Nerf Battles

Nerf battles are team games fought with foam blasters that fire soft foam darts. You sprint, slide and dive for cover while trying to tag your opponents before they tag you. The darts are soft and light, so the thrill is all in the tactics, the teamwork and the ridiculous amount of shouting. It's childhood, turned right up.

Most blasters are spring-powered. Prime it with a slide or a pump, then squeeze the trigger. Simple, satisfying and very clicky.

Pistol-style blasters are small and nippy, perfect for a quick draw from behind a hay bale.

Bigger blasters load darts into a clip or a rotating drum, so you can let off several shots before reloading.

Motorised blasters spin up and fire in rapid bursts, and some blasters swap darts for soft foam balls. Choose your weapon wisely.

Team elimination is the classic. Get tagged and you're out, and the last team standing wins. Capture the flag is a sneakier affair, where you raid the enemy base, grab their flag and make a break for home. In defend the base, one side digs in while the other storms it. Every mode rewards teamwork, a bit of nerve and a willingness to throw yourself dramatically into the grass.

First up, a safety briefing and the rules of engagement. Protective eyewear goes on and stays on. Your Activity Leader shows you how to load and fire, then splits everyone into teams. Barriers, bunkers and hay bales become your best friends, and before long you'll be calling tactics, whispering plans and staging comebacks worthy of an action film.

You're in good company. There's nothing to learn beyond point, pull and duck, so first-timers are in the thick of it from the very first game. It's as much about laughing as winning, and the grown-up version comes with a lot more trash talk. Old rivalries may resurface. Friendships should survive. Probably.

Comfy clothes you can run, crouch and slide in, plus trainers with decent grip. You'll probably end up on the grass at some point, so maybe not the white jeans.

You might also like Gel Blasters, Capture the Flag and Dodgeball.

See all Camp Wildfire activities