Have you finally exhausted every game in the family board game box? It might be time to look for a new brain-bending challenge for all the family, and an escape room may just be the way forward.

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Packed full of puzzles, twists and turns, there's no better or more exciting way to spend an afternoon than doing an escape room. You know the drill: you and your family will be trapped in a locked room with the challenge of solving a sequence of puzzles before the clock strikes zero.

While being placed in a time-pressured situation can sometimes be somewhat of a test of patience, these family-friendly escape rooms are designed to make sure that everyone gets on and has fun. After all, it's just a game— right?

One of the best things about escape rooms is their versatility. From exciting bank vault heists to Sherlock Holmes and spooky dungeons, there are plenty of themes to play with meaning that no matter how many escape rooms you've done, each time it's a new experience.

We've put together the ultimate list of escape rooms that will test your collective brain power, but still guarantee a good time for the little ones thanks to their lighter themes.

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If you're looking for more family-friendly experiences, take a look at our collection of the best family theme parks in the UK.

Best family-friendly escape rooms at a glance

  • Spy Heroes Escape Room For Four, London, £160 £122 (save £38 or 24%)
  • Mission to the Moon Escape Room For Four, Oxford, £61
  • Family of Four Escape Room at moviESCAPE, Stockport, £90
  • Family Lake District Escape Room and Segway Tour for Four, Lake District, £244
  • A Pirates Life Online Escape Room, Virtual, £20
  • Sherlock: The Official Live Immersive Adventure Game, London, £190
  • Bank Vault Robbery Escape Room for Four, Brighton, £72
  • London Dungeon, London, from £26.50

Best family-friendly escape rooms to try in 2024

Spy Heroes Escape Room For Four

Pink background of Spy Heroes Escape Room with checkerboard floor
Spy Heroes Escape Room Virgin Experience Days

Location: London, Aldgate East

Suitable for ages 6 and up

What child hasn't dreamed of becoming a super spy? Well, now these dreams can become a reality thanks to the Spy Heroes Escape Room. There are plenty of puzzles to keep you racking your brain, including a real-life laser room where you can practice your secret agent reflexes.

So, if you want to try out the life of an international spy for a day, check out this unforgettable family-friendly escape room in London.

Buy Spy Heroes Escape Room For Four for £160 £122 (save £38 or 24%) at Virgin Experience Days

Mission to the Moon Escape Room For Four

Two children wearing VR headsets
Mission to the Moon Virgin Experience Days

Location: Oxford

Suitable for ages 8 and up

Families of four can get ready to blast off from Oxford all the way to the moon thanks to the Mission to the Moon Escape Room.

Prepare to fully immerse yourself in this escape room adventure thanks to the SpaceX-inspired space suits worn by each participant, as well as state-of-the-art VR headsets which allow you to embark on a space walk on the surface of the moon. It's one small step...

Buy Mission to the Moon Escape Room For Four for £61 at Virgin Experience Days

Family of Four Escape Room at moviESCAPE

Vintage pipe, notebook, watch and key. Private detective investigation game concept. Overhead flat lay shot on old paper with other retro objects
Escape Room at moviESCAPE Plateresca/ Getty Images

Location: Stockport

Suitable for ages 6 and up (no minimum age)

Stockport's leading escape room experience allows you to choose from three differently designed rooms. Will it be fantasy, crime, or even horror (perhaps not for the little ones!)?

No matter what you choose, you'll spend the next 60 minutes both challenging yourself and bonding as a family over a series of exciting puzzles.

Buy Family of Four Escape Room at moviESCAPE for £90 at BuyaGift

Family Lake District Escape Room and Segway Tour for Four

Bank vaults with one door open
Family Lake District Escape Room and Segway Tour Virgin Experience Days

Location: Multiple (Backbarrow and Cartmel)

Suitable for ages 5 and up (no minimum age)

What's better than a family trip to the Lake District? Doing an escape room on your family trip to the Lake District! And what's better than that? Adding on a Segway tour!

Start with a guided Segway tour covering Holker Estate with views of the fells and across Morecambe Bay. Then you'll move onto the escape room, choosing between Bank Heist, Haunted Pirate Ship or Vlad the Vampire. Perfect.

Buy Family Lake District Escape Room and Segway Tour for Four for £244 at Virgin Experience Days

A Pirates Life Online Escape Room

Pirates buried treasure chest
A Pirates Life Online Escape Room Dan Brandenburg

Location: online

Suitable for ages 7 and up

Yo ho ho, it's a pirate's life for you and all your family with this online escape room! Not only does this escape room allow you to try to find Blackbeard's treasure, but you can do so from the comfort of your own living room.

Online escape rooms are often cheaper than physical escape room locations, not to mention the costs you'll save on fuel or public transport, so this is a great option for any parents looking for a budget family activity.

Buy A Pirates Life Online Escape Room for £20 at Red Letter Days

Sherlock: The Official Live Immersive Adventure Game London

A child and two parents solving a puzzle in an escape room
Sherlock: The Official Live Immersive Adventure Game Virgin Experience Days

Location: London, Shepherds Bush

Suitable for ages 10 and up

Disaster has struck 221B Baker Street; Sherlock has gone missing and it's up to you and your family to solve puzzles and mysteries before the clock runs out.

This unique immersive game features authentic content from the writers and cast members of the hit BBC show Sherlock, including Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

Buy Sherlock: The Official Live Immersive Adventure Game for a Family of Four for £190 at Virgin Experience Days

Bank Vault Robbery Escape Room for Four

Bank vault with open door & grill (B&W)
Bank Vault Robbery Escape Room for Four Tipp Howell

Location: Brighton

Suitable for ages 10 and up

Hidden away in an unassuming coffee house in Brighton, you'll find the Bank Vault Robbery Escape Room. Here you can work against the clock, plotting the perfect escape after breaking into the vault of a notorious arms dealer.

Unlock your inner George Clooney from Ocean's 11, or Sandra Bullock from Ocean's 8— this is just as much fun for the adults as it is for the kids!

Buy Bank Vault Robbery Escape Room for Four for £72 at Red Letter Days

The London Dungeon

Sign for The London Dungeon
London Dungeon TkKurikawa/ Getty Images

Location: London, Southbank

Suitable for ages 5 and up

In this escape room, you've been found guilty of conspiring against the king with the notorious Guy Fawkes, the punishment for which is hanging.

Luckily, Guy Fawkes himself has appeared to help you escape from the Tower of London. Just make sure the guards don't catch you trying to get out...

Buy The London Dungeon tickets from £26.50 at The London Dungeon

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