There are plenty of options for team building activities – so why an escape room? Escape rooms are unique challenges. You and your team are “trapped” in a space with a time limit to get out, armed only with your wits, logic, and teamwork skills. You are granted three clues – but ultimately, how and when you escape is completely dependent on your team working together to analyze your tools and options, make sound decisions, focus on the goal, and take action to succeed. By the end of the game, your team will be effectively challenged in the following four ways:

• Your team will need to work on a deadline and under pressure

Escape rooms are best for simulating a pressured situation without real-world stressors. “People respond well to deadlines because meeting them provides a distinct feeling of having achieved something within a time frame,” writes Phyllis Korkki for The New York Times. In an escape room, your team will have 60 minutes to escape, only three clues for help, and will need to think quickly and critically if they want to win. An escape room challenge gamifies deadline pressure, and allows your team to experience the demand of a time limit in a fun, creative environment.  This opens the door for healthy communication and effective team work when under real deadline pressure.

 

• Your team will learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses

You probably made your hiring decisions to create a robust and dynamic team, thinking each individual will bring their own unique problem-solving approach to various projects. Escape room puzzle challenges vary in the same way, and require critical, creative, analytical, and strategic thinking. By the end of the challenge, everyone will have had a chance to either (1) try and fail, and learn from another team member who attempted the same challenge, or (2) try and succeed, and help lead their team to success. During an escape room challenge, teammates will learn how they best contribute to the team, and what they need to work on.  Team members working cohesively will know when it’s time to put their individual strengths to the test, and when it’s time to let someone else take charge.

 

• Your team will need to think quickly and critically in order to make sound decisions

Teams will need to assess the facts, analyze their surroundings, and stay focused on the objective if they want to solve puzzles in a timely manner. Using logic and critical thinking skills are important for deductive reasoning – a problem-solving process which participants will need in order to discover what direction a clue is pointing them toward. With only 60 minutes on the clock, its crucial for teams to make decisions quickly and follow through with them, even if they aren’t sure about the outcome. Escape rooms will test your teams ability to logically work through a challenge, and decide on a plan of action in a short amount of time.

 

• Your team will share success together, which builds morale and productivity

The Atlantic’s article “The Importance of Shared Experiences,” they explained how extraordinary experiences build a strong bond and connection when shared with others. Studies found that by creating shared experiences and finding common meaning, people can create connection and reduce conflict. An escape room will involve your entire team working through a unique challenge, which then becomes a common topic of conversation among them. Even if your team doesn’t make it out in time, the shared experience and time spent dedicated to a team mission will be a memorable one.

 

 

Team Building Activities at Time to Escape

At Time to Escape in Atlanta, we have eight thrilling escape room team building activities across two Atlanta locations to choose from. Each of our rooms is wholly unique. They will tests your team’s critical thinking and problem solving skills, goal-setting and team work in different ways.

Brookhaven Atlanta Escape Rooms

Al Capone’s Speakeasy is our favorite for team building events. The escape room can fit up to 14 participants. You are undercover agents trying to infiltrate a Speakeasy owned by the notorious gangster, Al Capone. Your team will need to convince the bartender (played by an in-room actor) to help you find the evidence to put him away. Al Capone’s Speakeasy will test your team’s ability to communicate with and influence one another. Everyone on the team takes on a character role with a Special Ability and Side Quest which affect how the story unfolds, allowing for unique ways to find clues and solve puzzles. Your in-game actions and decisions affect relationships between the characters, and determine whether or not you successfully escape.

Escape From Alcatraz is our most traditional escape room, and can fit up to 10 participants. As the story goes: The year is 1962, and Alcatraz is about to see its greatest escape attempt. Earlier this evening, a prisoner named Frank Morris made a successful prison escape. You must follow the clues left behind by Frank, but you have only one hour before daybreak.This is your last chance to escape. Escape From Alcatraz will test your team’s ability to assess the situation and combine efforts to discover clues and solve puzzles. You’ll need to make sound decisions and act fast if you want to escape within sixty minutes.

King Tut’s Tomb is all about abstract thinking and using the tools you’re given. It’s 1922, and you are members of Howard Carter’s archaeology team. Mr. Carter has discovered what he believes is the Egyptian Pharaoh King Tutankhamen’s (King Tut) tomb. Unfortunately Mr. Carter hasn’t discovered the burial chamber of King Tut, and the Egyptian authorities will arrive in 60 minutes to shut down the archaeology site for good. King Tut’s Tomb will test your team’s ability to focus and concentrate on detail-oriented puzzles and tasks. You’ll need to read thoroughly and listen carefully to instructions in order to discover clues and complete the challenge in time.

