When my twin son Daniel came to me with his 12th birthday party request, I knew I had to get creative. He had his heart set on an escape room party but was disappointed when the escape room he wanted to visit was 13+. His next question was, “Mom, could we make one at home?” Challenge accepted!
With a theme in mind—Alien Bunker Escape Room—and a guest list of seven friends, I set out to transform our basement into a thrilling, otherworldly adventure.
Invitations That Set the Scene
The party experience began before the kids even arrived. Each guest received a paper bag containing a personalized green tube-style water bottle with their name and an alien warning sign on it.
Inside the bottle was a scroll invitation that read:
Invitation to Daniel’s 12th Birthday Party: The Bunker 21 Outbreak!
Top Secret Transmission
Greetings, Cadet!
You’ve been selected for a highly classified mission of the utmost importance. Deep within the secret military base, Bunker 21, an alien outbreak has occurred. The fate of humanity rests in your hands! Will you help save the world?
Mission Brief: A mysterious alien life form has escaped containment at Bunker 21. We’re assembling the best and brightest to help track down the creatures, solve mind-bending puzzles, and seal the outbreak before it spreads beyond control.
But beware—this is no ordinary mission. You’ll need to rely on your wits, courage, and teamwork to navigate the maze of challenges ahead. Can you survive the outbreak and escape the bunker in time?
Mission Details:
- Location: Bunker 21 (a.k.a. Daniel’s house)
- Date & Time: Saturday, November 9th at 4:30pm
- What to Bring: Nothing but your bravery! However, enclosed is your own personal hazmat suit—feel free to decorate it and wear it to the mission. There’s also a water bottle with your name on it for when things heat up!
Special Instructions:
- Suit up and be prepared to face alien threats.
- Collaborate with your fellow cadets to stop the spread of the outbreak.
- A top-secret celebration awaits if you complete the mission successfully!
Prepare for adventure, puzzles, and maybe a few surprises… Are you ready to join us and help save the world?
The countdown has begun...
We’ll see you at the bunker, Cadet.
– Commander Daniel & The Elite Task Force
Included in the package was a paper hazmat suit for each guest, along with an invitation to decorate it however they wanted before the party. The boys took this task seriously, arriving in their customized suits, ready for action. Their creativity added to the fun and gave everyone a sense of team spirit!
The Escape Room Adventure
I designed the escape room with a mix of puzzles, physical challenges, and lots of slime—because what’s an alien theme without goo? The boys worked together to complete a series of challenges to “save the world”, some of these challenges were:
- Slime Search. They had to dig through a bucket of slime to find hidden keys.
- Caesar Cipher Puzzle. Using a cipher, they deciphered a secret message that led them to the next clue.
- Acrostic Poems. They analyzed poems that contained hints pointing to the location of a hidden black light.
- Voice Recordings. There were buttons scattered around with cryptic clues recorded on them
- Black Light Clues. Typed pages covered with irrelevant text had hidden messages revealed under the black light.
- Layered Codes. Multiple clues worked together to give them the combination to a locked box containing the final puzzle piece.
The escape room ended with the boys “saving the world” and a final surprise: a box full of creepy candy and a whole lot of glory!
Atmosphere Matters
To set the scene, I went all out on the decorations:
- Plastic Drop Cloths. I used painters’ tape to hang them from the ceiling, defining the space as a “quarantine zone.”
- Caution and Biohazard Tape. These were everywhere—walls, doors, even the table!
- Red Lighting. Replacing the bulbs with red ones instantly transformed the basement into an eerie alien lab.
- Alien Skeleton. My favorite DIY project was “corpsing” an alien skeleton. I melted plastic drop cloths onto a skeleton frame, painted it with green and brown tones, and added a slimy sheen for the perfect creepy alien effect.
The Afterparty
Once the escape room was completed, we celebrated with pizza and cake. The boys spent the rest of the time comparing hazmat suit designs and rehashing their favorite puzzles.
Reflections on the Day
Daniel was thrilled with how it all turned out, and I loved seeing the kids get so into the theme. It reminded me how much fun it can be to create immersive experiences at home. Watching them solve puzzles, laugh, and work together made all the prep time so worth it.
Planning a birthday party with a personalized touch doesn’t have to involve renting an expensive venue or buying ready-made kits. Sometimes, a little imagination and a lot of painter’s tape are all you need!
Would you create your own escape room party? Let us know in the comments what theme you’d choose or how you’ve gotten creative for a birthday celebration.
Warmly,
Katy
Lo+Mo 
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