Games in the dark?

[silvergirl]

OK, I have said I will organise some night games for a small group of up to 10 girls aged 10-14 next week.
We have a grassed field and a small section of mature woodland to use, they will be bringing torches, but I may confiscate them at the start

Has anyone got any games they have played in the dark, or suggestions of things that could be adapted.

We will of course finish by roasting marshmallows over an open fire

 

[Ahjno]

I've never been a scout, but have been on camp with school at the age of 12. We played a smugglersgame: divide the group in 2. Make sure 1 team is clearly recognisable (brightly couloured, with / without neck tie, etc). One team are smugglers, other team is the hunter force. Pass out coloured stones (we where given Lego blocks ). Objective is to bring / smuggle as much stones as possible, though you're only allowed to have 1 stone maximum or no stone (as diversion - though we came up with that ourselves ). Change after 20 minutes. Team with most stones wins.

 

[Cobweb]

I loved (and still play) hide and seek in the dark, it really makes use of all of the senses, especially hearing as the only way to find someone in the woods at night without a torch is by sound.

If you want to make it easier, have the hiders wearing white tops.

 

[MartiniDave]

Many, VERY many years ago, when I was a fresh apprentice, my company sent me away on an "Adjustment to Industry" course, a sort of cross between a boot camp and a team building seminar. One evening they split us into groups of 4, blind folded us, told us to appoint a leader for each group, which turned out to be me in my group. A bit of string was then put in my hand which I was told to follow, giving instructions to the rest of my group as we went.
The string had been leed through all sorts of terrain, woodland, meadow, over stepping stones, under a bridge etc etc.
My abiding memory is of being on hands and knees with my hand on the string, hearing the leaders from other groups calling out "tree on the right...tree on the left... we're on a hill I think...SPLASH"
Maybe something like that but not too extreme?

Dave

 

[Chainsaw]

We used to play Searchlight where one guy stood at one end facing away and the others started at the other end and had to sneak up on him. The searcher had a big torch (in those days about 3 lumens!!) and shouted "searchlight!" then switched on and turned round for 5 seconds (counted out loud) and looked for you. If you got caught you joined the searchers (after getting 'spears' thrown at you, you maybe want to leave that bit out!) If you got to him you got to be the searchlight (and got to throw sticks at people)

Cheers,

Alan

 

[jack by the hedge]

We used to play a wide game in scouts when you were allowed a bit of rough and tumble.
the rules as i remember them ( but this was 25 years ago )

1- Time limited ( depending on how cold at night 20-30 mins). Shout out to field @ 10, 5, 2, 1 mins

2- one acts as the keeper, all others are fielders.

3- The keeper guards the lamp and has a small touch.

4- the fielders run off into the night, away from the touch and wait for the start.

5- once you start the fielders must sneak up and turn off the lamp without:

a- being caught by the touch and the keeper identifying them by name

b- being tigged by the keeper ( in the days of 3 tv channels, this would be a rugby tackle into a cow pat )

Note: the keeper must be 12 yards away from the lamp at all times unless someone has got inside the circle.

This used to be the best game under the stars when i was a kid. Check with your H&S officer before you start to fill out a full risk assessment document.

 

[morch]

Check with your H&S officer before you start to fill out a full risk assessment document.

makes me want to weep

I agree with you about the game though Jack, we used to do the same thing with the junior rugby teams and scouts when on weekends away and they always loved it

Dave

 

[Bodge]

The cubs at our pack love to play "manhunt" (person hunt)
2 leaders basically go and hide and the cubs search for them. We tend to keep the area quite small and usually just stand in a bush and keep quiet while the cubs rampage around like a herd of hefalumps. I sometimes follow them around when they pass me or even join the group depending how switched on they are.

Sometimes if there is enough cubs 10+ the hunted have to get back to hq without being caught.

Just make it up as you go along. Kids, darkness and torches is a winner every time imo.

google 'wide games' and you'll have loads of ideas.

hth

 

[jonnno]

This seems like a good resource:
http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/games/wide/