We all hear it all the time.  In fact one fast food chain even has it as a slogan.  Think OUTSIDE the box.  Here in San Angelo hundreds of people have discovered that powerful things can happen when you "Think IN a Box".

Escape rooms are a viral trend that's sweeping the nation.  Mental health experts and psychologists have chimed in on 7 benefits of escape rooms.

1) They develop motor skills.  The puzzles help improve motor skills.

2) Escape rooms can improve communication and social skills. Escape rooms force teams to work together. They put players in a situation where they must communicate and problem solve by working together

3) Escape rooms improve your mood.  Completing challenges and solving puzzles causes a release of the feel good hormone dopamine in the brain, leaving people energized and less fatigued.

4) Escape rooms can give your exercise routine a boost. If you're doing an escape room properly, you are darting around, exploring high and low and raising your heart rate.

5) Escape rooms can help develop your memory and increase capacity.  Puzzles, riddles and challenges are a great way to improve your memory. A lot of escape rooms require memory retention with players having to recall something they've learned or seen.

6) Escape rooms help you learn new things.   Escape rooms immerse players in an interactive environment that has been shown to improve learning capacity.

7) Escape Rooms Relieve Stress.  Escape room challenges allow you to escape from it all and use your imagination to plunge yourself into a whole new mindset.  This allows you to leave your everyday stresses and struggles.

With all this in mind, we're lucky here in San Angelo to have an 7 incredible escape room experiences all under one roof.  Think In A Box Escape Room is downtown at 123 E Concho.   Lisa Lewis is the founder and owner of Think In A Box Escape Room.

What inspired her to open an escape room in San Angelo.  She says escape rooms draw shy people out of their shell. " It's the positive interaction we see among people. People are here with their friends, their family, their co-workers and small groups.  Maybe, its because they're feeling accountable or maybe it's because they're having fun but with escape room experiences we see people the best side of people."

Photo by Joseph Browning for Townsquare Media
Photo by Joseph Browning for Townsquare Media
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Think in a Box currently offers 7 different escape room experiences.  They are all exquisitely prepared and decorated. The scenarios are challenging and engaging. Think In A Box doesn't work well for young children. Some of the escape rooms can worth with parents and older children together.

Photo: Think In A Boxtx.com
Photo: Think In A Boxtx.com
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There are seven Escape Rooms starting with the easiest.

"Monkey Slime" Help we've been have been framed! Physical fun for groups with kids and anyone who was kid. Groups as young as 13 can play without an adult. Climbing is allowed,

Photo: Joseph Browning for Townsquare Media
Photo: Joseph Browning for Townsquare Media
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Gold Rush Cabin:  You time travel to Canada to the 1800's to find Old Bill's gold.  There have been a couple of proposals in this Gold Rush Cabin.  People find gold and some find an engagement rings

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Tesla's Coffin: Tesla’s family doesn’t believe his body was cremated. Moderately challenging and full of surprises. Puzzles will intrigue and electrify you. Our most popular room.

Photo: Think in a Boxtx.com
Photo: Think in a Boxtx.com
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Blue Virus:  This escape room came long before Covid. Can you save the world? Great for families and older experienced teens. Younger children can play while parents solve. Scavenger hunt and color based riddles.

Photo: Think In A Boxtx.com
Photo: Think In A Boxtx.com
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The Franchise:  You are a group of Americans in the Middle East to sign a contract. Something is bound to go wrong. Focused on team building and cooperation You live or die as a team

Photo: Joseph Browning for Townsquare Media
Photo: Joseph Browning for Townsquare Media
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Industrial Chaos:
The plant has been sabotaged. Can you untangle this mess in time? Requires physical manipulation but not strength. Excellent team building with lots of laughs!

Photo: Think in a Boxtx.com
Photo: Think in a Boxtx.com
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Twist of Fate: This is the most difficult.  It's set in bawdy New Orleeeens.  Yes, you must say it that way.  Miss Sonja was held hostage in her home and parlor. Can you secure the scene? For experienced players who want a challenge with dark side. Screams followed by laughter.

Lisa Lewis says the great thing about Think In A Box Escape Rooms is that they will open anytime a group wants to play.  She says someone has the company phone at all times. Just call 325-650-1755 or go to the website at https://www.thinkinaboxtx.com/

Lewis has an great outlook when it comes to her escape room. "I think what makes a difference in an  escape room is that the groups are small enough that everyone understands that they are accountable to one another." she says. "Even people who don't usually feel like participating understand the ramifications for everyone when they don't do their part".

With all the division in America today along political and cultural lines, developing this concept might just be the key to helping bring us all together.  Truly, the escape room experience can teach us all a thing or two about unity.  Maybe, its something we should all experience.

 

 

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