librarykerri

When we were allowed to choose any topic to create a breakout assignment, there was no question that my topic would be Halloween. I love Halloween and all things spooky, so designing a breakout around a haunted library was fun for me. I liked coming up with a storyline that connected all of the puzzles. I called it Escape the Haunted Library. I also enjoyed creating different types of puzzles, including a word search, cipher, riddles, and a sequencing activity. It made me think about how different people solve problems and how to keep everyone engaged.

The most difficult part of the process was making sure each puzzle flowed logically into the next one. I wanted every clue to feel connected to the overall story and have a clear purpose. I also found it challenging to create puzzles that were difficult enough to be fun but not so difficult that participants would become frustrated or lose interest, especially since it was going to be for kids. Finding that balance took the most time.

I think projects like this are a great way to reach patrons outside of traditional library services. A breakout can attract people who may not normally attend library programs but enjoy games, mysteries, or escape rooms. It also encourages teamwork, communication, and critical thinking in a way that is more like entertainment than learning. Families, teens, and adults can all participate together, helping the library become a place where people gather for unique experiences.

The most challenging part of creating my puzzle was designing clues that were creative without being too obvious. For example, I decided to replace simple directions like “Find the vampire” with riddles that hinted at Dracula and other classic Halloween books. Writing clues that gave enough information without immediately revealing the answer required several revisions, but I think it made the breakout much more immersive. Overall, this project showed me that gamification can make learning more engaging, and it’s something I would love to incorporate into future library programming, especially during Halloween.

Below is one of the puzzles I made. I used Puzzlemaker to create my word search. I then used AI to create an image using the same puzzle and I was so happy with how it turned out. I added both to my blog!