Giants, Wizards and Elves

Name and Purpose

Giants, Wizards and Elves is a whole-body rock-paper-scissors game that builds quick decision-making, team cohesion, and joyful silliness.
The reveal moment creates shared surprise and laughter. Every round is fast and fresh.

a.k.a.

Age / Group / Time / Space

Ages 8-16 | 10-40 players | 15-25 minutes | Medium field or gym with two safety zones at opposite ends and a clear centre meeting line

Materials

Quick-Run Card

Mark safety zones at each end of the field and a meeting line at the centre.
Teams huddle and secretly choose their character: Giant, Wizard, or Elf.
Both teams line up at the centre meeting line.
On a count of three, everyone performs their team’s action together.
The winning team chases. The losing team runs to their safety zone. Tagged players join the chasing team.

Character Actions

Who Beats Whom

Setup and Boundaries

How to Play

Divide into two even teams. Teams go to opposite ends.
Each team huddles and agrees on their character for the round. Encourage a backup plan in case of a tie.
Both teams walk to the centre meeting line and face each other.
On “1, 2, 3, reveal!” everyone performs their character action at the same time.
The winning team immediately chases the losing team.
Losing team members run to their safety zone. If tagged before reaching safety, they join the chasing team.
Ties: both teams return to their zones and re-huddle.
Continue until one team has all players, or call time and celebrate the round.

I-OPt Options

A (Active): Run hard in the chase or escape, take the lead in team strategy huddle
S (Support): Help teammates decide the character, encourage slower runners during the chase
Q (Quiet): Walk-pace participation; safety zone is always a legitimate destination at any speed
O (Observer): Watch from the sideline, track who joins which team, step in when ready

Inclusion Adaptations

Walking-only variation: all chasing and escaping happens at walking pace. The reveal and strategy remain the same.
Seated reveal variation for players who cannot run: they perform the character action from the side and join whichever team they choose between rounds.

Stewardship Moment

After play: collect cones and do a quick sweep.
Reflection: “This game is entirely about a shared decision in a few seconds. Where else in camp do we make quick team decisions?”

Consent

Pre-brief: “This game involves chasing and tagging. For those not comfortable with being chased or tagged, walking pace and the sideline observer role are both great ways to join. You pick how you want to play.”
Mid-game check: After 3-4 rounds, quick pause. “How is everyone feeling? Thumbs up, sideways, or down.”
Opt-out / re-entry: Step to the sideline at any time. Return to either team at the start of the next round.

Risks and Mitigation

Collisions when both teams charge the centre line: remind teams to walk to the centre, then run after the reveal
One team quickly dominating: after 5 rounds, reshuffle teams to rebalance
Players arguing about who was tagged: the tagged player joins the chasing team without debate. Move on.

Warm-Up Suggestions

“Three Actions Practice”: everyone practices all three character actions together before teams are chosen, so the gestures feel natural
“Slow Reveal”: do one slow-motion round together to demonstrate the sequence before full-speed play

Debrief Questions

What? “How did your team decide which character to pick? Did everyone agree?”
So What? “What happened when the whole team moved together? Did it feel different from deciding alone?”
Now What? “When do we need to make a fast group decision in real life? How do we do that well?”

Cleanup and Reset