This is a child-friendly social deduction game based on the Greek traditional “Πέφτει η νύχτα στο Παλέρμο.” It’s a cooperative card-based game and like cooperative games in general players work together to achieve a common goal rather than competing against each other, emphasizing teamwork, communication, and collective success or failure. In this specific game players form a village community. Most players are Lambs (community members). Two players are Wolves (a Hidden Wolf and a Visible Wolf). One player is the Shepherd, who secretly learns who the Visible Wolf is and tries to help the lambs.

The game alternates between Day (discussion + voting to remove someone) and Night (wolves “steal” a villager). The village wins by removing both wolves; wolves win by outnumbering lambs. In the special end case where only the Shepherd and one Wolf remain, the village wins because the Shepherd can “free the lambs.”

Connectedness-first adaptation: even though teams can “win/lose” the round, the class also plays for a Community Win: staying respectful, including voices, managing emotions, and repairing after mistakes.

Skill focus

Primary Skill Focus

• Connectedness

Complementary/Secondary Skill Focus

• Emotional awareness, regulation and communication
• Valuing people and nature
• Critical Thinking

Age group	Student number	Duration
8–10 years old (possible 7+ only with strong class bonding + very short rounds)	8–28 (best: 10–18) (or you can divide class into groups).	25–40 minutes (10–15 min. per round)

How to play – brief game rules

Roles (beginner set)

Lambs (majority)

• Goal: protect the village by identifying and voting out both wolves.
• Rule: lambs do not reveal cards.

Hidden Wolf (minority)

• Known only to the Visible Wolf during night.
• Goal: take over the village by “stealing” lambs at night and surviving votes.

Visible Wolf (minority)

• The Shepherd knows who this is.
• Goal: same as wolves, but must also watch out for the Shepherd’s influence during the day.

Shepherd (1 player)

• Learns who the Visible Wolf is during the first night signal.
• Goal: guide the community toward a wise decision without revealing identity.
• Key skill practice: calm leadership, careful language, protecting belonging.

Game phases (exact flow based on your rules)

0) Setup (Narrator/Teacher)

• Students sit in a circle.
• Narrator gives one secret role card to each student.
• Everyone silently looks at their own card.

Narration cue:

“Roles are costumes. People are always worthy. We play the role, but we respect the person.”

1. First Night (special: wolves meet + Shepherd learns Visible Wolf)

Narration cue (slow, calm):

“Night falls in the village. Everyone closes eyes. No talking, no moving.”

• Narrator: “Hidden Wolf and Visible Wolf, open your eyes and see each other.”
• Wolves silently follow instruction (acknowledge each other).
• Narrator: “Wolves, close your eyes.” (everyone still closed)
• Narrator: “Visible Wolf, carefully raise one finger.” (eyes still closed)
• Narrator: “Shepherd, open your eyes.” (Shepherd looks and sees the raised finger)
• Narrator: “Visible Wolf, lower your finger.”
• Narrator: “Shepherd, close your eyes.”
• Narrator: “Day begins. Everyone opens eyes.”

2. Day Phase (every round starts with Day)

Students discuss who the wolves might be.

Connectedness rule for Day:

• No “You are bad.”
• Use observation language: “I noticed…” / “I’m wondering…”
• Everyone belongs, even if suspected.

Narration cue:

“We protect people, we question ideas. Speak kindly. Listen fully.”

Discussion (2–5 minutes):

• Narrator can use a simple talk rule: each person speaks once before anyone speaks twice.

Voting:

• Each player puts one finger up for who they vote out.
• Players give a short reason (one sentence).
• Most votes = removed from the village.
• If tie, vote again only between tied players.

Removed player rule:

• They do not reveal their card.
• They stay in the circle but cannot speak to the village anymore.

Connectedness adaptation for removed players (recommended):

 They become Silent Guardians: still included, still important, but silent. Their job is to:

• hold a “community token” (or just a hand signal) when they notice respectful talk
• model calm body language
• at the end, they speak during debrief

(This keeps belonging without breaking your “no speaking” rule.)

3. Night Phase (wolves steal)

Narration cue:

“Night falls again. Everyone closes eyes.”

• Narrator: “Wolves, open your eyes.”
• Wolves silently point to who they “steal.”
• Narrator: “Wolves, close your eyes.”
• Narrator: “Day begins. Everyone opens eyes.”
• Narrator reveals who was stolen.

Stolen player rule:

• They stay in the circle.
• They cannot speak.
• They do not reveal their card.

4. Win conditions (unchanged)

• Village wins if both wolves are voted out.
• Wolves win if wolves are more than lambs or if all lambs are removed.
• Special case: if only Shepherd + one Wolf remain → Village wins.

End of game:

• Narrator announces the result.
• Everyone reveals cards.

Narration cue (very important):

“Game over. Roles off. We are classmates again.”

Teacher narration cues (quick cheat-sheet)

Start: “Roles are costumes. People are worthy.”

Day: “Observations, not attacks. Include everyone.”

 Before voting: “One breath. Be kind.”

After a mistake: “Repair, not blame.”

End: “Roles off. Classmates on.”