Outdoor Halloween Games

Spooky Fun to Play in the Dark

© Lesley Munnichs

Oct 13, 2008

No equipment is needed for these games nor is any preparation or forward planning. No particular number of players is required but more than four is good.

Ghosty Ghost

• begin by turning off all the outside lights except one (this is only needed at the beginning) and drawing curtains to prevent light from spilling out from indoors. The game is exciting played this way but if younger children (or indeed parents) are not comfortable with the low light level leave the curtains open
• pick someone to be the Ghost
• the Ghost turns his back and gives all the players to the count of 100 to find a hiding place outside
• when everyone is ready turn off the remaining light
• the Ghost yells loudly so all the players can hear "Ghosty Ghost is coming to find you"
• the Ghost then has to poke and prod and feel around to find the other players. Players need to be as quiet as possible so no moving and especially no laughing or giggling or the Ghost will find you
• the last player found is the winner.

Worth Noting

Ensure there's nothing dangerous around like prickly cactus, gardening tools or easily startled pets. Remember this is in the dark so many normally obvious obstacles may not be seen or known about by players who are not familiar with the garden and yard. If there is an area that poses a particular hazard consider roping it off.

Graveyard

This is best played on an area of lawn. A light of some kind may be needed between rounds depending on how comfortable the players are with moving about in the dark.

• choose a player to be the Grave-digger
• the Grave-digger stands with his back to the playing area while players lay down scattered over the lawn
• when everyone is settled turn off any remaining lights and the game can begin
• the Grave-digger turns around and has to cross to the other side of the lawn area without tripping over any bodies
• since it is dark he will have to feel his way along. One strategy may be to crawl along on hands and knees, which is all the better to hear those laughs and giggles as everyone tries to stay very still and very quiet
• if the Gravedigger touches a body it's counted as an injury
• the Gravedigger keeps going until he gets to the other side of the playing area
• play as many rounds as there are players (so everyone has a chance to be the Gravedigger) using the light between rounds if players need or want it to move around. The player who has inflicted the least number of injuries at the end of all the rounds is the winner.

For more ideas check out An Adventure Game to Play in the Dark.

Enjoy!

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