Mission: Find Another Way | Therapy Escape Room-Inspired Activity

Therapy doesn’t have to feel like a worksheet.

Mission: Find Another Way turns a counseling session into a hands-on escape room designed to support practice with flexible thinking, problem-solving, frustration tolerance, coping with change, and perspective-taking.

Kids move through a series of clues and challenges to uncover a three-part final code; all while practicing the idea that there can be more than one way to solve a problem, complete a task, or reach the same goal.

Designed with ages 8–12 in mind, this activity works well for individual counseling sessions and small groups and takes approximately 30–45 minutes.

Children have opportunities to:

- Practice flexible thinking when plans change

- Work through problems using different approaches

- Practice frustration tolerance when something feels challenging

- Notice that two people can reach the same goal in different ways

- Practice adapting to a plan they did not create

- Use persistence, teamwork, and attention to detail to complete the mission

One of my favorite parts of this activity is the card-tower challenge: the child and therapist work toward the exact same goal in different ways, and then have to switch and work with a plan they didn’t create.

What’s Included

- Easy-to-follow therapist setup guide

- Mission card

- 5 printable clues

- Flexible-thinking math challenge

- Card tower challenge

- Plot Twist + Congratulations cards

- Stuffed-animal clue

- Rainbow scratch-card challenge

- Hidden code pieces

- Final three-part code card

- Mission Complete reward page

- Printing + setup instructions

- Terms of use + disclaimer

Supplies You’ll Need

Most materials are simple things you may already have in your office:

Printed resource pages, scissors, a deck of playing cards, stuffed animal, fidget bin, whiteboard or chalkboard, timer, rainbow scratch cards or comparable drawing materials, and a container/envelope/box for the final reward.

A combination lock is optional, the activity can still be completed without one.

Great For

Child therapists

School counselors

Mental health professionals

Small counseling groups

Flexible-thinking work

Coping with change

Problem-solving

Frustration tolerance

Perspective-taking

Please Note

This listing is for a digital PDF download. No physical product will be shipped.

This resource is intended as an educational and supportive activity. It is not a substitute for individualized mental health treatment, diagnosis, crisis intervention, medical care, or professional judgment. Adults using the resource should determine whether the activity is appropriate for each child’s developmental level, needs, and circumstances.