Night Watchman
I learned this game from my friend Jen (Eco) Langley, who taught it to me when we worked together at Camp Wyoka.
This is essentially a night hike with a mysterious or magical twist. The person leading the hike dresses completely in black, preferably with a cloak which has a deep hood to hide their face. They also carry a lit lantern. The walk is carried out in complete silence, with the 'night watchman' leading the way. At various places along the route, the watchman stops, points to one of the followers, and gives them an activity card to read to the rest of the group. The card's instructions are read in a whisper and then followed in silence.
Some of the activities I've used in this game are shown below. Feel free to make up your own activity cards, or use some of the ideas from my Night Hikes page.
Activity Ideas:
1) Listen carefully to the sounds of the forest around you. At the count of three, everyone in the group will clap their hands together sharply. After the clap, the woods should be silent. Listen for a few minutes longer to hear the night sounds begin slowly all around you. Can you identify any of the sounds?
2) Look at the silhouette of the trees against the night sky. Use your finger as a paintbrush and trace their outline in the air.
3) Look at the stars high overhead. Choose a special star and stare at it for a minute. Can you see it twinkle? Does its colour change at all?
4) What colours can your eyes see in the dark? (Pass around a collection of paint chip squares or pieces of coloured construction paper.) Can you tell what colours these squares are without using your flashlight?