Teaching kids survival skills can be challenging to do during the school day. These survival games teach students to think logically and strategically to “survive” in the game. These activities are both fun and encourage students to think about different perspectives. Try one of these in the classroom or at home!
1. Spy Activity
This fun activity will engage your oldest middle school students. Students will have to work step by step to solve this spy-themed mystery box. This series returns with boxes that are for older students and adults.
Learn More: Lock Paper Scissors
2. Crayon Secret Message
One game or puzzle within an escape room is this adorable and interactive activity for children. Write the clue on a blank piece of white paper with a white crayon. Then students paint over with colored paint to find the answer.
Learn More: Teaching Ideas
3. Settlers of Catan
This classic board game can be played either on a physical board or online. In the game, students take effective steps to build territory to survive. They can compete against fellow students or against the computer. While playing, they will need to get out of tricky situations such as deciding who to steal from and who to work with.
Learn More: Catan
4. Halloween-Themed Escape Room
This team bonding activity is so much fun for children of all ages. Students receive a piece of paper with clues on it and ultimately have to solve math problems and word riddles in order to complete the final spooky potion!
Learn More: Appletastic Learning
5. The Game of Life
In the Game of Life, students find themselves in the trickiest situations and need to make life choices to have the best life and “survive”. This game can be played in the classroom and is also a great activity for adults to play with children. This family-friendly activity can be purchased in the physical board game form or as a digital activity.
Learn More: Marmalade Game Studio
6. The Worst-Case Scenario Game of Surviving Life
This quirky game reminds us that life has no shortage of perils. This game is one of the best effective leadership activities which encourages kids to think logically about how they would survive a bad situation.
Learn More: Pinterest
7. Codes in Escape Room
Create any themed escape room and include this code-cracking activity as one of the steps to escape! Print out this piece of paper and either use the given code or create your own. Both young and old students will love this logic puzzle to crack the code. Then buy an actual lock to have them unlock the next clue!
Learn More: Activity Mom
8. Desert Island Survival Scenario
Students pretend they are on a deserted island and have to choose which of a handful of items they would bring with them to survive. Students can then explain how they would use these items for island survival. This activity could be a group activity where you create survival teams. The possibilities are endless!
Learn More: ISL Collective
9. Oregon Trail Game
If you’re looking for ideas for games in the classroom, look no further! The Oregon Trail is a classic game that can either be an online activity or a physical board game. Students can pretend to be someone on the search for a new home. This challenging game encourages students to think about long-term survival.
Learn More: Visit Oregon
10. Around the World in 30 Days
In this survival game, students find themselves in a difficult situation where they have to help Lucy survive and get around the world in 30 days. Choose everyday items to help her survive. Students will receive effective feedback throughout.
Learn More: Breakout Edu
11. Animal Fun Survival Game
Animal Fun is a delightful children’s code-cracking game. Students receive a series of puzzles and use them to help animals get back to the zoo. Make this game more challenging by adding a 5-minute time limit to each round!
Learn More: Google
12. Jumanji Escape Game
Students will act as a character in the popular movie “Jumanji” to try to end the curse. Unlike the game in the movie, students will not need additional pieces (but maybe a piece of paper and a pencil to solve riddles.) This activity is in a Google Form and students can save progress in Google Drive.
Learn More: Google Docs
13. The Mandalorian Escape Game
The Mandalorian escape game has students act as characters in other galaxies. This is an excellent team bonding activity and can be played as a large group. You could even have a competition with equal-sized teams solving to see who can escape first!
Learn More: Google Docs
14. Roald Dahl Digital Escape
Students use their knowledge of book topics from Roald Dahl’s books to solve riddles. This is a great series of activities for children that incorporates academic content from popular books with materials in the escape game.
Learn More: Google Docs
15. Word Puzzle Game
This word-building game has students use images and letters to make out a secret message. This activity could be put on Google Drive so students can save their progress for later. This digital activity is great for students in middle school.
Learn More: Kesler Science
16. Decimals Additional & Subtraction Escape Room
This is a great way to encourage students to have fun with activities that involve math. Students solve problems to escape the room. This is a great team-building activity to partner with students of differing math levels.
Learn More: Mama Teaches
17. Escape the Sphinx
In this digital activity, students travel to Ancient Egypt to free themselves from the Sphinx. Students are put in leadership situations where they need to make decisions on how to best survive these scenarios. This is an excellent activity for the whole family!
Learn More: Google
18. Space Explorer Training Digital Escape Room
Students will find themselves in difficult leadership situations in this digital escape room. This team-building game will have students considering different puzzles and clues on how to survive. Make the game even more challenging with a 20 – 30-minute time limit!
Learn More: Google Docs
19. Aquarium Mystery
Students explore an aquarium virtually to solve a hidden mystery. This activity has some elements from video games and requires searching a website for hidden items. Students will help a virtual character get out of a tricky situation in this fun and informative activity!
Learn More: Google Docs
20. Shrek-Themed Escape Room
Students can live in the world of Shrek, everybody’s favorite ogre, in this interactive escape room. Students are put into tricky situations and need to determine the best way out. Teachers can give constructive feedback and hold a feedback discussion session to help students find their way out.
Learn More: Laura’s Virtual Program
21. Looney Tunes Locks
Everybody from elementary students to college students will love this code-breaking activity. Students will answer a series of puzzles to get the codes to unlock this game.
Learn More: Escape Edventures
22. The Minotaur’s Labyrinth
If you’re looking for ideas for games to engage the whole family, look no further than the Minotaur’s Labyrinth. Filled with image searches and codes, everybody can be involved in escaping this game!
Learn More: Google Docs
23. Hunger Games Escape Game
Make students’ time in school both fun and educational with the Hunger Games escape game. Students answer riddles to escape and win the Hunger Games!
Learn More: Escape Edventures
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