Category: Event

So it turns out that handcuffing your children while camping in Algonquin is not ALWAYS a good idea.

The kids were all-in and doing well in the middle of our camping escape event when a man walked by our camp site and told us there was a bear at the site two down from us.  Ideally not what you want to hear when your children are handcuffed to each other.  But they handled it well – calmly waiting to get uncuffed (I always keep a key with me just in case someone wants out fast), before we all cautiously made our way over to peek at the bear.  And it turns out the bear (which the warden said was a 4-year-old male) was desperately afraid – moaning and hiding in a tree.  After some waiting, the warden and his team managed to chase the bear away with some judicious use of paintball guns, and the kids were so keen they went right backing cuffs to finish the escape game.

Great job everyone!

Every year our family goes camping with three other families and their kids.  It’s a great opportunity for the adults to all catch up since we are scattered between three cities in two different provinces, and the kids have a great time together.

We are heading out tomorrow, and I thought this year it might be fun to bring one of the escape events we’ve created for the kids to try to solve as a fun activity to break up the usual camping activities – and as entertainment for the adults because it’s so fun to watch.  I currently have 20 boxes, about as many locks, three backpacks, and a variety of puzzle props scattered in front of me and I’m trying to cull through the options for ones that are “camping proof” (i.e. no really small pieces that might get lost, nothing that takes up too much room in the car, nothing that requires heat or electricity…).  But I think it will work.  Because after all – “escaping” can be done anywhere, right?  😉

We’re gearing up for an event we are hosting for an 11-year old’s birthday this Friday
and wanted to make a new and trickier puzzle for him and his friends.  We decided that the new puzzle should involve Lego (every good puzzle
should!).  But we know that 11-year olds are pretty smart.  So how to make it even tricker??

We needed another element.  Something devious.  Something so random and strange that you would never even think of associating it with Lego.  I puzzled over this for a while.  And then my daughter… er… business partner… created this hand-painted masterpiece that is now the key to solving the lego puzzle.

Shhhh…. don’t tell the birthday boy!