Not only are escape rooms becoming more popular, they are a great place to have a birthday party! Why you ask? Don’t worry, I’m here to tell you all about why Timed Out is the next place to book a party. In my other blog, “Why Children Love Escape Rooms”, you can see all the reasons that the kids we have had enjoy Timed Out and escape rooms in general.
What age is good for escape room parties?
We find that kids of virtually any age enjoy escape rooms, but for a birthday party our general rule is:
Ages 11 and under require at least one adult in the room
Ages 12 and up can take on the room without parental supervision
The reason for this is because some of our puzzles may be a bit too complicated, or challenging to manipulate physically, for younger guests. Also, they are kids, so 12 is about the point when they start becoming a bit more mature – and less likely to need in-room supervision to ensure the escape room doesn’t evolve into a wrestling match. They’re just rowdy at a young age. I mean can you imagine trying to corral seven 9-yr olds while watching a room away – yeah, not a pretty sight…
How many guests can my child bring? 
It depends on each room.
For our room West, we generally recommend no more than 7, possibly 8 kids.
For Illusion or Precinct, we generally recommend a max of 10 or 11.
If you have a larger party, we can split your group into separate rooms and align the start times for the rooms. Some groups take it as a competition to see who can get out the fastest!
What room do you recommend for a certain age group?
For younger groups, ages 12 and under, we suggest West. West takes you back to 1905 in the old West, complete with outlaws, a saloon, and cowboy hats. It is our easiest room but is still challenging. Age groups that need parental supervision in the room would definitely like this room. However, any other age group, including teens, really like this room as well.
For young teens, ages 12-15, we recommend Illusion. Illusion is a magic themed room and some of the puzzles are actually real magic props used by magicians. This room is more challenging than West, but not as difficult as Precinct. Since it is more challenging, it is great for people who have done a few escape rooms. For older teens that do not have a lot of experience, this is a tough room, but which teen isn’t up for a challenge?!
For teenagers (and adults) that have some escape room experience, we suggest Precinct. Precinct takes place in an abandoned former police station where 3 police officers have gone missing. It is your job to figure out what happened to them! This is our hardest room – some have commented that it is one of the hardest in Charlotte! It features a number of puzzles, many of which require analytical skills to solve. While this makes Precinct great for teens or adults who like a challenge and have a few escape rooms under their belt, this room is not suggested for younger kids as a lot of the puzzles might be too difficult.
Can I have my cake and eat it too?
Well, unfortunately, not from us – we don’t offer cakes. However, we have a big lobby and lots of tables, and you are welcome to bring in cake or other snacks – and gifts – for the party! We’ll do our best to accommodate your wishes for your little one and their big day!
Do you offer a birthday discount?
We don’t have a discount for birthdays, but we do give the guest of honor a Timed Out T-shirt for allowing us to help them celebrate their birthday. If you have a sibling or guest under 10 years old, they can join the fun free of charge (but will require adult supervision).
Can they wear costumes? 
Of course they can wear costumes! We even recommend it, so everyone is more immersed in the escape room fun!
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Our goal is to ensure your son or daughter has a special and memorable day for their birthday celebration. We have many parties, and our team does a great job to ensure the teams love each one. Call us at Timed Out and we’ll be happy to help you make a memory!