How to Create a DIY Escape Room at Home or School: Expert Guide

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Plan the ultimate game night for kids or adults
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A professional escape room is one of the most fun activities you can do with your family or a group of friends…but what about making your own version at home? Whether you want to make an escape room for a birthday party, holiday, classroom lesson, or just a game night for the ages, we’ve got you covered with this straightforward but comprehensive guide. We’ll tell you exactly how to design and build your own escape room, with the help of escape room experts Bob Melkus and Daniel D’Onofrio. Plus, we’ll get you started with more than 29 cryptic and creative puzzle ideas to stump your players!

How do you make your own escape room game?

Choose a theme for your escape room and write a 200-word story for the room to follow. Then, create 8-15 puzzles that match your storyline and place them around the room. Make sure each puzzle connects to the others so that each clue is useful and will help players escape.

Section 1 of 6:

How to Design Your Escape Room

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  1. One of the key aspects of a great escape room is a “good story and having that ‘wow’ effect,” says Melkus. Pick a theme that’s appealing to most people in your group, advises D’Onofrio, and keep in mind what everyone will be interested and engaged in. If you’re designing an escape room for a specific reason—like a classroom lesson or a friend’s birthday party—then you may want to choose a theme related to your event. [1]
    • For instance, if your students are learning about astronomy, have a mission where they’re trying to escape the International Space Station and make their way back to Earth.
    • Or, let’s say you’ve bought your friend plane tickets to Edinburgh for their birthday. Set your game in a mysterious Scottish castle and have the final “prize” be their plane tickets!
    • Once you’ve come up with a basic idea for your theme and story, write it out on a piece of paper. Write your story with a beginning, middle, and end, says Melkus, keeping it to about 200 words in length.
    • Make sure that your story includes some challenges, twists and turns, and some element of mystery, fantasy, or suspense. Consider adding some sort of “deadline” that makes sense in the story so that the players feel more pressured to escape the room quickly.
    • Story example: While exploring the ruins of ancient Pompeii, you stumble into a secret room that’s been sealed shut for centuries. As you begin to look around the room, the door suddenly slams shut. You push against the door but realize you’re locked inside before noticing that the walls are beginning to slowly close in on you. You have 60 minutes before the walls crush you, so you have to quickly move about the room to find your way out.
  2. 2
    Create roughly 8-15 puzzles that connect to your storyline. Try to find puzzles that will match your storyline and “make sense with the theme that you’re doing,” says D’Onofrio. “If you’re doing a bank robbery scene, let’s say, doing puzzles with tennis balls or balloons doesn’t make sense with the theme that you chose. So, try to make the puzzles match the theme.” Similarly, if you have an escape room that takes place in the past (e.g., an “Escape the Disco” game set in the 1970s), avoid using modern-day technology like smartphones, Wi-Fi, or digital watches.
    • Full-length escape rooms are typically about 1 hour long with about 8-15 puzzles. You might tweak the final number based on the skill level of your players and the complexity of each of your clues.
    • Once you’ve put together your list of puzzles, organize them from easiest to most difficult. This step will help you determine if you have too many easy puzzles or too many hard ones; too easy, and the game will fly by, too difficult, and players will get frustrated.
    • “You don’t want to make it too tough where the group always has to ask for help,” adds D’Onofrio. “You want them to be able to do the whole room by themselves…, so make the puzzles solvable—not too easy and not too hard.”
    • For some of the more challenging puzzles, prepare some hints ahead of time in case players get stuck. Keep your hints short and relatively vague, rather than giving the full answer away to players. You could even create rhyming or riddle-like hints to make them more fun and cryptic.
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  3. 3
    Make a chart to plan how the puzzles connect to one another. Once you’ve come up with the types of puzzles you want, you now have to connect them together—which is one of the most crucial but time-consuming parts of building an escape room. The easiest way for most people to visualize how their clues connect is to create a chart out of all the clues on a piece of paper. Then, you can make modifications as needed—adding, removing, or tweaking clues so that they’ll effectively lead players to their final solution; escaping the room! [2]
    • Draw as many circles or squares as there are clues onto a large piece of paper—space out the shapes well. Write each clue inside a different shape.
    • Then, draw lines and arrows between any clues that connect to each other. For instance, if you have to crack a code in order to get a key that opens a safe, you’d draw an arrow leading from the code-cracking to the safe, since it’s necessary to complete that puzzle before the next one (which is the safe).
    • As you draw your chart, you have the option of creating a simultaneous game or a purely linear game. Linear games are more simple—one clue leads directly to the next, and the next, and the next, etc. In a simultaneous game, D’Onofrio explains, players can work on different challenges all at once, with each one contributing to the ultimate goal of the game.
    • Before finalizing your chart and flow of clues, make sure that no clues can be skipped. In other words, if there are any later clues that players can solve without needing the prior ones, then those previous challenges are worthless and are better changed or left out.
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Section 2 of 6:

