Recently we have enjoyed developing a set of teaching resources to enable Takween HDI in Saudi Arabia to deliver a week-long workshop teaching children to build their own Minecraft-themed escape rooms using both the micro:bit and MakeyMakey. We have wanted to design an escape room for a while so we were super excited to put this workshop together for them! 

A lot of planning has to go into developing an escape room because each interaction has to be linked to the previous one and often also triggers the next interaction. At least one micro:bit was used in each interaction, this is an ideal piece of tech to use because it can be used to program servo motors to unlock doors, light-up LEDs, allow inputs from buttons, light, sound and movement and communicate with other interactions using radio. Additional technology we used within this project were:

• Cutebots (a low-cost micro:bit powered robot; one disguised as a minecart and one taking the form of an Ender Dragon!)
• MakeyMakey Code-a-Key Backpack (an add-on to enable you to combine the functionality of a MakeyMakey with a micro:bit)

Planning the Story

If you’ve ever visited an escape room you will know that there is usually a story behind the room which evolves and progresses with each challenge. For this story our brief was that it needed to be Minecraft-themed and involve two rooms. We designed an initial challenge which involved entering a code into a micro:bit attached to a chest. The numerical code is entered using the buttons and once the correct code is entered the chest unlocks. This was a starting point for both rooms and contained items required to complete the next challenges. The two rooms we came up with were:

• Room 1 - Journey to the Nether
• Room 2 - Defeat the Ender Dragon

Journey to the Nether

In this room the main goals are to complete a series of mini-challenges to release diamonds to craft a diamond pickaxe, using this players can then mine obsidian and complete a Nether Portal. These challenges involve rolling a ball through a trial-chamber themed maze, releasing a minecart and using location clues and a micro:bit compass. Once each of the diamonds are placed on a  crafting table a circuit is completed and a diamond pickaxe is released.

We were quite excited that this also gave us an opportunity to include the use of a MakeyMakey Code-a-Key Backpack - this meant that players could use their pickaxe to not-only interact with a micro:bit and send a radio message to the next challenge but it could also interact with a Scratch program on-screen at the same time which showed a piece of Netherite breaking as feedback. Here's a diagram of how this works:

Finally, players use their netherite block to complete the NetherPortal causing it to light up using LED strips and step through into the next room.

Room 2 - Defeat the Ender Dragon 

In the second room players need to find lapis lazuli and place it on an enchanting table to enchant a sword which glows purple using an LED strip:

Once it is enchanted the sword is used to defeat the Ender Dragon which is released once the End Portal is complete. Just like in room 1 we were excited to, again, make use of the MakeyMakey Code-a-Key Backpack and Scratch. This time players use them to defeat an on-screen Enderman in Scratch utilising the tilt mechanism of the micro:bit which translates as  key-presses in Scratch. By using the MakeyMakey Backpack we were also able to have a servo attached that opens a door to release the eye of ender to complete the end portal.

Challenge Cards and Online Support

For each interaction we provided detailed challenge cards detailing how to build the item, inputs and outputs and code examples to enable the learners to work somewhat independently. As this is quite a conceptually challenging creation we also provided remote online clinics from here in the UK where we talked the learners through any issues they were having, particularly with some of the more complicated parts of the room.

Once complete the learners attending the workshops invited their parents to try out their escape rooms and here is a video showing them in action:

We have a range of workshops available in schools, if you would like to run something similar in school we are always happy to discuss bespoke solutions to fit in with your curriculum. For example we recently developed a selection of D&T specific workshops which you can read more about here.