Birthday Parties

Escape room

My daughter just turned 14 and I honestly ran out of birthday ideas. I have been doing this every single year. We really did every idea out there and for a teenager, it is very hard to find good ideas. I like my parties to be interactive and the kids are doing something. My daughter loves puzzles and we went to couple of escape rooms before. I looked online to find escape room parties I can purchase and do at home but all I found was for six people. She normally has from 20-25 girls. So, I decided to do my own. I used my family room/ kitchen area. The door they needed to unlock was to the back yard.

This was my invitation and it was an inspiration for the decorations as well.

You have been kidnapped!!!

The last thing you remember, you and your friends were having a great time soaring over California. But now, you have all woken up in a strange room. You have one hour before the masked kidnapper comes back and crosses you off his list of victims. Can you unlock the clues and escape the room?

Clue 1:

I am two-faced, but bear one head. Kidnappers spill blood for me and make you dead.

Answer: Money. I used a lock with numbers and put a key inside. The key will unlock a box with another clue. I used an old pencil case from the kids.

When they unlocked the lock, the key opened a box with another clue.

Clue 2:

I have keys but no locks.

I have feet but no socks.

Answer: piano.

I hid a note behind the piano.

Clue 3: The note was a magazine cut pieces letters and it said:

I have kidnapped all the kids. I need 50 million dollars for me, another 50 million dollars for my partner and no one gets hurt.

That clue was lock # 5050

The lock unlocked a box with hieroglyphic symbols and a sheet with the symbols and letters. I used one of the kids old boxes.

Clue 4: What travels around the world while staying in the corner? Written in hieroglyphic and they converted the letters to get the answer.

Answer: Stamp.

This opened a round lock. Inside it, was another clue.

Clue 5: Up you’ll climb to your next destination. Now find the shelf full of books, for more information.(Highlight words in the book).

Word was: desk. I hid another clue under the desk.

Clue 6: Read between the lines and work together. You must have spy eyes to read this message.

The invisible clue between the lines said:

I am a three letter word. Add two more letters and you'll have fewer. What word am I?

The answer is: few
They needed to use the magic light to see the hidden message. I hid those invisible ink pens between regular pens and pencils on the table.

Clue 7: this opened a different lock. Inside was yarn pieces. They used the yarn on a board to get the next lock code. #0122. (which is my daughter's birthday).

Clue 8: The lock unlocked a box that has a picture cut in to pieces. They needed to put it together to get the next clue. The picture was of a frame we have" Amazing Grace". I actually made it a little bit harder and used the musical notes for it.

Clue 9: I hid another clue behind the frame " Amazing Grace". It said:

The kidnapper’s house is full of secrets hidden in plain sight. This list found seems to be just a common shopping list. Knowing any kidnapper, there is more to this list than meets the eye. There is a code word hidden in this list. Can you find the word that may help you to escape this room?

The shopping list was lying around on a table in the room.

Clue 10: shopping list had a groceries list and the hidden word was kitchen. It is the first letter of each word.

I hid another clue in the kitchen.

Clue 11: sign language code. They have to figure out what it says. It will say “rug”.

A note will be under the rug. The note says:

I’m a common household item

As I am found in every room
Flick a switch, my filament glows
I dispel darkness and gloom

Clue 12: you have to read the note using a mirror. The note led them to the key that opened the back door.

Here are the girls unlocking the back door.

Everyone enjoyed playing. Some clues were easy and some, I had to give them hints. I purchased all the locks and supplies for the game from Amazon. It costed around $50.00.

Here are some pictures of the rest of the party.

I gave floral headband to each girl

Invitation:

I got the idea of the invitation from pinterest. Two card stocks and i used publisher to do this invite. Ribbon and cake pop sticks were purchased from Walmart.

The invite says:

Candy canes, gumdrops

And lollipops galore

You’ll love what

we have in store.

We think it will be just grand

If you come celebrated

Anna's 10th birthday in

CANDYLAND

The address, time and date was at the back.

Here is the back card stock. Feel free to download it and use it.

I always like to do something in the entrance. So i made this sign and everyone thought it is really cute.

The stickers for the letters were purchased. Then i added my daughter's picture and created a lollipop. I played on words. Instead of "Welcome to Candyland". I did "Welcome to Anna land" , my daughter's nick name.

There were different colors of card stock all the way to the door and lollipops made of pool noodles.

The yard:

I wanted little figurines from candyland to be on my tables but i couldn't find them and what i found was too expensive. So i decided to make them. I purchased Styrofoam balls from walmart, cut them in half and painted them different colors. Then I downloaded pictures of all the characters. Used paint-shop to print them, one regular and one like a mirror . Print, cut, hot glued them with a BBQ skewer in between.

What's around the tables is just a candyland banner.

I also added a small candy bar.

Those candy decorations were made of pool noodles and wrapped with tissue papers. Logos were printed, cut and glued.

I did a real candyland game used different colors of card stock. The dice was made of a box and used the same card stock , cut and glued on the box.

Peppermint Forest:

Those were made of also pool noodles from the dollar store, duct tape from Home Depot and the curve was secured with fishing pole. The circles were stickers taped on thick card board and cut. All were secured in the ground with BBQ skewers.

Lollipop woods:

Also made of pool noodles, duck tape around it. Then hot glued it. The stick is a dowel from Home depot and i sprayed it white. Then i wrapped it with cellophane and put a bow.

Gumdrop Mountains:

The big ones are made of thick card board. The small ones are sand bucks and sprayed with silver glitter.

All signs are printed, glued on thick card board and cut.