A Guide to the Escape Games and Escape Colchester

We’re going to be giving you a guide on our escape games here at Escape Colchester. We have four rooms which you’re locked in for an hour. In that time you have to find your way out by solving a range of puzzles and cryptic clues which are hidden carefully within the room itself. All the rooms are themed and they are Witchcraft and Wizardry, 221B Baker Street, The Cabin and Escape the Seven Seas.

Authentic, detailed and oh so much fun!

They have all been painstakingly created with their chosen themes in mind, and are made to look as detailed and as perfect as possible. That means you have a fantastic time while you are in there in a room that’s an authentic recreation of your favourite movie or character.

Teamwork

Once you’re in there you’ll all need to move around the room and search all areas to find the clues. When you’ve found each one, you make a neat pile and then work them out one by one, once you’ve found them all and they’re there in front of you. Teamwork is crucial, you’ll need to work together to find your way out. This is a perfect opportunity to get to know each other if you’re a brand new corporate team or if you’re a group of students who are about to embark on a degree course together. 

If you don’t get out first time - try, try again

There’s no pressure, not everyone gets out first time, but it’s always an excuse to come back again...and again because we love to see our past visitors come back to see us and we’re accustomed to seeing the same faces. We always give everyone who comes to see us a warm welcome, whether you’re a first timer or you’re on a second, third or fourth time visit. 

Escape Colchester - Premier Escape Rooms

We hope you enjoyed our guide on escape games here at Colchester, give us a call and book your room. We can’t to see you and we know you’ll all have a great time, whether it’s with friends or family or as part of a corporate team building exercise. 

Hints and Tips To Escape Our Rooms

If you’re coming to visit our escape rooms in Colchester, you have to work out how you’re going to escape and ultimately win. But how? You’re going to be excited with adrenaline flowing, you could easily make mistakes and you’ve only got an hour to do it in. Plus, the clues and puzzles aren’t easy to find and when you do, you then have to try and work them out in order to escape. Think it’s too hard? Have a quick read through our helpful hints and tips which are sure to help assist your performance.

1) Make Sure You Play With People You Know

If you know the people you are going to play with you have less likelihood of clashes, and pick those with the right strengths and skills. You don’t want to be arguing with people you don’t know, and you want to pick people who are good at working out puzzles, thinking on their feet and who stay nice and calm throughout.

2) Choose Group Size Wisely

If you choose to play a room with too many people, then you’re going to be up close and personal in a small space and if you don’t know each other that well, it might not be that much fun. Perhaps best to choose a smaller group then. When there’s less people there’s far more surprises and more things for everyone to do, so everyone’s included and basically, it’s much more fun.

3) Don’t Try and Do It All Yourself

Don't try and be a hero by hogging all the puzzles, if you can’t figure it out yourself share between those you think can. Someone else taking over will bring a fresh pair of eyes and help see something you’ve missed. You’re all there to work as a team anyway, and there’s no I in team, so be prepared to work as one.

4) Be Prepared To Listen and Try Out Things Your Team Suggest

You need to work as a team there is no need to be dismissive, always be prepared to try new things if it means solving another puzzle and getting closer to escaping. Even if it’s an idea that doesn’t work, always encourage and praise your teammates for trying.

5) Make Sure Everyone Knows When Someone Has Worked Out One Clue

Communication is key! If you have tried an idea and it didn't work let the rest of the team know so people aren’t constantly going back to the same ones. This will ultimately allow you to save crucial time to focus on other clues in the room. Then make sure you know where they are as you go to work out another one, perhaps you could pick someone who can take care of the solved puzzles and clues. And make sure you search the rooms thoroughly, because clues won’t be there where you can see them, they’ll be hidden from view, so you need to be sharp enough to search everywhere.

Do you think you have what it takes now? Are you an Escape room pro? If so, come down and visit us here at Escape Games Colchester where you’ll find a selection of themed rooms to choose from and a friendly welcoming team. If you have not yet booked to play a room here at Escape Colchester, get in touch with us today to book. We’ll see you there!

Fantastic Team Building Activities

Team building activities are really taking off and it’s no surprise as they are a great way of getting your team to bond, break the ice and spend valuable time relaxing away from the office. It also gives a team leader ample opportunity to recognise new skills that can be quickly utilised back at base.

There are a variety of different team building activities to choose from as more companies recognise their value. Naturally, the one thing in common they all have is the team aspect and the emphasis this word implies – working together and communicating. There are some activities that aren’t always going to be to everyone’s liking, but the goal of most of them is to get those introverts to come out of the shadows and shine, getting them out of their shell and talking.

