Your Journey Begins Here
You're going to prepare a magical quest of epic proportions for your kids. They'll love it! But don't worry, we'll guide you through every step of the process. You don't even have to know the answers to the puzzles, so you can join in the fun yourself!
- Print the game
- Set up the puzzle sheets
- Theme the room (optional)
- Read the players the introduction
- Enforce the 60-minute time limit (or not, your choice!)
- Announce a winner!
Download and Print the Game
First, open the PDF file from your email download link. You can print it at home or take it to a printing/xerox shop.
Print the game on standard A4 paper. It works fine on plain paper, but printing on thicker card (200 GSM Satin paper) gives it a more satisfying, ice-magic feel.
The game is designed for teams of 1-5 players. Bigger group of kids? Print extra copies and let them race each other for the finish:
- 1-5 players Print 1 copy
- 6-10 players Print 2 copies
- 11-15 players Print 3 copies
- 16-20 players Print 4 copies
Printing the Bonus Gear
Frost comes bundled with a lot of cool extra stuff to add an extra level of enchantment to your adventure: posters, props, decorations, and a Facebook event cover, all found in the Props folder of your download. None of it is required, but going the extra mile does wonders for an immersive experience.
Posters
Open the Posters PDF, found in the Posters folder. You can print just the ones you want by typing the page numbers you want when you print (see below).
Wearable Photo Booth Props
Open Props → Photo Booth Props → Photo Booth Props.pdf. Prints fine on standard paper, looks best on 200 GSM Satin paper.
Printing Just a Few Pages
Separate which posters you want to print by typing the page numbers into your print dialog, separated by commas, like the example shown.
Facebook Cover & Event Description
A themed Facebook event cover is bundled in your download so you can share the invite with everyone coming. Copy-paste the included event description below and edit the details if you'd rather not write your own.
To celebrate EVA'S 12TH birthday we're transforming our place into a magical escape room adventure. The kids will compete to see who can complete the trials of the Winter Faire first.
What to bring? Cold, innocent ice-magic is the theme of this party. So bring a little snack that reminds you of winter, Christmas, or magic.
What to wear? We're going to the Winter Faire in a world of happy fairies and friendly animals, so let your imagination run wild! Cloaks, capes, velvet gloves and the jewels of winter princesses are strongly recommended. Have fun with it!
We'd love a few parents to help support teams where needed, so we'd love you to theme up and stay for the party.
Presents: This year we're going with ADD YOUR PRESENTS OPTION HERE OR DELETE.
Crank Up Some Enchanted Frost Background Music
Nothing adds magic like the right soundtrack. We've kept the "Frozen" songs to a minimum and used the instrumental version, so play this on repeat in the background to set the mood.
▶ Open Spotify PlaylistGather Supplies
Pens
Each player needs a pen (keep spares handy, pens get lost!). Printing on satin or gloss paper? Felt-tip pens or permanent markers work better.
Tape
Clear sticky tape is useful for a couple of the puzzles. You don't need to give everyone a roll, one or two in a central spot is enough.
Scissors
Some puzzles need cutting out, so each team needs at least one pair. For younger players, consider pre-cutting the puzzles beforehand.
Place the Escape Puzzles Around Your Room
- Deliver the game sheets to your players
- Give players access to the hints page for when they're stuck
- Provide a clear space for the final snowball showdown
Give each team a room-sized area, a separate room each, or just divide them within the same space.
Place the final puzzle in a central spot in each room, so they know how many puzzles they're hunting for. Add a few decorations while you're there to theme up the room.
Add theatrics! Hide the rest of the puzzles around the room, or place them somewhere that "makes sense," like taping the gate puzzle to a door, or the cauldron puzzle to a kitchen pot.
Wait, Where Can I Find the Answers?
No worries, all of the answers to every puzzle can be found on the hints page. Your players can access this page during the game for hints and solutions, don't worry, it'll be obvious whether or not you've got the right answer, so you won't need to open the solution to double-check.
Get HintsAdd Extra Magic With These Extras
Extend The Printouts
Some puzzle answers work great with a combination padlock. Confirm the padlock fits your puzzle answer's letter or number count, then stick the puzzle on a box with a reward or another puzzle inside.
Posters and Invites
Print as many or as few as you like:
- Scene posters, for setting the mood in each room
- Victory posters, for group photos
- Invites, print or share digitally
Get Additional Props
- Stick puzzle sheets in piles of fake snow
- Add winter decorations, and turn the AC down
- Small party favours so each child goes home with something
- Frozen, fairy, or "adventure" themed wall stickers
Begin the Game
- 1Explain how escape rooms work, it's a new experience for most kids. A good hook is asking if anyone's played a digital escape room game.
- 2Read out the story intro in your most magical narrator voice. It's also on the hints page, so you can have it ready on your phone.
- 3Let each team choose a team name.
- 4Players enter their answers into the Solutions Card, each answer fits exactly into one of the boxes provided, so it's obvious once a puzzle is solved.
- 5(Optional) Teams can race with the winning team finishing first, or play this 60-minute timer video on your phone.
- 6(Optional) If a team can't finish in time, have them drink a gross "witches brew" to buy more time before you give them a hint. Make it by blending M&M's, milk, and ketchup into a smoothie, it looks gross but tastes fine, and kids love it.
- 7They'll need pens, scissors, glue/tape, and spare paper.
- 8Open the hints page on your phone so you can help your crew, and don't forget to start the theme background music.
Running It For a Classroom or Large Group
The best way to run Frost for a classroom or large party is a simultaneous race to finish first. Print a copy of the game for every 4-6 players, then:
- Split the larger group into teams of 4-6 kids racing to finish first
- Each group plays simultaneously
- Hand out the first challenge to each team, once they get it right, pass them the next one, this keeps things in order and prevents confusion
- Make a big moment out of revealing the winning team
Larger groups will need to be squeezed in a bit tighter. Give each team their own space (say, a kitchen table, two tables in a classroom, or the floor behind your couch).
Lay out the puzzle cards in a pile (or maybe a fun pattern, like a snowflake!). Place the pens, scissors, and tape within easy reach.
Make sure the players have access to the hints page on their phone (or require them to come to you for a hint).