Daylight Savings is coming to an end and the months of darker, longer nights are upon us.

If you’re a parent, you may be in a panic about your kids’ sleeping patterns and outside play opportunities. Not only does the time change mess with your children’s sleep schedules, but they don’t seem to get enough outside activity to really wear them out. After all, by the time your kids get home from school, have a snack and do their homework, it’s already dark outside.

If you plan ahead for these two things, you can easily transition your child schedules to include healthy sleep as well as healthy outdoor activities.

Depending on your child’s age, start to slowly adjust his or her sleep schedule a few days or weeks before the DST shift. Even older kids and teens will need some encouragement to start adjusting their bedtimes by ten to fifteen minutes every few days before the time change. This can also be a good time to focus on better bedtime habits, like less screen time before bed to help their sleep quality. Since it will be lighter in the morning, make sure their windows have shades or curtains that you can pull to block the morning light for that extra hour of sleep if needed.

It’s also a good idea to plan ahead to find exciting outside activities to play in the dark months ahead. Start by gathering a few fun games and basic supplies for the late fall and winter moths. Glow in the dark games, flashlights, glow sticks, neon duct tape, even head lamps are a great incentive for kids to get out and play no matter when the sun sets. Ensuring that your kids and teens get plenty of outside activity not only helps their physical and mental well-being, but it also helps them sleep better.

Try some of these novel ideas to fuel your outdoor night play:

1. FIREFLY

All is takes to play this game is a pocket flashlight that can easily be flicked off and on. It works best with a small flashlight with a beam that is not too bright and easy to spot. Select one person to be “it” and then have them run and hide in the dark. This person is the “firefly” and can move from hiding place to hiding place flashing their light every minute or so. The other players race around to find the firefly. When they catch them, the game is over. The first person to spot the firefly is “it” for the next round.

2. LIGHTED BOCCE BALL Set from Playaboule

This Bocce set was made to play after the sun goes down so it’s perfect for your backyard once Daylight Savings ends. The balls are made from a durable plastic that is translucent so the LED light shines through making them glow-in-the-dark. Once you throw them, you can still easily see them from 100 feet away. The set includes eight glowing bocce balls – two green, two blue, two red, two yellow, as well as one glowing jack and a nylon carrying case with handles. It also includes batteries, instructions and, most importantly, a tape measure so there are no feuds over who won the game.

3. GLOW BATTLE

When you need an activity to get some energy out of your kids, Glow Battle is a great go-to. It is perfect for dark nights, easy to set up, and way more fun than staring at a screen. Players use harmless, glowing swords to team up and attack down their opponents, and send them running back to their base to “recharge” before they get hit again. If your child loves lightsaber toys, he/she will love our glowing Glow Battle swords. Teams are distinguished with light-up bracelets and bases are marked with LED lights. This game incorporates teamwork with strategy, and futuristic lights to make it a fun choice, either outdoors or indoors where you have some open space. Available here.

4. GLOW STICK VOLLEYBALL

You can make just about any outdoor game more fun with a package of glow sticks. Volleyball is the perfect example. Give all of the players four glow sticks – one for each wrist and ankle. Then, activate a few more glow sticks and insert them into a blown up beach ball. You can play with a net like a real volleyball game or just in your yard where you have space. Watch their excitement as the kids pass the glowing ball back and forth to each other while trying not to let it touch the ground.

5. HEADLAMP TAG

Kids will be so excited when it starts getting dark earlier if they have their own headlamps to wear. You can find them at major retailers like Walmart or Amazon and you can purchase them individually or in multi-packs. You can use them to play any variation of tag such as freeze tag where players divide into teams and try to freeze as many players as they can on the other team until there’s only one team left standing. Regardless of how you play, headlamps are a great way to have fun at night and a great incentive for kids to get out and get moving.

6. CAPTURE THE FLAG REDUX

Some classic games really are more fun in the dark, and this is one of them. It’s the classic Capture the Flag game revolutionized with futuristic glow-in-the-dark lights. Players split into teams and then work together to break teammates out of jail, sneak into enemy territory, protect base and steal the glowing flag to win. Each game box includes two glowing orbs to use as the “flags,” color-coded LED bracelets to differentiate team members, glowing jail markers, and a rulebook. As an extra bonus, each kit includes 12 game variation cards that offer even more ways to play Capture the Flag, as well as other games. Available here.

7. FUNSPARKS JAZZMINTON

The perfect outdoor game for older kids and teens, Jazzminton is the ultimate paddle ball game. And, you can purchase extra LED birdies that you can use to play it in the dark. The kit includes two fluorescent wooden racquets, two yellow birdies and two red birdies. It allows you to play a slow and easy game with the yellow birdies or a fun and faster game with the red ones. Look for the game and the birdies here.

Don’t panic about the end of Daylight Savings Time. If you plan ahead and are ready for the longer nights, you just might find some really fun new activities for your whole family. Once you move back those clocks, be ready with a supply of glow games, activities and a little creativity. Just about everything is more fun when it glows. Glow sticks and music are great for a glow in the dark dance off, neon duct tape or glow in the dark paint are an easy way to make a game of neon hopscotch or tic tac toe. Before you know it, their sleeping schedules will be back to normal.

