Zombie survival night

What it is

A big game of tag with a story. Some players are zombies, the rest are survivors who must find hidden “cure” pieces and supplies around the garden (or a local park area you’ve arranged to use). Every tagged survivor becomes a zombie, so it gets harder and funnier as it goes on. Best played at dusk.

Plan ahead

• Two weeks before: ask guests to wear clothes that can get grubby and bring a torch.
• One week before: buy zombie face paint, washable fake blood, armbands and caution tape.
• The day before: make the cure pieces (5 coloured test tubes or labelled bottles) and supply tokens (tins of beans, bottles of water). Plan hiding spots.

Rules

• Zombies walk only (no running) and tag survivors with two hands on the shoulder.
• Survivors can run, but tagged players must go to the “infection zone” for 30 seconds, then rejoin as zombies.
• The safe house (patio) is a no-tag zone, but survivors can only stay 10 seconds.
• Win: the survivors win if they bring all 5 cure pieces to the safe house before time runs out.

Set the scene

Caution tape around the garden, a “Quarantine Zone” sign, emergency lights (red LED torches) and a crashed car look made from cardboard. Play radio emergency broadcasts and sirens on a speaker.

Zombie make-up

Grey-green base, dark eyes, white lips, and washable fake blood at the mouth. Ripped old t-shirts finish the look.

Food and drink

• Pizza (“rations”) and tins of “emergency supplies” (sweets in clean food tins)
• “Brain” jelly from a brain mould
• Fizzy drinks labelled “Antidote”

Tips

• Agree on the game boundaries and mark them with tape or glow sticks.
• No tagging near steps, ponds or anything hard.
• Have a referee adult to enforce the “zombies walk” rule.