How to Throw the Ultimate Escape Room Party From Home

A DIY Escape Room Party Planning Guide

A DIY escape room party is a great way to celebrate an older child or tween's birthday party, or any another occasion for celebration. It can be thrown right at home and can be done even on a tight budget. 

We'll take you through each step in this party planning guide so you can throw the ultimate escape room party with custom invitations, escape room games, secret mission activities, fun themed food, and a favor bag that the kids will actually like. 

Invitations: Escape Room Thumbprint Birthday Invitation

This escape room birthday invitation features a black background and bright blue thumbprint. Send in all the party details with your order, and you'll then receive a digital file for your child's birthday party. You can print the invitations or send them along digitally to your guests. 

Escape Room Thumbprint Birthday Invitation from Elizabeth Erin Co.

Invitations: Escape the Room

Here's a free escape room party invite that's not birthday themed, but you could make it so if you'd like. You can edit all the information and then send it as a virtual invite. 

Escape the Room Invitation from Punchbowl

Games: Escape the Room: The Secret of Dr. Gravely's Retreat

Can you solve the dark secret of Dr. Gravely's "health retreat" by finding clues and solving puzzles? You're locked in and you need to solve the mystery to get out. 

This high-rated escape room game has secrete envelopes, a solution wheel, scene card, and all the instructions you'll need. It's for 3-8 players, aged 13 and up. 

Escape the Room: The Secret of Dr. Gravely's Retreat, $19.95, Amazon

Games: Exit the Game: Dead Man on the Orient Express

Take a murderous ride on the Orient Express to find the killer of someone aboard your train.This escape room in a box contains an answer wheel, suspicious objects, riddle cards, answer cards, hint cards, a rule book, and a game book. It's for ages 12 and up with 1 to 4 players. 

Exit the Game: Dead Man on the Orient Express, $12.43, Amazon

Games: Create Your Own Escape Room

Lock Paper Scissors takes you through a well thought-out tutorial on how to create your own DIY escape room, right in your own home. It takes you through the steps of coming up with the story, how to add puzzles, and how to create the game using common household items. There are plenty of examples provided. 

There's also a lot of escape room kits for purchase here, which are printable files that have printable puzzle sheets, instruction guides, invitations, and posters. They can even be customized so you can make changes for your group. 

Craft Your Own DIY Escape Room from Lock Paper Scissors

Activities: Secret Agent Photo Props

After the escape room is solved, it's time for the keepsake photo! Use this printable secret agent photo props so kids can pose and celebrate their win. 

The digital file includes a hat, glasses, question mark, bowties, editable folder, mustaches, top secret sign, suspect sign, binoculars, suspect cut out, magnifying glasses, and editable speech bubbles. 

Secret Agent Spy Photo Props from Wow Wow Meow

Activities: Crepe Paper Laser Maze

This activity would be great as a warm-up for the actual escape room or as an activity for the younger kids in the group.

Simply use red crepe paper (or string) and string it across several points in the hallway. The kids will love making their way through the maze while trying not to touch the crepe paper. 

Crepe Paper Laser Maze from It's Always Autumn

Food: Escape Room Cupcakes

Make your child's favorite flavor of cupcake and top it with some frosting before inserting these escape room cupcake toppers. 

These are 2" round cupcake toppers that you print yourself. There are toppers with keys, clocks, locks, and secret agents. 

Escape Room Cupcake Toppers from Nvites Graphic Design

Food: Escape Room Snacks

These escape room snacks are so much fun and so easy to put together. There are dynamite sticks (beef jerky), explosives (grapes), laser bullets (cheese snacks), and secret messages (fortune cookies). 

Spy Themed Secret Agent Snack Ideas from Kara's Party Ideas

Decorations: Dynamite Garland

This dynamite garland is the perfect decoration for your DIY escape room party. With only a few supplies, you can create a bundle of "dynamite" complete with a spark. String them together as shown here or lay them on their side on a table. 

Dynamite Garland from Oh Happy Day

Decorations: Crime Scene Tape

Use this crime scene tape to decorate your front door, escape room, or party table. It's lightweight and easy to hang or tie to just about anything. 

Crime Scene Tape from The Party Teacher

Favors: Personalized Escape Room Favor Bags

Send these escape room favor bags home with each party guest so they'll remember just how much fun they had. The bags can be personalized with the name of the guest of honor and you get to choose the size and print color. 

Some great ideas to include in your favor bags include fake mustaches, magnifying glasses, black sunglasses, notebooks, invisible ink pens, and chocolate coins or bars. 

Personalized Escape Room Favor Bags from K Port Gift Company