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Review

Trapped -The Art Heist

Games that make you think and solve problems are fun, a game that means you can only leave the room when you have the right pin code to open the door is even better.

TRAPPED Escape Room Games allow you to turn “ANY room into a family-friendly escape-room adventure where you move around the room actively solving puzzles.”

We have never played an escape room game so as you can imagine the kids and I were rather excited.

I loved the fact that it was a game that made the kids think and is engaged, plus not staring at a screen for a while.

“Each pack contains everything you need to create your very own escape room in your own home. Wall posters, cards to display, hangers for door handles, ID cards, and secret envelopes are just some of the things you might find inside the pack along with clues to solve and awesome puzzles to crack.”

All the posters, clues and tools needed to crack the puzzles and solve the mystery.


Setting up the game

I put all the contents of the game onto the floor of the girl’s room. I then proceeded to read the instructions to understand what I needed to do. There are a lot of little clue cards and a few posters that need to be stuck around the room, on each card/poster it says where you should put them. Some will say stick on the wall and others say they should be near the exit and so on.

Fun playing the game and solving puzzles.

The pack comes with a book of clues and a code cracker (this is a cardboard cover that allows certain words to be read and others not. You need this when you get asked to read a clue). We did have some interference from a four-year-old who tried to scrunch and rip the code cracker but this was foiled by mummy distracting him and allowing sisters and their mate to play their mystery game.

The instructions didn’t give a great deal of information. I wanted to know if we had to put all cards out. Do the clues on the back of the work passes get read at any time or will that spoil the game if it happens earlier? The mystery envelope with the clues to the code that unlocks the door was already organised so I had no idea what was in there.

If the kids did decide to play in teams how do they negotiate time with the clue book and code cracker? This might prove difficult. Oh well, currently it was just the girls and their mate, so a total of 3 kids originally I was playing but I had to spend time distracting the four-year-old so that he would leave the older kids alone to solve the puzzles.

Cracking the code

Initial thoughts of the game

At first, we didn’t really know what we were doing. The kids and I were in teams. This was proving hard due to not having time at the clue book and one team saying that what they were looking at was super important.

It was then decided that they would work as one group and not have teams. It was a bit confusing about picking clues to work on. I suggested to the kids that they pick one clue and solve it and then go from there. I later found out that they took all the clues off the wall and solved them together, but also one at a time.

I thought the kids might solve the game quickly but it was a good couple of hours before girls and their friends emerged telling me that they had solved the puzzle and finally had the code to leave their room.

What did we think?

I think the game was a lot of fun and definitely worth playing. It was great to see the kids get so involved, help each other, and solve puzzles by finding clues. I believe that games that get kids thinking and away from screens are best.

This is how long the kids were playing the game for

Recommendations

I do have a few thoughts to make Trapped The Art Heist even better.
When you have all the clues and materials ready to set up for the game, I would recommend having a few options for how you can set it up. It would be more like a chose-your-own adventure. You pick scenarios A, B, C, or D. These different options give you different clues in the room and different answers in the envelope when you finish. So if you pick Scenario B, you only put these clues up throughout the room. The posters might remain the same, and the mystery envelope would be different for each scenario that reveals the winners and the secret code.

The girls told me that no matter which way they went the answer to the puzzle was the same.

Great gift/party game

The kids really enjoyed this game and they were playing it for nearly 2 hours! We did thoroughly enjoy this game and it is a great gift or party game. If you are wanting a fun game for the family this Christmas Trapped Escape game would be a good one to try.

Trapped has two other escape room games to try; The Bank Job and The Carnival. You can get all three to have some fun during the holidays.

Stay tuned for the Trapped Giveaway

2 lucky readers have the chance to win a Trapped escape room game for the holidays.

I have the following to giveaway: Trapped The Bank Job and Trapped The Carnival. The Giveaway is going to be on my next post so make sure to follow and enter.

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If you wish to purchase a Trapped Escape Room Game they are available at ZING/EB Games, Mr Toyworld, BIG W and Mr Puzzle!

A HUGE thank you to U Games Australia for sending us this amazing and fun game to try. Plus the extra giveaways for my wonderful readers.

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Categories
5 years and beyond

Birthday Eve Thoughts

Wising myself a very happy birthday
Wising myself a very happy birthday

Tomorrow is my birthday and yes I will officially be another year older. Since today is birthday eve it has been a time of reflection. I am a bit sad about some things that I hoped to have done or completed and other things I am very happy with. So what are they?

Things I am pleased with:

  • The twins are very happy with school and doing very well.
  • Due to the kids being at school it gives me more time to get things done. Very nice indeed, and makes for a much calmer and happier mummy.
  • Happy that family are well and happy.

Things that I am not too pleased with:

  • I wanted to be fitter, slimmer and more slinky.
  • Have our house plans finalized.
  • Get the new looking blog launched.
  • Wanted to spend more time on the blog and develop more sections. It will happen, just taking longer than expected.
  • Work on my eBook.
  • Make more money… yes that is the constant want isn’t it.  I’m sure that is on everyone’s list!
    (be nice to help more to the household and maybe use the cash for a much needed holiday)

The things on my not pleased list can be fixed and I am working to improve them. I feel energized to create a to do list of things I wish to achieve and cross off each one when complete. I now feel more of a fire in my belly to get more done and to have a very productive rest of 2014.  Do you take stock mid year? I am due to my birthday, but maybe a half yearly stock take for your goals is a good idea? What are your thoughts? (You heard it here first!)

Do you weigh up things around your birthday? I do. I compare what I was hoping to achieve to what actually happened and get a bit upset. However life does happen so you have to excuse yourself a bit for stopping to enjoy things as well. You cannot work till you drop, some do it but it is not sustainable.

On the whole I have it very good and I hope it gets better and grander in the future. I can hope can’t I! Dreams fuel my passions, and they can only make things better. Well I think so!

I have a big box to unwrap tomorrow for my birthday and I am keen to find out what is in it! The twins went out with hubby yesterday and they have been very tight lipped so they have finally learnt and understood how to keep a secret.

One thing that they have said in unison is….

“We don’t know anything about what is inside the box!” “We have no idea mummy!” Then they giggle with faces in their hands and run away! Little funny kids they are.

 

My birthday presents. Waiting for me to open them! I cannot wait. Wonder what they are?
My birthday presents. Waiting for me to open them! I cannot wait. Wonder what they are?

I will let you know what is inside the big box tomorrow. However I have to unwrap it in the evening due to hubby working and kids at school. It is going to kill me to wait. Staring at it on the dining room table all day! Just painful and horrible torture!

Birthday time is also a reminder for me to get my checkup at the doctor, skin cancer specialist and any other tests, oh a pap test and so on! I like to make sure that I get it done when I remember it. I know not a very good thing to do at your birthday, but you remember the date. It does not have to be on your birthday just close to it. Book in for a check up. Make sure all is tip top with you!