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Escape the jail

You will need

  • Whistles

  • Something to mark lines (for example, chalk, masking tape, or rope)

  • Torch or phone

  1. The person leading the game should explain the boundaries of play and any signals (for example, that if they blow the whistle two times everyone should come out from their hiding places and meet back at the starting point).

  2. The person leading the game should mark out a jail. They should mark a boundary around the edge of the jail, which people can run to while staying distanced from anyone inside the jail.

  3. Everyone should split into two even teams. One team are the hiders, the other are the jailors.

  4. Each jailor should get a torch and make sure it’s working.

  5. The jailors should close their eyes and count to 60. Meanwhile, the hiders should find a hiding place within the boundaries.

  6. Once the jailors have finished counting, they should set out to try to find the hiders. When a jailor thinks they’re about two metres away from a hider, they should turn on their torch and point the beam at the hider.

  7. If the hider thinks they’re going to be caught, they should run to another hiding place. The jailor should try to catch them with the beam of their torch, making sure they stay two metres apart.

  8. If a jailor catches a hider with their torch beam, the hider should go to jail.

  9. The hiders should try to free the people in jail by having at least one foot inside the jail boundary and saying ‘escape the jail’. If they succeed without being caught, everyone inside the jail is free to hide again.

  10. The game ends when all of the hiders have been caught and are in jail – or when time’s up.

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