We’re going to be looking just a few of them and then you can make an informed decision on which ones you think are best for your team.

The Human Chain

This is a simple game where everyone stands in a circle and randomly holds a hand of the person next to them, or in front of them within the circle. Soon you’ll have a chain of hands and the aim of the game is to free yourself and untangle the chain without letting go of each other’s hands. There’s a strong need to communicate and talk your way out of it and it’s a great opportunity for everyone to have their turn in working out the puzzle.

It's a Knockout

This is based on the old TV series of the same name which you may be too young to remember but will definitely involve plenty of action, noise, water and mayhem. Great for the extroverts of your team, introverts not so much. This is an obstacle course, a bit I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here-meets-numerous game shows from the BBC in the past 20 years. All colour, protective helmets and lots of mess.

Boot Camp

This is a military style obstacles course designed by ex-military and created for the sole purpose of encouraging problem solving, teaching survival skills and combat, just in case they need to fight their way out of the tube, but there’s also escape and evade, and the most important thing about this type of training is the sense of kinsmanship, supporting each other and giving each other positive encouragement.

Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is essential for those who want to improve communication skills. This involves two teams pitted against each other searching for hidden treasure. There’ll be clues, taking photos even, collecting unusual items and all in all it’s the perfect opportunity to bond with friends, identify new skills and give the team ample opportunity to work together and unwind outside of office hours.

Escape Colchester – Escape Games With a Difference 

Yes, finally we have the piece de resistance of all team building activities, our escape rooms in Colchester. We are bound to be bias, however we believe our rooms are possibly the best way of getting the best out of your team and discovering new talents. Your teams are locked in a room, the room will have a theme and they’ll be locked in there for around 60 minutes. In that time, they must find a series of hidden cryptic clues and puzzles, keep them all together and then work them out in order to escape the room within the hour. It’s the best, most unique way of team building there is out there, and its increasing popularity proves it’s working. Pay us a visit in Colchester if you’re interested in investing in your team, and we can guarantee it’ll be the best day out your organisations had for some time!

What are Advantages of Team Building Activities?

If you want your team to work harmoniously together then you want to make sure they are able to communicate with each other effectively to work their way around problems and issues. It’s also useful if they’re able to resolve conflict quickly and find some ways around difficult problems. If you have new staff, one or two team members who are a little shy in getting to know the rest of the team, it can result in weeks of endless awkwardness.

What can be done?

What we recommend is trying out our escape games because they’re a great favourite with corporate teams, and there are plenty of reasons why. Here, we talk about the advantages of team building so you can bring your own team here too.

What are Escape Rooms?

If you don’t really know what escape rooms are, then let us fill you in that now before we go any further. Escape games involve a group of people locked in a room together for an hour, yes that’s right, 60 minutes. All the rooms are themed, so you can choose the theme that most appeals to you. Once you’ve done that you can then send your team in and see how they get on. While they’re in there, they’ll have to work their way through some puzzles and cryptic clues which they have to find hidden in the room. They must do all this within the hour or they’ve lost. Not everybody gets it first time, but that’s not unusual and a team can come back as often as they wish to try again.

So, what are the advantages of team building?

Team building can help foster communication, resolve conflict, help break the ice with new team members, and also help team leaders to identify whose skills are the most useful to an impending project. It would help enormously if you can allocate more easily who is good at what. It’ll get the job done much quicker and go more smoothly for you.

Once you understand the benefits, you’ll know how helpful it really is

Team building may often be seen as a buzzword with no real understanding, but if you manage projects regularly then understanding the benefits of team building can really help. Whether it’s an It’s-a-Knockout-type obstacle course or one of our escape rooms, as long as it enhances group working and communication skills, then you’re on to a winner when it comes to team building.

Team building strategies

What you may also find is that by simply giving your most important team members a day away from the office, you could also help improve their motivation, break personal barriers, improve productivity and simply have fun. You can do work on some serious team building strategies and have a great time while you’re there.

Escape Colchester – Challenging & Fun Team Building Activities

If we’ve convinced you of the advantages of team building activities, then you may find it beneficial to join us here at Escape Colchester where our escape rooms and escape games can help your team to develop in a healthy and positive way. That means not only do they benefit, but you and organisation do too! Book your rooms today.

Things to Do in Colchester This Winter

Looking for things to do in Colchester this winter? Well, we’re here to help and we’ve come up with the best selection of venues for you and your family to visit over the cold winter months. We hope you enjoy it and find it a useful little addition to your things-to-do calendar for the family.

Zoo

If you thought that a visit to the zoo in winter was out of the question, then you’re wrong. The zoo is the perfect place to visit in the winter months, for one thing it’s quieter than it is during the year, and there’ll be more room to get around and see the animals, which is good news for the children!

You’ll also find that this Christmas there’s a little festive sparkle going on with Santa’s reindeers paying a visit to the zoo. There’s an Elves Workshop as well, and you can listen to some stores from Santa’s hard-working elves, and then enjoy some rather delicious snacks from the Elves Kitchen. Colchester Zoo has really gone all out in creating a festive atmosphere for everyone and they’ve succeeded. The fun starts at the end of November and then continues until just before Christmas. If you’re interested in the Santa Experience, then take a look on their website.

https://www.visitcolchester.com/whats-on/Colchester-The-Magic-of-Christmas/details/?dms=3&venue=0651310&hasimage=L&events=1&uv=1&feature=1037&pvieflag=E

Museum

Colchester Castle Museum is the venue for a rather special Christmas event. Entrance to the castle is free, and there’s the obligatory mince pies and Christmas carols and some entertainment, with a wonderful opportunity for children to meet Santa. There is a small fee for seeing Santa and receiving a gift, but the rest is free and you’re more than likely to have a great time while you’re there. It’s just the thing for putting you in the Christmas mood.

There are more details here: https://cimuseums.org.uk/event/meet-santa/

Panto

Would Christmas be the same without Panto? Probably not, so Colchester brings you the traditional pantomime, and this year it’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It’s faithful to the story, with Snow White banished to the forest and trying to escape the wicked Queen. The Seven Dwarfs are on hand to rescue the fair maiden from the clutches of the queen, and all told it’s a great story told in the most unique and imaginative way – just what you’d expect from Panto. Stars appearing include Dale Superville and Antony Stuart-Hicks, so there’s guaranteed fun to be had for all the family.

Escape Games Colchester – For The Some Fun and Games

Why not try our escape games here in Colchester once you’re done with the fun and excitement of Panto and Santa? You and friends or family will be locked in a themed room where you’ll have to search for clues and puzzles. Once you’ve found them all you then have to work out how to solve them in order to escape the room in under 60 minutes. It’s fun, exciting and gives a break away from the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping. So why not head on down?

What Are Escape Rooms

If you’ve been told about Escape Rooms but you’ve no idea what they are, then in this post you’re going to find out all about them. Perhaps you’ve been invited out on a birthday party with friends and this forms part of the celebrations, or perhaps it’s a team building exercise you’ve been asked to participate as part of a work day away from the desk. What we can tell you with certainty is that the Escape Rooms here in Colchester is the most exciting way to spend an hour of your time. Let’s find out more...

Locked In a Room With 60 Minutes To Escape

We have more than one room, each one is individually themed, and once you’re locked in, you have to find your own way out. A group of you, either friends, work colleagues or family will be locked in and only by solving a series of well-hidden cryptic clues will be you be able to escape the room. Add to that the fact that you only have one hour, 60 minutes to do that in.

Teams, Friends and Co-workers

Hopefully, the team you’re with won’t be too large or too small. Locked into a room together could get a bit cramped, and too little and you won’t have enough brain power to work out the puzzles and clues. If it’s part of a team-building effort then you’ll be with work colleagues, and the reason why your boss has chosen this method is to help you all to bond, and hopefully, work better together once you’re back at the office. It’s a great way of learning new things about yourself and helping to unlock skills you never knew you had.

Of course, it’s also tremendous fun, if you’re just part of a group of people either celebrating a birthday, or any other kind of celebration, then it’s a great way for you to interact with friends, and perhaps ones you haven’t seen for a while. You have to communicate and through doing this you’re talking, and that’s the best way to bond.

Themed Rooms

The themed rooms we currently have are Witches & Wizardry and 221B Baker Street, so you can have an hour of bewitching magic or one full of detective sleuthing. Whichever one you decide on you’ll have a great time.

Escape Games Colchester

Now you know exactly what an escape room is, you’ll know what to expect, and hopefully be able to immerse yourself in the fun. You won’t be on your own because all your colleagues or friends will be there with you, joining in and helping to solve the riddles of the room – so you can escape! If you want to know more then get in touch, our contact details are on the bottom of the page, or call if you’re ready to book a room.