High Noon in the Old West is in both our Brookhaven and our Downtown Atlanta location, accommodating up to 10 participants. In this playful experience, you are a member of the Pinkerton Detective Agency chasing after a notorious outlaw gang. This adventure takes you on a Western heist to recover a stolen fortune and put away the gang, the Wild Bunch. High Noon in the Old West will challenge you to be bold, and solve unconventional mini-games within the escape room to succeed. 

Blackbeard’s Booty is our wittiest, most entertaining escape game that can fit up to 8 participants. Sail the Caribbean seas in 1719 and uncover where infamous pirate Blackbeard hid his treasure. This adventure has a highly interactive storyline and gameplay unlike any escape room you’ve played before. Blackbeard’s Booty will require quick-thinking and test how well your team responds to instruction. You’ll need to act quickly and work together through a mix of unique virtual and physical puzzles.

Downtown Atlanta Escape Rooms

The Grand Zeppelin is a favorite for team building events – this thrilling journey can fit up to 15 participants. Step aboard a steam powered zeppelin, and become fully immersed on a maiden journey across the European skies in 1914. Although, your journey won’t be without hurdles and it’ll be up to your team to figure out how to navigate obstacles. The Grand Zeppelin will assess your teamwork and ability to work under pressure. The Grand Zeppelin features an in-room actor that plays the co-pilot and serves as your Game Guide. Each participant will have a character role with unique side quests that affect the game.

The Launch features futuristic, tech-themed puzzles and can fit up to 8 participants. You’re trapped on Mars, attempting to escape before a catastrophic sandstorm maroons your team there. The Launch requires collaboration, leadership, and coordination. Players will have roles to fulfill, each equipped with individual tasks.

Saving Christmas is a wholesome, whimsical experience that rewards your success with great satisfaction. Who doesn’t want to help Santa save Christmas from a rogue elf that plots to sabotage festive cheer? This adventure is a traditional escape room experience with intriguing surprises along the way. Saving Christmas will test your team’s ability to make connections, think outside the box, and focus on details. 

High Noon in the Old West is in both our Brookhaven and our Downtown Atlanta location, accommodating up to 10 participants. In this playful experience, you are a member of the Pinkerton Detective Agency chasing after a notorious outlaw gang. This adventure takes you on a Western heist to recover a stolen fortune and put away the gang, the Wild Bunch. High Noon in the Old West will challenge you to be bold, and solve unconventional mini-games within the escape room to succeed. 

Chattanooga Escape Rooms

Sabotage: Chattanooga 1944 is our favorite for team building groups and those looking for unique team building activities. It is 1944, Chattanooga – during WWII, thousands of train cars loaded with troops or war supplies passed through Chattanooga. The FBI suspects a plot to sabotage the war effort is underway. Your goal is to uncover the saboteur behind these plans. Designed locally with Chattanooga’s history in mind, Sabotage: Chattanooga 1944 tests your team’s critical thinking, deductive reasoning, and problem solving skills. This room is perfect for those who love a good riddle in their puzzles.

Locker Room Lockdown is the best cooperative escape room for team building events. Your team, the Wolfpack, has had its mascot “Wolfie” stolen right before the championship playoffs. This is none other than the work of your rival team, the Tigers. The plan is to break into the Tiger’s locker room during halftime and get your mascot back! Locker Room Lockdown will test your team’s collaboration and communication skills. This room is full of physical puzzles that might require a bit of brawn to go with the brain.

King Tut’s Tomb is all about abstract thinking and using the tools you’re given. It’s 1922, and you are members of Howard Carter’s archaeology team. Mr. Carter has discovered what he believes is the Egyptian Pharaoh King Tutankhamen’s (King Tut) tomb. Unfortunately Mr. Carter hasn’t discovered the burial chamber of King Tut, and the Egyptian authorities will arrive in 60 minutes to shut down the archaeology site for good. King Tut’s Tomb will test your team’s ability to focus and concentrate on detail-oriented puzzles and tasks. You’ll need to read thoroughly and listen carefully to instructions in order to discover clues and complete the challenge in time.

Saving Christmas is a wholesome, whimsical experience that rewards your success with great satisfaction. Who doesn’t want to help Santa save Christmas from a rogue elf that plots to sabotage festive cheer? This adventure is a traditional escape room experience with intriguing surprises along the way. Saving Christmas will test your team’s ability to make connections, think outside the box, and focus on details. 

Secret Agent is about deductive reasoning and collaboration in the midst of obstacles. The year is 1963 in the height of flower power and Beatlemania. Secret Agent is a prison escape meets spunky espionage adventure. This room will test your team’s cooperation skills and ability to communicate effectively.