Digital Escape Room using iPads

Here are three different options for creating a digital escape room for your students, along with options for adding in some hands-on puzzles to make it even more fun and engaging.

Each option is designed to work with an iPad, but they should work with any device that can access the Slides, Forms and/or Keynote apps.

Option 1: Using Keynote

Option 2: Using Google Sites and Forms

A shout-out to my SMS building Technology Integration Coach Lyndy Levan for sharing her directions for using google forms, which I have posted above.

Option 3: Google Slides

A shout-out to Paige Wheeler, Program Specialist at the STEM Outreach Center, NMSU for the template that I used in creating my version in the Google Slides post above.

Ideas for incorporating hands-on clues/puzzles:

• locked objects like boxes, double zipper backpacks, or journals with a clue hidden inside.
• Riddles to find keys or other important items
• A worksheet or digital document for recording answers
• simple math to find a code
• counting the number of objects in a room or space to find a code
• a cypher and coded message

I ran my escape room in the library, so the kids were not as familiar with the space and I had more room for them to move around. You could use the hallways, cafeteria, courtyard or even just stick to your classroom.

If you are going to try the hands-on puzzles with a large class, you may want to run two different games so they're not tripping all over each other for each clue.

One important note: If this is a class activity, you'll want to make sure that the content takes center stage and that students learn (or review) the concepts that you want them to learn without getting too wrapped up in the puzzles.

Please comment below if you have any other tips or tricks that you learn doing similar activities. I'd love to hear how your game goes.

Happy Escaping!

Kristin Davis

Librarian, Social Studies Teacher and Apple Learning Coach

Susquenita School District