Are Escape Rooms Good For Kids? We Visited The Bureau to Find Out
It may seem like the summer months can also be spoiled by daily rainstorms in Orlando and sweltering heat. The good news is, there are plenty of great indoor activities to be found in Orlando for kids.
Often considered an adult’s playground for meetups and work events, visiting an escape room is a rewarding and challenging activity to be shared with friends, new and old. We were curious though, are escape rooms good for kids? We checked out The Bureau on International Drive to investigate.
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The Bureau Adventure Games | Escape Rooms
What to Expect
We chose to participate in the Puppet Heist, “The Hand of Life” challenge. With a puppet sidekick in tow, you have 60 minutes to steal the ancient relic (a la Indiana Jones, if I do say so myself) and figure out how to exit the room a victor.
The fun begins in finding the speakeasy-style entrance to a Travel Bureau tucked away on I-Drive near Fun Spot.
Once you locate the entrance, you will need to sign some waivers and if you get there early enough, you’ll have time to grab a canned beverage at the lounge.
For the next hour, you and your fellow “operatives” will be met with a storyline and puzzles in order to steal the “Hand of Life” with your puppet team. You are part of the heist!
Difficulty
The ultimate question is – could a kid participate in the escape room fun and be able to grasp the concepts? The answer, thankfully, is absolutely!
Although we finished our challenge with only 6 seconds to spare (and one uber-helpful last-minute hint from the Game Makers), the truth is that the experience we had (with four adults) would have absolutely been enhanced with the mind of a child.
The escape rooms are often designed with children in mind, where clues, buttons, levers, and next steps are within easy reach of short-statured kiddos. I stumbled on many things from a low-to-the-ground mindset that children would have found a lot sooner!
Another interesting concept is that adults are hardwired to think, “don’t touch that, there may be a consequence”. Kids will pull wires and plugs and basically touch everything, bolted down or not, which would have been a big time saver for us, because they are not wired to assume danger or punishment will follow.
In other words, adults box themselves in with rules, when the whole idea of escape rooms is to abandon the rules and use critical thinking outside the box.
Ultimately: having a kid with you will bring a more innocent mindset to the game, and add an extra advantage!
How fun is it?
My operative team couldn’t stop talking about the game for another several hours after we left. From start to finish, even just pulling into the parking lot, we had a great time deciphering what was real and what was part of the game.
The sets were designed so cleverly, as if straight from a movie, and the storylines are brilliant.
Fun factor is an easy 10/10, and I’d recommend this experience to everyone.
Fear factor
For the puppet heist, there isn’t anything to fear, and my 4-year-old would have probably been an asset to have in the room, had I brought her along. With puppet sidekicks and only minimally creepy themes (like mummies and skulls) the whole room was obviously made to be family-friendly.
Our host, the Bureau’s CEO Alexis Santos, was gracious and extremely welcoming, and we got to peek inside the other available experiences/rooms.
Here’s a little about what we learned:
6 Missions to Choose From:
- Robot Rebellion: Great for gamers, this amazing escape room has multiple rooms to unlock and discover. Prepare for crawling through tunnels, mastering software, and getting out before the clock runs down.
- UFO: Go for Launch: Another family-friendly room, this one has one of the coolest sets if you are into aliens and the paranormal!
- Puppet Heist: The Hand of Life: A notorious mob boss has hired The Bureau to carry out a high-stakes mission: steal the ancient relic known as the Hand of Life
- Lab at Loch Ness: people were playing this one, so we didn’t get a glimpse. I’m assured it is good for older children! The teams get split up in the beginning, with communication being paramount, so this room may be more difficult for younger kids.
- Dr. Braingood: one of the highest recommended rooms for kids (other than puppet heist), your mission awaits with lighthearted theming and puzzles reachable at kid heights.
- Possession at Haddon Heights: The ultimate creepy zone, even I wouldn’t dare locking myself in this escape room. Only the oldest teens and adults are advised for this one, due to its scary themes in an abandoned school. Enter if you dare!
Fine Print
- Note that children will need waivers signed by a parent or guardian (these can be completed online in advance), and must be accompanied by a paying adult if they are under 15 years old.
- Children under 8 years old are free! (Consider the level of the challenge and fear factor of the mission before booking).
- Add Beer, wine or soda packages during checkout for a discount
Overall
What an incredible experience to share with visiting family, for special occasions, or just a fun day out. I 100% believe that children would not only feel welcome at escape rooms like at the Bureau, but they would be engaged, challenged, and empowered to solve puzzles and think outside the box.
Themes of communication and collaboration are huge, and lessons will easily be learned from this experience. Don’t hesitate to book your room soon at The Bureau.
Underground Game Show
Also at the Bureau, discover their newest offering – a live game show experience! What fun for a birthday party, work event, or other outing with friends. Participate in trivia, relay races, games, and challenges against your opponents to earn ultimate bragging rights as the game winners!
Suitable for ages 8 and up, kids need a paying adult to join the fun under 13, and under 18 needs a parent or guardian to sign a waiver.
For added fun after your escape room event, take the kids over to Sonic Drive-In across the street for some old-fashioned eats in a car hop-style setting.
Other Orlando Escape Rooms Good for Kids:
Great for smaller outings with your kids, summer birthdays, scout trips and more!
Escapology Kids Mode
Escapology, 11951 International Dr c3, Orlando, FL 32821
For players ages 7-14
This spot offers some seriously cool themes for escape rooms, including Star Trek themed ones for the adults. Needless to say, my trekky husband and I have our interests piqued. Browsing their website to book my own out of this world adventure, I found their special offering for children ages 7-14 called “Kids Mode”.
Choose to play with your kids in a normal game play mode, or let them be their own sleuths in a kid’s only adventure.
The kids’ mode allows them to talk to the Game Masters through walkie talkies, as they solve puzzles and try to escape by finding clues.
Great Escape Universal Orlando
Universal Citywalk
Kids and family members of all ages are invited to enjoy one of two immersive escape room experiences at Universal Citywalk, including a Back to the Future theme and/or a Jurassic Park theme. The familiar movie themes will amplify the already top-notch sets, since Universal will be your host.
Be aware that Jurassic Park may have scarier themes for younger children.
Your Universal’s Great Movie Escape ticket includes complimentary regular self-parking at Universal Orlando’s parking garage for the same date as ticket (one (1) vehicle per ticket).
Escape Hatch Orlando
5718 Irlo Bronson Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34746
The Escape Hatch has two games suitable for all ages, including “Exit Protocol” and “Bubba’s Basement Bargains: A Pawn Shop Heist”. Others start at age 10 or 13, depending on the game.
Kids under 4 are free! Puzzles in the rooms are often best suited for children over 7 to help with, but the young ones can have a great time too!
Tips on Visiting Escape Rooms with Kids
The folks over at the Escape Hatch came up with a great writeup on how to best engage children in escape rooms, which highlights things like:
- Giving them a job to do
- Let them open locks and enter codes
- Assign them something to search for
- Let them hold the flashlight or other props
And parents, be patient with the kiddos – they want to have fun too! Just keep an eye on the kids and monitor what they’re up to – they might just be the key to solving the puzzles before the adults ever figure it out!
Keep in mind that you are being watched and monitored the entire time (and listened to as well), so keep it clean, keep it safe, and keep it fun! There is always an exit door (not locked) if anyone needs to leave at any time, for any reason.
I know what I’ll be doing this summer with my niece and nephew – visiting The Bureau for more escape room fun!
The Bureau Escape Room (and new Game Show)
5400 International Dr. Suite B, Orlando, FL 32819
Just off I-4 Kirkman Road Exit
Look for the “travel bureau” sign and the big B on the side of the building.
