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Night games - Night-time games

Night games - Night-time games | ©: www.youthwork-practice.com

Program proposal for the dark season

During the dark winter months, night games can be played during the normal group lessons in the afternoon, because it is getting already dark between 5 and 6. That makes it easy, to play those games in the surrounding fields and forests.

However, the selected area should be clear. Don’t play on rocky and steep terrain and make sure there is a natural boundary. From my own experience, I know that one or the other kid will get lost in the dark because they missed a boundary or pathway.

Depending on which game you are playing, you might be better off using a smaller area. An area of 1000x1000 m is already way too big and confusing if you have only 20 kids who are supposed to find or ambush each other.

If the kids are chasing each other in the dark, rocks or branches in face height could pose dangerous obstacles. You have to weigh up those dangers and always take well equipped First Aid kit with you.

Night games - Night-time games | ©: www.youthwork-practice.com

The Knocking Game

This game is ideal for playing on a meadow with trees and bushes. 2-3 youth workers hide somewhere and knock every 60 – 90 seconds using two pieces of wood. The objective is for the kids to find the “knockers”. Whoever finds one, receives a point. The winner is the one or the respective team who has gathered the most points.

This game can be easily played in a flat, dark terrain, with a few trees and bushes.

Finding the right code

Night games - Night-time games | ©: www.youthwork-practice.com

First, divide the kids into 2 – 3 groups. Next, each kid gets a letter code attached to their backs with a safety pin. The objective is, to find the matching code on the back of someone of the other team. Only if you have all the matching codes, you will receive a coded sentence.

How can you find the code of the enemy? You will need flashlights as well as employ tracking skills without being found out yourself.

Another way would be to sneak up, turn the enemy on his belly and read the code on the back.

This game can be played in a rather small area. The smaller the area, the greater the whacking around.

On the links below you can find more outdoor games: