Unlock the Fun 2.0: Playtest a New Transferable Escape Room Template
Lead Author: David Anderson
Additional authors: Isabel Murillo Cabeza, Davina Bird
Timetable: ,
Description:
Join us for an energetic, hands-on session where you’ll playtest a newly developed educational escape room starter pack, co-created between the University of Bristol and the University of Lincoln. Building on last year’s Unlock the Fun workshop, this session introduces a simplified, templated approach designed to help educators get started quickly and confidently.
Designed as an accessible entry point, the Unlock the Fun starter pack demonstrates how an escape room can be designed in under 10 minutes using a small set of structured, reusable components. Participants will rotate through interactive stations to build their own “Into the Woods” themed escape room—picking, sticking, drawing, and assembling puzzle elements.
Alongside the play experience, we will explore how this starter approach introduces the core mechanics underpinning full escape room designs, helping participants understand how puzzles are structured, how they connect, and how they can be adapted to different disciplinary contexts. The session also highlights how template-based design can significantly reduce the time, cost, and complexity typically associated with playful learning activities.
Whether you are new to playful learning or looking for efficient ways to scale your practice, you will leave with a practical starter guide, adaptable design strategies, and a clear pathway from quick-build activities to fully developed escape room experiences.
Come ready to play, create, and imagine what you and your students might discover.
References, web links and other resources:
Anderson, D. & Bird, D. (forthcoming) Unlock the Fun: Designing Educational Escape Rooms. Journal of Play in Adulthood
Bird, D. & Anderson, D. (Due September 2026) Chapter: Innovative Pedagogies for Transformative Education in Doing Pedagogy Creatively. Routledge: London.
Morris, J. (2020) Escape Rooms in Education: A Practical Guide
DICE Cafe Blog (29th June, 2025) Educational Escape Rooms: A Playful Route into Deeper Learning
– Link: https://dicecafe.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/2025/06/29/educational-escape-rooms-a-playful-route-into-deeper-learning/
Forthcoming links – DICE Cafe blog link to resources for 2.0 versions
Unlock the Fun 2.0: Playtest a New Transferable Escape Room Template
Lead Author: David Anderson
Additional authors: Isabel Murillo Cabeza, Davina Bird
Timetable: ,
Description:
Join us for an energetic, hands-on session where you’ll playtest a newly developed educational escape room starter pack, co-created between the University of Bristol and the University of Lincoln. Building on last year’s Unlock the Fun workshop, this session introduces a simplified, templated approach designed to help educators get started quickly and confidently.
Designed as an accessible entry point, the Unlock the Fun starter pack demonstrates how an escape room can be designed in under 10 minutes using a small set of structured, reusable components. Participants will rotate through interactive stations to build their own “Into the Woods” themed escape room—picking, sticking, drawing, and assembling puzzle elements.
Alongside the play experience, we will explore how this starter approach introduces the core mechanics underpinning full escape room designs, helping participants understand how puzzles are structured, how they connect, and how they can be adapted to different disciplinary contexts. The session also highlights how template-based design can significantly reduce the time, cost, and complexity typically associated with playful learning activities.
Whether you are new to playful learning or looking for efficient ways to scale your practice, you will leave with a practical starter guide, adaptable design strategies, and a clear pathway from quick-build activities to fully developed escape room experiences.
Come ready to play, create, and imagine what you and your students might discover.
References, web links and other resources:
Anderson, D. & Bird, D. (forthcoming) Unlock the Fun: Designing Educational Escape Rooms. Journal of Play in Adulthood
Bird, D. & Anderson, D. (Due September 2026) Chapter: Innovative Pedagogies for Transformative Education in Doing Pedagogy Creatively. Routledge: London.
Morris, J. (2020) Escape Rooms in Education: A Practical Guide
DICE Cafe Blog (29th June, 2025) Educational Escape Rooms: A Playful Route into Deeper Learning
– Link: https://dicecafe.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/2025/06/29/educational-escape-rooms-a-playful-route-into-deeper-learning/
Forthcoming links – DICE Cafe blog link to resources for 2.0 versions