By Michelle Bennett-Copeland and Alyssa Williams

Fayette County Public Library provided fun for tweens and teens with our Escape Room in June. Participants were able to test their teamwork and puzzle-solving skills. They followed clues and searched for a room to break out as they searched for the lost mummy!

The young adult librarian, Alyssa Williams, had a ton of fun doing the escape room. She noted that the biggest challenge of this program was all of the preparation that goes into it. It was very time consuming, such as making sure that she knew the puzzles inside and out, having the materials cut out and ready for the program, and finding ways to assist the teens without giving too much information away. It was also challenging to find ways to implement hands-on activities to supplement the puzzles which were printed out.

To keep the momentum going during the program, she made sure to stay engaged with the teens and offer a lot of encouragement as they became frustrated or stumped on a particular piece of the puzzle. It was a two-hour program, so it required a lot of focus on their part. 

A second escape room took place in October and was focused on all things zombies and surviving the apocalypse. Teens had to use clues to locate puzzles hidden throughout the library and check their answers. Alyssa loved incorporating the scavenger hunt aspect to the program because it was a great opportunity for them to get more familiar with the library and using the cataloging computers. They had a blast "taking out" the zombies at the end of the program with rubber unicorns.

Escape Room activities are bigger than just a game. Escape Room activities are great for team building, cognitive development, social skills, and fun!

Completing the escape room challenge can be a significant confidence booster. By working through challenges and overcoming obstacles, participants feel a sense of accomplishment and increased self-confidence. Inject a healthy dose of excitement and fun into the next Escape Room activity at the library.

To learn more about the Fayette County Public Library, go to https://fayettecountyga.gov/public_library/.