Darkness Hide and Seek

Name and Purpose

Darkness Hide and Seek builds spatial awareness, listening skills, and trust in a thrilling low-light challenge.
Players practise stillness, sensory focus, and calm under pressure.

a.k.a.

Age / Group / Time / Space

Ages 8-16 | 8-20 players | 15-25 minutes | Dark indoor room with a safe perimeter (gymnasium, large cabin, or activity room)

Materials

Quick-Run Card

Staff sweep and clear the room of all hazards. Pad sharp corners.
Establish a lit “safe zone” at one end (doorway or corner with low light).
“It” waits outside or covers their eyes at the safe zone while others hide or move quietly in the dark room.
“It” enters and tags players by sound. Tagged players move to the lit waiting area with a staff member.
Last untagged player becomes “It” for the next round.

Setup and Boundaries

How to Play

Staff complete a full safety sweep at full light. Players help clear the floor.
Brief players on the safe zone and the torch-on stop signal.
“It” closes their eyes or waits outside. All other players spread out quietly in the room.
Lights go off or dim to near darkness.
“It” enters and moves slowly, listening for sounds to tag other players.
Tagged players walk (not run) to the lit safe zone, join the waiting group, and become helpers: they can quietly cheer for the remaining players or count how long “It” takes to find the next person.
Round ends when all players are tagged or after a set time limit. The last tagged player becomes “It”.

I-OPt Options

A (Active): Move around the dark room, changing spots regularly.
S (Support): Stay still and make quiet sounds to draw “It” away from other players.
Q (Quiet): Crouch in one spot and stay completely still.
O (Observer): Wait in the lit safe zone and cheer. Join a round when ready.

Inclusion Adaptations

Players not comfortable in darkness can wear a glow bracelet and participate from the safe zone as a guide voice for “It”.
Seating available in the safe zone for players who need to rest between rounds.

Stewardship Moment

No materials used means no waste. Room is left exactly as found.
Reflection: “How did your other senses help you when you could not rely on sight?”

Consent

Pre-brief: “This game takes place in a dark or near-dark room. For those not comfortable in the dark, the safe zone cheering role is another option. Glow bracelets are also available for anyone who wants a bit of light.”
Mid-game check: After the first round, pause with the lights on briefly. Quick check-in with the group.
Opt-out/re-entry: Any player can move to the safe zone at any time. Re-join by stepping back into the dark room at the start of the next round.

Risks and Mitigation

Collisions in the dark: remind players to move slowly; no running allowed.
Sharp corner injuries: pad all edges before play; check with hands before the lights go off.
Panic or disorientation: staff torch on immediately if any player calls out; no player is ever alone in the dark.
“It” tagging too forcefully: model a gentle shoulder tap as the tag; reinforce this before play.

Warm-Up Suggestions

“Blind Walk”: in pairs, one player closes their eyes and the other guides them slowly across the room. Then switch.
“Sound Map”: eyes closed, players identify 5 sounds they can hear in the room right now.

Debrief Questions

What? “What did you notice about the way you moved when you could not see?”
So What? “How did losing one sense change how you used the others?”
Now What? “Where in life do you have to rely on something other than what you can see?”

Cleanup and Reset