How old should a child be to be part of an escape room session?This is an excellent question posed by thoughtful parents and adults, and is one of the most frequently asked. First, there is nothing in our escape rooms that are scary – no jumping aliens or zombies. There are “surprises” in our rooms, but so far everyone has responded with laughter, not fear!
We have observed children as young as six participate in an escape session, but that statement needs some context.
The six year old in question was playing in our “Out of the Box” escape which, among it’s many charms, has lots of manipulable items that shake, rattle and roll. Young Miss A did not necessarily solve any puzzles in the escape room, but because Papa was right there and other players were attentive she passed on a trip to get ice cream to continue playing. We conclude that with children in the 6 to 10 range, the adults or older siblings can really help their younger charges have fun.
From age 10 to about 14, adult supervised play in an escape room works out very well. Scout troops, youth groups and sports teams enjoy the excitement of our escape rooms with an attentive adult to guide them and to keep the – ahem – excesses of their age in check. Most of the kids we see play get a real charge out of cracking the code for a lock and discovering what is inside.
The challenge is that at this age frustration can set in much faster than with adults and the group can become “hint dependent” which can slow down the flow of fun in an escape room. Our puzzlemasters are skilled at giving nudges in the right direction, but the adult in attendance can enhance the experience by providing encouragement and guidance rather than depend too much on hints.
Groups of young men, young women or mixed groups have a great deal of fun in escape rooms. We want to have at least one 18 year old or older as part of the group.
If you have any additional questions, please give us a call – otherwise we look forward to your visit!