How many people only have fun in the daylight and forget all about games to play at night? Whether they are on a camping trip, vacation, or in their own backyard, the fun does not have to end when the sun goes down. Games are meant to be played at all waking hours when we have free time. And truth be told, many games are a lot more exciting to play at night when it is dark.

At Starlux Games we know a little bit about squeezing all the juice out of free time when it comes to games. Our first glow in the dark game brought back the classic Capture the Flag game and made it possible to play in the dark. How many decades of nighttime Capture the Flag opportunities were wasted before Starlux Games gave players a chance to play this action-packed glow in the dark game at all hours?

But we are not the only ones creating games to play at night. So we rounded up several of the best ones we could find. These games will add to any family or group outing. No sense in burying our faces in the TV after dinner on a vacation trip or a backyard BBQ supper. Light up the night with these fun glow in the dark games.

If your crew loves soccer then they need the chance to play at night. Don’t you think it would be cooler on those 100-degree July days to play after the sun melts into the horizon? We do! Buy a glow in the dark soccer ball and keep the action going when most folks are settling in for a long evening of mind-numbing Facebook scrolling.

*Soccer and other games can fight against tech engineers who get paid to keep us ignoring family and friends in the real world.

If you want a little less running after dinner then maybe soccer is not your first choice. OK, then relax with a casual game of badminton in the dark with glow in the dark birdies (available for purchase on amazon.com). Does anyone even keep score with badminton? I mean besides that insane uncle in every family who likes to spike a volleyball on man, woman, or child!

Have a swimming pool? If yes, playing night time Starlight Swimming Games with their fun glow in the dark waterproof swimming pool game pieces is a must have for kids, teens, and even adults.

Pickleball is as versatile a game as you will find. It can be played virtually anywhere and now we can play anytime with the glow in the dark version (available for purchase on amazon.com).

We doubt playing tackle football is safe at night. Heck, it’s not safe to play during the day if you care about your brain getting rocked on a regular basis. But we will endorse a nice game of glow in the dark flag football. No excuses for dropping a pass because you couldn’t see it after daylight ends. A LED glow in the dark football should be bright enough for any receiver to snag out of the night air.

Some would say ping pong ball shooters are for kids. We disagree! Teens and even adults can get fired up about blasting their buddies with ping pong ball guns. Who knew these even existed? It’s a much cheaper option than paintball and a lot tamer.

For those who are not great at golf, they may find that they really suck at night time glow in the dark golf. Or who knows, they may play better at night. It could even the playing field between them and those with actual golf skills. Either way, glow in the dark golf balls will make for a great time on the driving range, a tournament at sunset, or on a mini-golf course. At the very least, playing in the dark is a good excuse for those who don’t do any better with the lights off.

Are you or your kids a fan of Star Wars and lightsabers? If yes, we have created a very exciting glow in the dark game called GLOW BATTLE that has glowing swords that are made out of a safe soft plastic that makes having epic glow in the dark Star Wars inspired sword battles incredibly fun while being safe. Check out our GLOW BATTLE game here.

Let’s don’t forget volleyball. Playing glow in the dark volleyball on the beach under a full moon is one of the best ways to enjoy this game. Mix in a glow in the dark ball and you have the makings of a three-hour fun-fest next to the sea. Playing under the moon is a lot cooler than sweating it out under a blazing sun. Plus there aren’t as many sun worshipers to watch as a crazy uncle spikes the ball on your head!

If you all know of some more games to play at night, please let us know your favorites. We want to make sure the possibilities are endless when it comes to outdoor games in the dark. There’s no reason not to have a blast at night while burning a few calories at the same time.

Games make for a better day anytime we have the chance to unwind with them. Taking advantage of nighttime neon games ensures we maximize our “funtime” opportunities. The clock is always ticking on the free time we have. We might as well utilize every second in the dark as well as the light.

If you enjoy scary games, check out our blog post on the best scary games for kids.

Just because it’s dark outside, that doesn’t really mean your children have to stop playing. There are many great outdoor night games to play. You just have to allow them to play in the dark and have fun. Of course, picking the right games for them is a priority, so you should consider these 3 amazing outdoor night games!

Capture the Flag REDUX
Capture the Flag is a great game, but playing it during the night can be tricky. This is why we created this version, in order to make the experience more interesting, dynamic and fun. It’s a great game for boys and girls alike. Not only do you get to play in the dark, but you have the ability to enjoy your time, have fun getting fit, and enjoy an amazing visual experience. It really is something distinct and the outcome will be second to none every time it’s played.

Flashlight Tag
Flashlight Tag is an old-school game but it always manages to stay fun regardless of what age your kids might be. It’s interesting to play and there are a huge array of options in regards to how you want to play it. When your kids play this game they will be encouraged to run and find a way to stay away from the light. It’s cool to play, but it does require a good set of flashlights with a wrist strap so that they aren’t dropped during all of the running!

Shadow Puppets
Just like the name of this game suggests, your kids will need to use a flashlight in order to create various types of puppets and shadows on the wall with their hands. The person with one of the most creative shadow puppets will be declared the winner. Not only is this game very creative, but it can be quite a bit of fun. It’s one of the most interesting games kids can play either outdoors or indoors, and they can do it anywhere they want! You just might want the players to practice before trying!

As you can see, there are lots of great outdoor night games that your child can enjoy right near your home. Give these great games a shot and you will certainly find it fun to watch kids have the time of their lives with these outdoors experiences.

Image credit: wikiHow.com