Glowstick Games
You've seen all the web sites selling glowsticks but (a) you don't want to buy 50 in one go,
(b) you want to get your friends involved and (c) you're wondering how. Here's some great games you can try out with
your friends.
1. The Great Glow Rush
a variation on the popular game called pooh-sticks.
What you will need:
2 or more glowsticks
2 or more people
Markers for start and finish lines. You could use 2 green glowsticks (one for each side of the
bank) to mark the starting line and 2 red glowsticks to mark the finish line.
A stream or river
Darkness
Object of this game:
Surprise, surprise, for your glowstick to be the first to cross the finish line by traveling down
the stream or river.
Rules: Apart from when a persons' glowstick gets stuck, no physical contact or other form of
help can be used to put that persons' glowstick at an unfair advantage to any other contestants.
Similarly, contestants must in no way interfere with other competitors' glowsticks, by 'bombing',
'drowning' or otherwise hindering their progress.
If a glowstick gets stuck, the contestant may move the glowstick sideways or backwards (assuming
this is possible) until the glowstick can again move forward without assistance. This help can only be given when the
glowstick is already stuck. EX: if you can see that your glowstick is going to get stuck downstream you must wait until
it has actually stopped moving forward.
If two or more competing glowsticks cross the finish line at the same time, EX: a photo-finish
is declared, those glowsticks must race again to decide a winner.
If no glowsticks cross the finish line but one is further ahead than the rest of the field, that
glowstick should be declared the winner by default.
Foul play will result in confiscation of that persons' glowstick and a ban enforced until such time
as that person has apologized sincerely for their unsportsman-like conduct.
The above list is more of a guideline than a set of rules and you might want to change some of them.
For example you may decide that no help is allowed to be given when a glowstick gets stuck. Or you could limit the number
of 'assists' to, say 3 or 4. It's your game so you decide, just make sure everyone else agrees with you before the starters
whistle blows.
2. Hunter Glow
What you will need:
6-15 glowsticks
3 or more people
A parent-free house {so you can turn all the lights out and run round the house searching for the
glowsticks}
This game follows the principle of hide and seek except you are looking for glowsticks instead of
people. One person needs to be picked to hide the glowsticks while the others are not looking. That person should hide
the glowsticks in places where they are not too hard to find but not too easy either. It's up to you how hard you make
this game for each other but obviously if you bury them in cereal packets or rip up the carpet and hide them underneath you'll
make this game very frustrating to play!
Rules:
The object of this game is to find the most glowsticks, or more glowsticks than the other contestants.
It's probably a good idea to set a time limit; maybe 5 minutes. You might want to write down where you've hidden the
glowsticks just in case you forget later on!
Game variations:
Teams If you have enough people you could split into 2 or
more search parties and divide the play area between each team member to cover more ground in the same time.
Points:
Give each color glowstick a different point value.
EX:Color values Red = 10 Orange = 5
Blue = 2 Green = 1
3. Para-glow Troopers
What you will need:
2 or more glowsticks
2 or more people
String/rope to loop trough the glowsticks
Parachute making materials such as: plastic bag, cotton, silk or another light fabric
An open space, ideally a big playing field
An accurate timer or stop watch
Oobject of the game:
To make your glowstick stay airborne for the longest time. This requires making a parachute
and harness to which you can strap in your glowstick. Making a good parachute will require some trial and error research
and experimentation of different surface area's of fabrics, different materials and different designs.
If you have access to it, you could get someone to fill a balloon with helium for you and attach
your glowstick at the bottom!
When you have made your parachute and are ready to go, check that the glowstick is firmly strapped
in. One of your friends should act as referee and hold onto the timer and tell you when to throw. Good luck!
4. Team Glow
What you will need:
5 or more people
16+ glowsticks
A forest suitable for cycling or running around in
Team colors, for example a green pendant for all green team members and red for red team members.
Object of this game:
For your team to be the first to collect all your chosen color glowsticks. So if you chose
green and manage to collect all the green glowsticks in the playing field first, your team wins.
This is a great game if you can round up enough friends. Once assembled, everyone should be
split up into teams of equal numbers. Teams then choose which color glowstick will represent their team. Each
team member should wear an identifying marker as otherwise it will be difficult to distinguish each other in the dark.
If green is your chosen team color, try to have everyone wear a bright green top or bib.
The playing field should either be marked off or everyone should agree as to the area the playing
field occupies. The referee then has the job of hiding all the glowsticks around the playing field. A good idea
would be to hang each glowstick at about head height on trees and foliage, if possible.
Once the referee has done this and is completely exhausted, the game is ready to start. All
teams should start from the same place at the same time. Each team must collect all their color glowsticks and return
to base to be declared the winner.
Rules:
Players must only collect their own team color glowsticks. If foul play is found to have occurred,
that persons team will automatically be disqualified.
All a team's glowsticks must be returned to base before they can be declared a winner.
Players must not physically prevent other team's members from searching at any time. Again,
if foul play is deemed to have occurred this will result in automatic disqualification of the entire team.
Game variations:
This is by no means the only way to play. There are lots of different variations you could try,
a lot of which you will probably think of the first few times you play.
Here are some suggestions anyway:
Turn-based Players are given a number and take it in turns to collect each glowstick. So one
person goes into the playing field at a time, collects one glowstick, returns, and then the next person goes.
Collect
in number order Each glowstick is labeled with a number. So if there are 6 glowsticks they are numbered 1 to 6.
If they are collected in number order the team receives points of that numbers value.
EX: stick 5 = 5 points. Glowsticks not collected in order give the team 2 points.
Points-based Points are received based on who collects and returns their glowsticks first.
First glowstick collected = 10 points; other teams first glowstick collected receives only 5 points.
Midnight robbery 10 points are awarded for each team color glowstick returned. 5 points are
received for returning with an opposing teams glowstick.
