Good Night, Grannie

Name and Purpose

• Good Night Grannie is a relay game that builds team coordination and joyful, low-stakes competition through costume quick-changes.
• Players practise sequencing, passing, and working together under cheerful time pressure.

a.k.a.

• Dress-Up Relay, Costume Relay

Age / Group / Time / Space

• Ages 8-16 | 10-30 players (split into 2+ teams of 5-15) | 15-25 minutes | Large indoor hall or sheltered outdoor area with a clear relay lane at least 10m long

Materials

• 2 nightcaps
• 2 nightgowns or oversized shirts (one per team)
• 2 pairs of oversized glasses
• 2 pairs of big overshoes or slip-on boots
• 2 pairs of mitts
• 2 battery-operated tea lights (one per team; replaces open-flame candles)
• 1 small table at the finish end
• Cones or tape to mark the relay lane

Quick-Run Card

1. Split into two relay lines; place the costume pile at the start.
2. First player dresses fully as Grannie, picks up the tea light, and moves to the next player.
3. Player removes costume and passes all items to the next player.
4. Repeat down the line until the final player is dressed.
5. Final player carries the tea light to the table and sets it down to finish.

Setup and Boundaries

• Mark a clear relay lane with cones, at least 10m long
• Signal: 1 short whistle = pause; 2 whistles = full stop and gather
• Keep costume items in a neat pile at each team’s start position
• Check the floor for trip hazards before play
• Battery-operated tea lights are used in place of open flames; no matches needed

How to Play

1. Teams line up at the start. The costume pile is at the front of each line.
2. On the go signal, Player 1 puts on all items: nightcap, nightgown, glasses, overshoes, and mitts.
3. Player 1 picks up the tea light and moves to Player 2.
4. Player 1 removes each costume piece; Player 2 puts each piece on.
5. Player 2 picks up the tea light and moves to Player 3. Repeat down the line.
6. The final player, fully dressed, carries the tea light to the table and places it down. First team to finish wins a round.
7. Play 2-3 rounds so different players get a turn at the finish.

I-OPt Options

• Start
  • A (Active): First player in line, dresses and runs
  • S (Support): Help the player beside you with tricky items like overshoes
  • Q (Quiet): Stand further back in the line and cheer your team
  • O (Observer): Watch the first round, then choose a position for round two
• Mid
  • A (Active): Focus on speed with your costume change
  • S (Support): Call out encouragement and name the next piece to put on
  • Q (Quiet): Do a slow, careful costume change and focus on getting every piece right
  • O (Observer): Count how many pieces each team finishes correctly
• Late
  • A (Active): Be the final player who carries the tea light to the table
  • S (Support): Make sure the table is clear and ready for your team’s tea light
  • Q (Quiet): Steady the costume items for the player ahead of you
  • O (Observer): Announce the result and celebrate both teams
• End
  • A (Active): Help reset the costume pile for the next round
  • S (Support): Gather items that have scattered
  • Q (Quiet): Sit with the costumes and pass items back as needed
  • O (Observer): Share what you noticed about how each team worked together

Inclusion Adaptations

• Players who find overshoes or mitts difficult to put on quickly can skip one item and pass after the rest are on
• Costume items can be placed on a chair rather than the floor so players do not have to bend down

Stewardship Moment

• After play, fold the costume items neatly and store them in a bag for reuse next time
• Reflection: “These costumes can be used hundreds of times. What else in your cabin can be reused instead of thrown away?”

Consent

• Pre-brief: “This is a dress-up relay. You’ll be putting on some fun costume items quickly and passing them to the next person. For those who’d prefer not to wear the costume pieces themselves, timing the team or cheering from the side is a great role.”
• Mid-game check: After the first round, pause and ask for a thumbs-up, sideways, or down from everyone.
• Opt-out/re-entry: Any player can step out by catching a staff member’s eye. To rejoin, they simply take the next open spot in the line.

Risks and Mitigation

• Tripping on overshoes: remind players to lift their feet and walk if running feels unsafe
• Nightgown length causing a fall: choose nightgowns or oversized shirts that hit at or above the knee
• Costume pile becoming a tangle: staff resets the pile at the start position between rounds
• Player embarrassment about the costume: frame the activity as joyful and silly for everyone; staff model enthusiasm

Warm-Up Suggestions

• “Quick Change”: call out a body part (left hand, right foot) and everyone touches it as fast as they can, three times in a row
• “Follow the Grannie”: staff member puts on one costume item and walks in a funny Grannie walk; group mirrors

Debrief Questions

• What? “What happened as the costume got passed down the line? What was the hardest part?”
• So What? “How did your team figure out a rhythm? What made it go smoothly or not?”
• Now What? “Where else in camp life do you need to hand something off carefully to the next person?”

Cleanup and Reset

• Collect all costume items and fold them
• Return tea lights to the equipment bin
• Remove cones and check the area for anything left behind