How to Build Your Escape Room

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  1. 1
    Clear out a room or space where your game will take place. Choose a fairly spacious area in which to build your escape room —this could be a room in your home, a classroom, a backyard, or even a whole apartment! Remove any objects that are not part of the game from the room. You could leave a few random objects behind as red herrings, but if you leave too many false clues, then players will end up wasting time and become frustrated or bored. [3]
  2. 2
    Make a checklist of your puzzles and what you need for them. To keep track of all the details of your escape room and the tasks you must complete to put them together, it’s helpful to create a long to-do list of every single item you need to put together your room. If just one thing is out of place, your whole game could fall apart! Start by dividing your tasks into ahead-of-time tasks and last-minute tasks. [4]
    • “Ahead-of-time” tasks are things you can do at any time—even hours or days before your players arrive and your game is ready to be played—like creating a secret code or locking a clue in a box.
    • “Last-minute” tasks, on the other hand, must be done right before players arrive—for instance, a Morse code task done with a cell phone should be set up right before the game starts, or the cell phone battery may die before the hour is up.
    • Make sure your checklist includes every single part of your game—go puzzle by puzzle and think through everything you need to buy, collect, and do to put together that puzzle. Add everything you can think of to the list.
    • Once you’ve completed your checklist, complete each item in a timely manner leading up to the date of your final escape room!
  3. 3
    Decorate the room to create a more immersive experience. “When you go into an escape room, you want to feel like you were just in an amazing place,” explains Melkus. Try to make your game as immersive as possible so that your players really feel like they’re in the story. Play thematic music in the background. Decorate the space with posters, objects, and other pieces of decor that fit the storyline. Serve up some drinks and snacks for players to nibble on as they play. [5]
    • If you want to go the extra mile, consider sending a themed invitation to your players to invite them to the escape room party ahead of time.
    • You could even ask players to dress according to the theme—that will make your game truly immersive!
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Section 3 of 6:

29 DIY Escape Room Puzzle Ideas

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  1. 1
    Decode the Text Take two sheets of paper of equal size. On one paper, print or write out a long passage of text that’s relatively dense or nonsensical to the players. For instance, if you’re doing a Sherlock Holmes escape room, write out one of Dr. Watson’s journal entries so that it fills up the whole page. Identify words (or letters) in the text that would spell out instructions for players to find their next clue.
    • On the second piece of paper, cut small squares or rectangles that align with the “clue” words or letters in your text document.
    • When players position the second paper over the first one, each whole will reveal just one word or letter from the text underneath. Players should be able to connect these “decoded” letters to find their next clue.
  2. 2
    Invisible Ink Soak a piece of paper in water to make it wet, but not so wet that it disintegrates. Place the wet paper over a smooth surface (like a mirror). Then, take a new piece of paper and place it over the wet one. Write your secret message or clue onto the dry sheet of paper with a pencil. Then, throw away this dry paper. [6]
    • The message you wrote should make a slight imprint on the wet paper.
    • Let the wet sheet dry completely . At this point, the slight imprint should become completely invisible.
    • In order to read this message, players must put the paper underwater to reveal your clue.
  3. 3
    Blueprint Search For this clue, you must be playing your escape room in an area that has multiple connected rooms (like an apartment). Sketch out a simple floor plan of the rooms, labeling each one. Then, mark one special location with an “X.” Hide a clue in that location for your players to find.
  4. 4
    UV Lights Print out a picture or illustration that has a dark-colored background. Write your message or clue on top of it with a yellow highlighter or fluorescent marker. Hang the picture on any wall that receives a low amount of light. To make your black light, grab some clear tape and place it over the bulb of a flashlight or battery-operated lamp. Color over the tape with a blue highlighter. Then, place another piece of tape over the first one and color it again with blue highlighter. Repeat this step 5 times. [7]
    • Players must find the “black light” and shine it on your picture in order to reveal the hidden clue that you wrote in yellow highlighter.
  5. 5
    Face Recognition Print out several images that are related to your escape room, and choose one that has a clear image or portrait of a face. Then, download a face recognition app like AppLock onto your phone. Set up the app for face recognition, but use the printed face as the face that the app should recognize.
    • Players must use the app to scan the printed face so that a 4-digit code will appear on the screen. This code will lead them to their next task.
  6. 6
    Morse Code Install a Morse code app on your fully-charged smartphone. Program the app to transmit the Morse code that will unlock the next clue. Then, remove the bulb from a ceiling light in your escape room and place your phone inside it. Place a Morse code alphabet somewhere else in the room. Players must realize that the “broken light” is transmitting Morse code, then crack the code to find the next challenge. [8]
  7. 7
    Teeny Tiny Text Print one of your clues on a piece of high-quality laser printer paper—-seems basic, right? Except , you’re going to type the clue in Times New Roman font size 2. This clue will be easy for players to miss. You may want to hide a magnifying glass elsewhere in the room to help players locate and read the tiny clue.
  8. 8
    Trivia Questions If you’re making a custom escape room for students, family, friends, or loved ones, then you likely know the players very well. So, make one of your clues a trivia question that you’re sure one of your players would know the answer to. For example, let’s say you wanted players to get the digits 8743 in order to unlock a padlock and get the next clue. You might write the following questions on a piece of paper:
    • How many planets are in our solar system? (8)
    • How many members of BTS are there? (7)
    • Fill in the name of the Hugh Grant movie: ___ Weddings and a Funeral. (4)
    • How many authorly Brontë sisters were there? (3)
  9. 9
    Rubber Band Shooter Put a clue (like the code to a padlock) in a different room. Keep the door ajar so that players can see inside, but prevent it from opening to entry with a padlock and chain. In front of the clue, place a piece of paper with a bullseye on it that covers the clue. Supply the players with a bunch of rubber bands.
    • Players must shoot the bullseye paper enough times to knock it down and reveal the clue underneath.
  10. 10
    Paper Strip Puzzle Choose one of your clues that needs a code word to unlock. Write the code word in a large font on a piece of paper, then cut it into 1 inch (25 mm) strips. Hide the strips in separate spots around the room. [9]
    • Players must locate and assemble the paper strips in order to reveal the entire code word.
  11. 11
    Yarn Strips Choose a three-digit code, then find three different-colored balls of yarn (alternatively, you could use ribbon or any type of string). Assign each color of yarn to one of the digits in the code. Then, cut a piece of yarn to correspond to each digit (e.g., for code 1, 2, 3, cut out a 1-inch piece of red string, a 2-inch piece of yellow string, and a 3-inch piece of blue string). Scatter these pieces of yarn throughout the room, and hide a measuring tape somewhere as well.
    • However, players still need to know which order to put the string lengths in so they come up with the correct code.
    • In order to give them the right order, draw three colored dots on a piece of paper that correspond to your yarn colors. Draw them in the correct order, then sketch an arrow above them to show whether players should read the colors left-to-right or right-to-left. Leave this piece of paper somewhere in the room.
  12. 12
    Periodic Table For starters, make sure there’s a periodic table poster somewhere in your room. Then, identify a code word or clue solution that can be created by combining different element symbols (e.g., P-O-S-Se). Then, write out the element number for each symbol used in your word (e.g., for POSSe, the numbers are 15-8-16-34). [10]
    • To nudge players along, give them a way to connect these numbers to the periodic table. Write the numbers on a sketchpad near the periodic table poster, or color code the numbers to match the element colors shown on the table.
  13. 13
    Super Zoom Photo Choose any object in the room that you want to lead players to. Zoom in as much as possible on your camera while still preserving the details of the object, and take a picture. Print out this photo and use it elsewhere in the room as a clue. Players then have to figure out what the object in the photo is then find it in the room to receive their next clue.
  14. 14
    Pull Here Take a long piece of string. On one end, attach some sort of clue. On the other end, attach a piece of paper that reads “Pull Here.” Hide the clue-end of the string inside or under something in the room, and hide the entire string away so that only the “Pull Here” tab is sticking out in plain sight. When players pull on the tab, they’ll reveal a new clue.
  15. 15
    Magnet Fishing Fill a jar with water and mix in a few drops of food coloring, then drop a key into the bottom of the jar. Cut a small hole in the jar’s lid and secure it onto the jar with super glue or duct tape so that it’ll be impossible to remove. Place this jar somewhere in the room. Separately, attach a magnet to a string and hide it somewhere in the room. Players must first find the magnetized string in order to collect the key from inside the unopenable jar. [11]
  16. 16
    Lock Screen Change a smartphone’s lock screen (the part you can see without entering the password) to a picture of the next clue. Players must find the phone, view the lock screen, and decipher its meaning in order to move forward.
  17. 17
    Marble Run Create a marble run course out of empty paper towel rolls, plastic bowls and cups, popsicle sticks, and whatever other supplies you have. Design the run so that it has multiple possible endings—but only you know where a marble would actually end up. Label each “ending” (which could be a cup or bowl) with a number or letter. The number or letter that the marble falls into should lead players to their next task or clue.
  18. 18
    Secret Book Take an old or battered book and use a sharp knife or pair of scissors to cut a deep rectangle into the pages (without cutting into either of the covers). Hide a key or another type of clue into this rectangular hole.
  19. 19
    Bath Bomb Mix one spoonful of water at a time into a small bowl of baking soda until it forms a paste or dough-like substance. Add some food coloring to the paste and work it in your hands until the dye is evenly dispersed. Flatten your dough slightly and place one of your clues (a waterproof one, like a key) into the middle. Then, roll the dough into a ball and let it sit to dry overnight. Players must place the bath bomb in water and dissolve it in order to find the clue inside.
  20. 20
    Recordable Button Purchase a recordable button and follow the package instructions to record you saying something that will lead players to their next clue. Then, hide the recordable button in some sort of secret spot—like inside a hollowed-out book or inside the stuffing of a stuffed animal. When players push the button, they’ll be informed about their next clue. [12]
  21. 21
    Glow in the Dark Paint Use glow-in-the-dark paint to write a secret message or clue onto the walls, ceilings, or any corner of the room. The players won’t be able to see the clue while the lights are on. They must figure out how to turn off the lights in order to reveal their clue.
  22. 22
    Labyrinths Print out two copies of a fun maze puzzle from the internet. Solve the first copy yourself. Then, on the blank copy, write the letters of a coded answer along the correct path. Add random letters along the incorrect paths so that players won’t be able to tell the difference. Players must solve the maze and write down the letters along the correct route in order to come up with the correct clue.
  23. 23
    Matchboxes Use a matchbox as a way to hide your clue, since it is a “hidden-in-plain-sight” object that players may overlook until something leads them to it. You can hide clues in matchboxes in a number of ways: write information on the matches themselves, write a clue in the bottom of the box, write a clue on the inside of the cover box, put an item inside the matchbox, etc.
  24. 24
    Laser Maze Set up mirrors and laser pointers in a room to create a maze-like path, along the lines of a Mission Impossible film or heist movie. If players touch any of the lasers as they move through the room, play an alarm sound and make them start over. Set up a puzzle or important clue at the end of the maze for players to find. You could also hang up string or ribbon instead of real lasers. [13]
  25. 25
    Guess the Number Place a large amount of a small item (e.g., candies, marbles) into a transparent container. Players must count (or guesstimate) the number of items in the container in order to get the number for a lock or clue.
  26. 26
    Find the Right Key Grab a handful of ornate door keys . Attach a symbol, word, or number to each key. Use other clues to lead players to the correct key (hidden somewhere in the room) that will let them out of the game or lead them to the next clue. [14]
  27. 27
    Balloons Place a balloon somewhere in the room—this works best if the balloon wouldn’t be noticeable, such as with a birthday party or amusement park theme. However, you’ll actually place a clue inside the balloon before blowing it up, and players must pop the balloon in order to find the clue.
  28. 28
    Sealed Off Remove the lid from a container and set it aside or discard it. Place a key or clue inside the container so that it’s easily seen when looking at the container. Then, seal the opening with clear tape so that scissors are needed to get into it and reach the clue. Hide the scissors elsewhere in the room for players to find.
    • For an extra layer of challenge, lock the scissors shut with a padlock so that players must find a key before they can use the scissors.
  29. 29
    LEGO Code Create a board or print out a picture with 26 different shapes of LEGO pieces . Label each one with a letter of the alphabet. On a separate board, place LEGO pieces in a strategic order so that they “spell out” a hidden message (using the original code with the 26 shapes). [15]
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Section 4 of 6:

