Name & Purpose: Shadow Hunt is a night-time hide-and-chase tag game. A small group of Shadows hides in a wooded or open area. Seekers move in pairs or threes with torches, searching for Shadows. Shadows cannot move while lit — they must rely on ambush. Tagged Seekers become Shadows. It builds teamwork, spatial awareness, and courage in a low-light environment. The tone is adventurous and exciting — not horror.
a.k.a.: Night Tag, Forest Tag, Torch Hunt, Dark Chase
Age Band / Group Size / Time / Space: Ages 8–16. 20–50 players. 30–45 minutes. Large wooded or open outdoor area at night. Requires a clearly lit, permanently safe home base — a campfire, lantern, or lit shelter. Play within a defined boundary that all players can recognise in low light.
Materials: One flashlight or head torch per Seeker group (one per two or three players). Dark clothing for all players — arrange in advance. A lit home base. Counsellor radios or phones for safety communication. Optional: glow-stick bracelets for Shadows to distinguish themselves quickly.
Quick-Run Card: Assign roughly 10% of the group as Shadows — they head into the play area two to three minutes before anyone else. Seekers move in groups of two or three. Torches must stay on at all times — Shadows are frozen by torch light (cannot move, can gesture but cannot tag while lit). When a torch beam moves away from a Shadow, the Shadow is free to move and can tag a Seeker. A tagged Seeker becomes a Shadow immediately. Home base is always safe — any player can go there at any time. A new round begins when only one Seeker remains or after 15 minutes.
Setup & Boundaries: Walk the boundary in daylight before the game. Place glow sticks, reflective tape, or torches at boundary markers so players can see the edges in the dark. Identify all unsafe areas — drop-offs, water, thick undergrowth — and brief these clearly. Home base must be visible from all parts of the play area (a campfire works perfectly). Establish a universal stop signal — two whistle blasts means everyone stops and stays still.
How to Play: 1. Choose Shadows — roughly 10% of the group (3 Shadows for 30 players, 5 for 50). Shadows put on dark clothing or a distinguishing marker. 2. Shadows enter the play area and hide. Seekers wait at home base and count loudly to 120 (two minutes). 3. At the count, Seekers form groups of two or three. Each group gets one torch. 4. Seekers enter the play area and search for Shadows. Groups must stay together — splitting up is not allowed. 5. If a Seeker’s torch beam lands on a Shadow, that Shadow is frozen — they cannot move. 6. When the torch beam moves on, the Shadow is free again. If that Shadow can tag a Seeker before the light comes back, the tagged Seeker becomes a Shadow. 7. Only one Seeker per Shadow ambush can be tagged at a time. 8. Any player — Seeker or Shadow — can return to home base at any time with no penalty. 9. The round ends when only one Seeker remains (they win) or after 15 minutes (Shadows win if they have tagged more than half the Seekers). 10. Reset, swap roles if desired, and play another round.
I-OPt Roles: Three simultaneous roles keep all players active. Shadow: hides strategically, times ambushes, works in silence — a high-suspense, patient role. Scout Seeker: leads the torch, sweeps for Shadows, coordinates the group’s movement — a leadership and navigation role. Support Seeker: watches the group’s rear and flanks while the Scout sweeps forward — a protection and awareness role. All three roles operate simultaneously across the full play area.
Inclusion Supports: Players who are anxious about low light or being separated can be home base anchors — they stay at the lit home base and call in to Seeker groups using code words (e.g., ‘Shadow spotted north fence’) via radio or relay. This is a valued role, not a consolation role — brief it that way. Players who do not want to be Shadows can always choose Seeker. Players who want to stop at any moment walk to home base — no explanation required. Any player can take a counsellor with them if they want company. Ensure buddy pairs are set before anyone enters the dark.
Stewardship: Before the game, walk the play area as a full group in daylight and clear it — move fallen branches, identify hazards, place boundary markers. Reflection prompt: ‘You explored this outdoor space at night. How did it feel different from daytime? What does nature look and sound like when humans are quiet? What do we owe to this environment?’
Consent: Pre-brief script — ‘This is an outdoor night game. It is exciting, not frightening — but I know the dark feels different for different people. Home base is always lit and always safe. You can go there any time, no explanation needed. Seekers stay in groups of at least two — no one is alone out there. Shadows cannot touch anyone roughly — one firm tag on the arm or shoulder, then step back. If anything feels wrong, two whistle blasts from me means stop and stay still. Before we start: anyone who would prefer to stay at home base the whole time — totally fine. Home base anchors are part of the team.’ Mid-game check-in — at the 15-minute mark, counsellor walks to home base and checks in with anyone there. Call a pause if needed. Opt-out/re-entry — players go to home base at any time. They re-enter as a Seeker at the start of the next round, or take the anchor role for the rest of the current round.
Risks & Mitigation:
| Risk | Likelihood | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Trips and falls in the dark | High | Walk boundary in daylight; clear hazards; enforce groups-of-two minimum |
| Players separate from their group | Medium–High | Groups-only rule; counsellor radios; two-whistle stop signal |
| A player becomes genuinely frightened | Medium | Home base anchor role; pre-brief consent fully; counsellor checks in mid-game |
| Player runs away from the play area | Low–Medium | Clear boundary with visible markers; one counsellor per 8 players minimum |
| Aggressive tagging in low visibility | Medium | One-touch rule; counsellors positioned to hear disputes; lights-on stop signal |
| Player becomes disoriented in low-light terrain | Low | Buddy system enforced; counsellor covers the full boundary perimeter |
Warm-Up Suggestions: Before entering the dark, sit around the home base and spend five minutes letting eyes adjust. Play one round of ‘Sound Map’ — everyone closes their eyes and for 60 seconds listens to the environment, then shares one sound they heard. This shifts sensory focus to hearing and touch and prepares players for the night game mindset.
Debrief: What? — ‘What was the most intense moment? Were you a better Shadow or Seeker — or was it the waiting that got you?’ So what? — ‘How did your senses change in the dark? What did you rely on more?’ Now what? — ‘When do you have to operate with incomplete information — when you can only sense part of what is going on? How do you make good decisions in those moments?’
Cleanup & Reset: Collect all torches and count them. Retrieve glow sticks or boundary markers. Do a final headcount at home base before leaving the play area. This takes five minutes and is non-negotiable before returning to camp.
