Escape rooms are enjoyed by people of all ages, in groups large and small. We have noticed, however, in the larger groups there are usually three different types of players:

Enthusiast - they’ve played at least one escape room, perhaps a hundred, before and loved it. This person is the reason the rest of the group is participating in this particular activity.

Soon-To-Be Enthusiast - the type of person who enjoys puzzles and themed attractions, but has simply never tried an escape room before. This is the start of something wonderful for them.

Along For The Ride - probably not the sort of person who would ever choose an escape room if they were the one doing the planning, but they are more than happy to attend because they are there to spend time with the group.

Which one are you? What’s great about escape rooms is that there really is something for everyone. At ESCAPE! Alaska, we include a variety of types and difficulties of puzzles in each room, so there’s usually something that anyone can help with. If you’re the Enthusiest or Soon-To-Be, here are a few things you can do to help the Along For The Ride folks enjoy the experience even more.

Communicate - Communication is always important in escape rooms, but even moreso when you have new players. Let them know what you’ve found, what it means, and if there’s something they could help keep an eye out for. This doesn’t task them with something they may not be comfortable doing (like solving a puzzle), rather it’s something we can all do: look for stuff.

Include Them - When you find a puzzle and start working on it, it’s a rush to see it come together and then eventually solve it, but this is a good time to bring in someone who is Along For The Ride, if nothing else, letting them watch the puzzle-solving process. There’s always the chance, though, that they see something you did not. Extra eyes can be helpful!

Show Them What They Miss - If they weren’t nearby when something was solved, offer to show them how it came together and what the solution does for the group. This keeps them from feeling like they’re completely in the dark while everyone runs around in front of them playing a game they don’t quite follow.

At the end of the game, win or lose, every team should have fun and accomplish something in the room, but most important of all, they will have done it together, which was kinda the whole point to begin with.