About Escape the Ordinary

At Noodle Goose, we know the best learning happens when you're having a blast. That’s why we partnered with a Speech-Language Pathology clinic to develop game-based activities of a Leadership camp for neurodiverse youth. Together, we designed an immersive life skills escape room called Escape the Ordinary. This game-based experience had campers tackling real-world challenges, all while supporting their journey to independence. Each room posed a hilarious (and sometimes messy) scenario inspired by the realities of living on your own. Campers had to plunge a toilet in “Bathroom Breakdown," cook a meal with limited ingredients in "Kitchen Crisis," and navigate a mock blackout in "Power Out Panic."

They solved budgeting puzzles, decoded TTC subway maps, and worked as a team to escape each scenario using practical problem-solving and creativity. Through laughter, collaboration, and just the right amount of chaos, youth learned essential life skills in an unforgettable experience that supported their communication, critical thinking, and independence. 

At Noodle Goose, we’re all about turning life’s messiest moments into interactive adventures!

Clinical Goal Areas of the Camp:

Clear speech and presentation skills in casual conversation activities.

Language:
Expand vocabulary, follow/give multi-step directions, storytelling/explaining.

Executive functioning skills:
Organization, planning, sequencing, decision making, critical thinking skills, time management, goal setting, problem solving, synthesizing, creating.

Social Communication:
-Recognize one's own roles in individual tasks and as a team member in group tasks, learn to recognize and respect strengths and needs of themselves and others in the group.

-Hands-on practice: Communicate with others during outings: e.g. keeping an eye on the group's location, separating and making plans to reunite by phone/text/in-person, practice communicating with customer service and security staff. 

Leadership Goal Areas:
-Knowledge of self: Members will work to identify, value and apply their strengths. They will take steps to increase their self-confidence, sense of identity and self-worth.
-Purpose and goal setting: Members will identify their interests and set goals to give a greater sense of purpose to their daily activities.
-Problem solving and resilience: Members will learn to identify and face challenges with reflection, self-talk, calming strategies, and step-by-step planning. They will learn to identify mistakes and problems as opportunities to learn and engage in self-improvements.
-Hands-on practice: Ask/answer questions, learn, teach and motivate others through demonstration, explain and provide feedback.

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