Safe at Home: Halloween Fun

Halloween Escape the Room

This is the materials list, set up, and story that I created for our Halloween game. I spent around $20 on materials and it took around 1 hour to prepare all of the clues.

I will be able to post pictures after we try it out on Saturday! 


Materials needed:
  • Paper: directions for what needs to be on each paper is listed below

  • Writing utensils

  • 3 stickers

  • Analogue clock

  • 6 Balloons, multicolor

  • 1 pair Scissors 

  • 1 Lock and key

  • 1 Bike Lock with 3 numbers

  • Duct tape

  • 1 zip lock bag

  • Cryptogram with the answer "where is the door?" I used a free online cryptogram creator to make mine. 

  • Tape

  • A small box (large enough to hold a bottle of chocolate syrup)

  • A bottle of chocolate syrup, add fake label "Cough Syrup,  to stop coffins"

  • String 

  • Craft sticks

  • A blank jigsaw puzzle: you can buy then at the craft store or just cut paper into puzzle shapes after you draw the clue on it

  • 1 guitar: if you don't have a similar item, change the clue in step #6 to an item you have at home. It needs to be something that a string can be pulled put of

  • A few items to have on the table that are unused, just a distraction

To get ready:

  • The first clue gets crumpled up and you need to put it in your pocket. After you read them the story, you will need to give them the paper with the first clue on it.

  • Put a sticker on an analogue clock - sticker needs to be next to 1, 5, 8 (if you don’t have an analog clock, just print one and hang it up on the fridge)

  • Tape the balloons on the door and their coordinating color code paper underneath

  • Tape the zip lock with color by cryptogram under the table

  • Put the Key wrapped in wrapping paper into one of your children’s shoes

  • Place the materials below on the table.

Materials that should be placed on the dining table:

  • Door box with padlock on it (the answer to the escape the room is inside the door! shhh!)

  • Paper with picture key (scissors, plunger, spoon)

  • Scissors with a padlock on it

  • Things to distract: A spoon, a pen, a pencil, a sock, some Lego, a calculator

  • Duct taped package (popsicle sticks are inside)

  • A jigsaw puzzle

  • Children’s guitar/uke with String with a message attached to the end.


  1. Read this story to set the scene:


“One dark and stormy night, Mr. Rupert Rutherford was walking home. His path happened to go by a cemetery. Even though he was frightened, there was no other way to get to his house. He thought he heard something and began to walk a bit faster. There was a crack of thunder and he started walking very fast. Then he heard it.


BUMP.

BUMP.

BUMP.


He looked at the cemetery and he saw a coffin standing up in the grass.


BUMP.

BUMP.

BUMP.


The coffin was closer to him! He started running towards his house, but he wasn’t scared. He knew exactly what to do to make the coffin go away. The entire time he ran home he heard BUMP, BUMP, BUMP. He got to the door, but it was locked! Oh no! He reaches into his pocket and the only thing that he has is a piece of paper. 


Help Mr. Rutherford open the door and get what he needs to make the coffin go away.”


  1. Show them the Door with a lock on it and give them the piece of paper from his pocket.

On the paper: anagram. Kids need to use first letters to know where to look next.

C candy

L ollipops

O ctober

C ackle

K eep


  1. On the clock: Add a sticker on the numbers 1, 5, 8. The paper with a picture key can be on the table. They need to find the scissors.

158 picture of scissors    

294 picture of spoon        

948 picture of plunger


  1. Have a pair of scissors on the table, put the padlock with the number combo on it so that they cannot open the scissors. 

    Put the package covered in duct tape next to the scissors. 

    They need to find the code for the padlock.


  1. The code for the padlock is in the jigsaw puzzle. They need to put the puzzle together, then use those numbers to open the padlock on the scissors.


  1. They have to cut open the package wrapped in duct tape. There are popsicle sticks inside. They need to assemble the puzzle, then follow the instructions to go to the guitar.


  1. There is a string wrapped around the guitar strings. They need to pull that string out. They need to read the message taped to the end of the string.

There is a picture of bubble gum saying “I hate being stuck to the bottom of the table!”

    They need to look under the table.


  1. Taped to the bottom of the table: a cryptogram in a zip lock. 

They need to solve the puzzle. They will have to go to a door


  1. There will be balloons taped to the door. The balloons have pieces of paper inside of them. There will be a piece of paper under the door with color coded fill in the blanks. 

They will have to pop the balloons in order and put the pieces of paper in order. 

The papers will say “Check Your Shoes”


  1. The key will be wrapped in wrapping paper and in one of the kid’s shoes.

They need to open it and unlock the lock holding the door closed. 

The item to make the coffin go away is inside the box.


When they open the door, there will be a bottle of chocolate syrup inside, with a fake label that says “cough syrup.” The cough syrup makes the coffin (coughing) go away.

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