What children will learn
- Practise multiplication, percentages and shape facts
- Work through a multi-step problem in a logical order
- Check answers carefully before committing to them
You'll need
- This page printed
- A box, tin or envelope to be the 'locked box'
- A small reward to hide inside (a treat, a note or a voucher for choosing dinner)
- Pencil and scrap paper
- A timer
How to do it
- An adult hides the reward in the box and sets the scene: 'The box is locked with a 4-digit code. You have 20 minutes to escape!'
- Hand over the code sheet. Each puzzle in the top row gives one digit of the code, in order from left to right.
- Players solve each puzzle on scrap paper, then write the single-digit answer in the box underneath it.
- When all four digits are filled in, players say the code to the 'game master' (the adult). A wrong code costs one minute off the timer.
- Crack the code, open the box and debrief: which puzzle took longest, and what strategy helped?
Make it easier
Swap in puzzles such as 'Half of 12' or '3 + 4' and allow a calculator for one puzzle.
Make it harder
Write your own escape room with six puzzles and a story, then challenge the rest of the family.
Parent tip: The code is 6329. Keep two or three hint cards ready ('A hexagon has 6 sides') so nobody gets stuck long enough to lose interest.
Escape Room Code Sheet
Name: ____________________ Date: ____________
| 7 × 8 − 50 | Sides on a hexagon − 3 | Smallest prime number | 25% of 36 |
| Digit 1: | Digit 2: | Digit 3: | Digit 4: |
Solve each puzzle and write its answer under it. Read the four digits left to right to get the code. Use the bottom row for working.
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Fantastic work! Every little step helps you grow.