MIX UP AT THE MORGUE MYSTERY NAPERVILLE–The holidays are the perfect time to bring the family together for an interactive game. You may have participated in the latest craze of escape rooms throughout the Western Suburbs, but they can get costly at almost $30/person without the right coupon or Groupon. Pam Molnar of Naperville has created DIY Escape Rooms as one of her many themed options available in her Etsy store.

I decided to try it out with my own family, ranging in age from teenagers to grandparents. When I first printed the game, I felt a bit overwhelmed at the supply list and setup time necessary to play; but, I decided the end result would be worth it to save $220, since we would be having eight people playing for the $19.99 download price versus having to pay $30/person at an outside venue.

I collected the locks, the boxes, bags, etc. and proceeded to cut out and label the items as instructed. After a couple hours, I arranged the objects in the room and was ready for the group to play. It was so much fun being the “hint” master and watching them scope out the room, seeking numerical clues for the combos, and hunt for keys to unlock the padlock. Every piece of paper, book, photo, and then some, was questioned as a possible reveal to solve the mystery at the morgue. A few disagreements ensued amongst the players as to what belonged and what didn’t – it was like watching a live stream of Family Feud mixed with Hasbro’s Clue Board Game arguing if Colonel Mustard did it in the dining room with the candlestick or not?!

It was pure entertainment for me watching my family members work together for an hour to figure out who the people were and what they brought with them while eliminating the decoy items. In the end, it was a top rated family fun game and well worth the preparation involved!

Overview Pam’s Party Printables offers more than 100 themed games in her store on Etsy. The games are sold as instant, digital downloads; and while many of the games are printable, she also offers PowerPoint versions of her Friendly Feud games. Themes include Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Baby Shower, Bridal Showers, Girls Night Out, Family Reunions, DIY Escape Rooms, and so many more.

Pam’s Party Printables Naperville, IL 60564 www.etsy.com/shop/PamsPartyPrintables

Hours: 24 Hours/Day

Price $: 19.99/Download

ABOUT THE WRITER Naperville mom Kristen Kucharski graduated from Illinois State University in 1992 with an International Business Degree. She is married and has two energetic daughters and her house is always full of children. Kristen’s column titled, Mom's Little Black Book, is a monthly feature written for moms who are looking for ways to keep their kids busy.