winter and used snow to conceal some of the clues. It was a great way to celebrate winter! This game is printable and includes some math and language skills so perfect for young kids and as an educational activity. Winter Escape Room Game

Valentine’s Day Escape Room

Let kids in on some of the Valentine’s Day fun with a Printable Valentine’s Day Escape Room. The game can be set up around the house and includes adorable pictures that kids will love. Include a small chocolate treat at the end for players to find as they complete the game.

If you like the idea of an escape room for Valentine’s Day, but want to make it more hands-on this Valentine’s Day Escape Room Game is the perfect choice! The game includes a science experiment and scratch off clues, to name a few of the popular clues. Click the image for ideas to use this Valentine’s Day.

Year Round Escape Room Ideas for Kids

This is one of my favorite escape rooms! Everything is St. Patrick’s Day themed and colorful and fun! The game includes everything from rainbows to gold coins. Find some glowing clues and may St. Patty’s day special for kids. DIY St. Patrick’s Day Escape Room

As the weather gets warmer and flowers start to grow, plan a special Spring Escape Room Game that can be played outdoors. This spring themed escape room game is also perfect for Easter.

This Summer Escape Room Game includes everything that kids love about summer – sand boxes, water balloons and even super soakers. Print the puzzles and set up your game in your backyard or somewhere kids can get wet!

Escape Rooms to Try in the Classroom

After I saw how much fun my own kids had with our DIY escape room, I wanted to bring the fun to my classroom. The twist was, I needed the puzzles to be educational and focus on things we were learning in class. This Easy Classroom Escape Room is simple for teachers to set up. You can even use it as a fun way to review for a test. Each question, such as a review questions, leads to a lock being unlocked. Once all of the questions have been properly solved, the box is opened and the prize is revealed!

Go on a tour throughout the school as children find and solve puzzles. This is a great activity to do at the beginning of the year to explore the school with this School Escape Room Game (Printable).

Halloween and Fall Activities

I love everything about fall and it’s a great time to create an escape room Make Your Own Escape Room for Fall. Make hands-on puzzles for this leaf and pumpkin filled game.

If you want something simpler for fall, grab a copy of the printable Fall + Halloween Escape Room Game. Print and play for a challenging, but not spooky game.

If you have a party planned for Halloween, channel the excitement during Halloween with this: Make a Halloween Escape Room game that includes clues that are a little bit spooky and very hands-on.

When family visiting during Thanksgiving, plan something special for the family, or even just the kid’s table with a Free Printable Thanksgiving Escape Room Game.

Christmas Family Games

Christmas is always a time for creating memories and time together as a family. Create this DIY Christmas Escape Room Game that’s filled with everything Christmas.

If you just want to quick and easy game to set up around the house this Christmas, print this Free Printable Christmas Escape Room. It’s easy to set up and all of it is free. You don’t need any other special materials or puzzles.

Try playing an escape room game together as a family as you sit around a table together for this Printable Christmas Escape Room.

Best Year Round Escape Room Ideas

As you look ahead each you, you can’t forget birthdays and parties! Create a Birthday Party Escape Room Game. A whole group can work together or challenge the birthday child. A treasure chest of treat bags is a great final prize once all puzzles are solved.

Another option for a birthday is the printable Party Time Escape Room Printable Game. Print the games and include as party of your party, or make your child’s special day even more memorable with a printable escape room game.

I hope that these ideas will give you lots of inspiration throughout the year when you’re looking for something special to do with friends or family. Some of the games are quick and easy to set up and others are more interactive with hands-on puzzles. Choose a game that you think your group will be interested in for the ultimate activity.

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Access Many of the Printables Featured Above

Grab you copies of many of the free printables featured above. You can either click each of the images above, with the descriptions, to view the full activity descriptions and grab the free printables for the individual escape rooms. You can also subscribe and view the Free Resource Library. Within the library you will be able to see and access all of the free printables. Click the box below and subscribe to Hands On Teaching Ideas through Grow.

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