A good outdoor game to play in woodland as evening is falling.
Agree on a large area with enough space for running around and hiding. Within this area, chose a smaller area in which to hide the treasure (we actually used a packet of lozenges but sweeties are better). Then choose a tree at the other end of the area, as home base.
The players split into guards and seekers (we had two guards to four seekers). The seekers retreat to home base and close their eyes while the guards hide the treasure. To win the game the seekers have to bring back the treasure and have all their members at their home base tree. This sounds easy but the guards can catch the seekers at any time just by touching them – and can then place them in prison anywhere they choose eg a tree, a mound, an area between two trees. The guards can also move the imprisoned seeker to a new prison if they want. If caught the seekers have to be rescued by their team mates – again by touching them.
Sometimes, the seekers may find the treasure but are unable to free their team members – and this is a good time to negotiate with the guards to release the prisoners in return for the packet of sweets. If that happens, the game can start again.
This is all done in the dark so stealth and cunning are needed as much as speed and force, and other senses become as important as sight.