The Best DIY Escape Room Games for Purchase

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  1. While it’s pretty fun to design and build your own DIY escape room, it can also be a lot of work. So, consider purchasing a pre-made escape room kit that you can set up at your house (or in any space you want). Here are some of the most popular and highly-rated escape room games on Amazon:
Section 5 of 6:

How many puzzles are in a 60-minute escape room?

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  1. A 1-hour escape room typically uses 10-15 puzzles, depending on the difficulty. For a 60-minute game, 10-15 puzzles generally need to be solved in order to escape the room without going under or over the time limit. However, this number might be tweaked based on the overall difficulty of the room, as well as its design and the number of players involved. [16]
    • For instance, an escape room in the classroom might require more (but easier) puzzles so that students can move quickly from puzzle to puzzle without losing interest.
    • Including more puzzles also allows students to work in small groups, so you won’t have a situation where one student is completing the puzzles while the others hang back.
    • If you have a group of experienced adults, on the other hand, you may want to include a few more puzzles, or up the complexity of the 10-15 ideas you already have.
    EXPERT TIP

    Daniel D'Onofrio

    Escape Room Expert
    Daniel D'Onofrio, a leading Escape Room Expert and Co-Founder of Adventure Vault, has been creating fun and engaging escape room experiences in South Florida alongside his talented team for over seven years! Adventure Vault is comprised of Daniel’s brother Lucas and his sister-in-law Tamara. This close-knit trio shares a passion for crafting exciting escape rooms that everyone can enjoy, regardless of their background or previous escape room experiences. Adventure Vault is also home to a cutting-edge virtual reality arcade, showcasing the team's dedication to providing unforgettable, enjoyable adventures for all!
    Daniel D'Onofrio
    Escape Room Expert

    A 30-minute escape room is another option that requires less work. You’ll have fewer challenges for players to complete versus a 1-hour room, so you have fewer puzzles to come up with. You could also do the same number of puzzles but make everything easier.

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Section 6 of 6:

How much money do I need to start an escape room?

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  1. If you’re just building an escape room in your home, office, or classroom, you shouldn’t need to spend more than $50-$100 on supplies and decorations to put together the room. You might even be able to spend no money at all if you already have a lot of useful items and supplies at your home. If you’re going all out with decor and complex puzzles, however, you might end up spending a few hundred dollars on your elaborate game.
    • If you’re planning to start an escape room business, on the other hand, you’ll generally need to spend anywhere from $7,000 - $30,000 to open your public business. This number may vary based on the complexity of your escape rooms, the location of your business, and whether you build the rooms yourself or hire outside help. [17]
    • For Melkus’ business, they need about “$50,000 to open each game. So, if you want a location with 10 games, you need at least half a million dollars,” depending on the complexity of your rooms.

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      References

      1. ↑ https://reddoorescape.com/blog-the-process-of-designing-an-escape-room/
      2. ↑ https://reddoorescape.com/blog-the-process-of-designing-an-escape-room/
      3. ↑ https://escapely.com/how-to-make-an-escape-room/?srsltid=AfmBOopSeL-mDOozuFaRIHGumDkOJYKbFGSZRqme-6F9Ke1G4YOeIIyV
      4. ↑ https://escapely.com/how-to-make-an-escape-room/?srsltid=AfmBOopSeL-mDOozuFaRIHGumDkOJYKbFGSZRqme-6F9Ke1G4YOeIIyV
      5. ↑ https://escapely.com/how-to-make-an-escape-room/?srsltid=AfmBOopSeL-mDOozuFaRIHGumDkOJYKbFGSZRqme-6F9Ke1G4YOeIIyV
      6. ↑ https://www.sciencebuddies.org/stem-activities/invisible-ink
      7. ↑ https://www.trapdoorescape.com/escape-room-puzzles/
      8. ↑ https://www.trapdoorescape.com/escape-room-puzzles/
      9. ↑ https://researchparent.com/number-strip-puzzles/
      1. ↑ https://www.yourmysteryparty.com/periodictable
      2. ↑ https://www.trapdoorescape.com/escape-room-puzzles/
      3. ↑ https://www.trapdoorescape.com/escape-room-puzzles/
      4. ↑ https://mcm.org/diy-laser-maze/
      5. ↑ https://www.trapdoorescape.com/escape-room-puzzles/
      6. ↑ https://frugalfun4boys.com/lego-secret-codes/
      7. ↑ https://lostgameslv.com/2023/04/04/the-ultimate-guide-to-escape-room-puzzzles/
      8. ↑ https://www.joinhomebase.com/blog/escape-room-business

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