Wondering how to have a Nerf war? It may be a good idea to look at video games — even if that’s what you’re trying to pull your kids away from! Video games have a lot to teach about fun ways to get competitive, from classic shooters like Halo to th​​e infectious Fortnite, you can get great ideas for how to have a Nerf war from them.

One of the best ideas that comes from video games is capture the flag. Giving your Nerf warriors an objective can make for more exciting games!

Rather than fight against your kid’s love of games, find a way to combine them with exercise. You’ll find ideas for how to have a Nerf war that are more fun than you thought possible.

Why Have a Nerf War?

If you’ve got a kid who’s obsessed with video games, it may seem like there’s no way to get them out from in front of that screen. Fortnite is a juggernaut and it seems impossible to escape.

The good news is that if there’s a great way to get kids outside to burn off all that’s energy, give them a gun and something to shoot. Of course, make sure it’s a Nerf gun, and get a Nerf war started.

Wondering how to have a Nerf war? It’s not so hard. All you need are a group of kids with some energy to burn, and an arsenal of Nerf blasters. It isn’t as hard as you think it might be, and even if you arm them all yourselves, you won’t have to break the bank to do it.

How to Have a Nerf War?

How to have a Nerf war may not seem so easy at first glance. Organizing a group of kids isn’t necessarily the most straightforward process. But luckily, you’re not the first to walk this path. Whether you’re organizing for 10-year-olds or players of all ages, the most important thing is laying out the rules.

Rules and boundaries keep everything fair, but the next step is arming your players. Whether it’s a Bring Your Own Blaster game or you provide the weapons, it’s good to know what the plan is to make sure everyone has a good time. An important part of this is knowing who to plan for.

If you’re going for a birthday party, it’s probably best if you provide the blasters. That way, every player starts on an even field, and they’re not terribly expensive.

Alternately, you can ask that everyone bring their own blasters. If you’re planning for teens or adults, this is probably a better option.

Overall, take some time to think about what you want from your Nerf war. Consider the size and age of your group, and how long you want the war to last. In the right situations, you could have a multiple-day event on your hands!

The Classic Nerf War

The classic Nerf war is essentially a scaled-up version of the kinds of shootouts most kids have on their own. Grab your favorite Nerf blaster, and start shooting.

The good thing about this kind of Nerf war is that it has endless variation. If your kid is a big Fortnite fan, you could go for a battle royale scenario where the last kid standing wins. Switch things up with capture the flag and team elimination games, and you’ll be able to keep play going all day.

Whether you’ve got a backyard or a public park, we’ll teach you how to have a Nerf war the classic way.

Explaining the rules

As we’ve mentioned, one of the most important parts of learning how to have a Nerf war is learning how the rules work. Now, there are no “official” rules for a Nerf war, but there are plenty of ideas that will help you keep things fun and fair.

The most difficult thing to figure out is how hits work. In paintball, one hit means you’re out, but that’s hardly a fun method for how to have a Nerf war. The most popular methods use lives and hit points.

There are two main rules for lives in a Nerf war, which both give you a set amount of hit points per life. One way uses five hit points per life, and you get a 20-second cool-down period every time you lose one.

Another method uses 10 hit points but no cool-down. Set the number of lives depending on how long you want your Nerf war to be, and let loose!

Boundaries are essential to the fair play of a good Nerf war. Even the largest battlefields need clear boundaries to keep things fun and fair. Players won’t range out anywhere dangerous that’s out of bounds. They also make it easy to clean up all of the darts in between rounds!

Different play for different ages

Of course, one of the best things about Nerf is that it’s timeless! It never stops being fun to run around and blast your friends with darts.

For younger kids, make a game of it as much as possible! Give incentives for fair play, so that kids won’t want to cheat to stay in for longer. Instead of counting to 20, maybe the kids have to do their favorite Fortnite dance to get back in the game.

As for teens and adults, one big difference is that they will have and will want to bring their own blasters. There are a lot of resources for modding blasters to shoot farther and harder.

Allow modded blasters, but make sure that none of them are modded with dangerous additions, such as carbon dioxide canisters. These adaptations could make Nerf darts a potentially harmful projectile.

Humans vs. Zombies

Another popular way for how to have a Nerf war doesn’t have guns on all sides. Instead, it pits the living against the dead. You may have heard of Humans vs. Zombies on college campuses, but you can scale it down to fit a party or keep its longer format for a day or longer!

Humans vs. Zombies starts with most players as humans, who wear bandanas on their arms, trying to survive. At the same time, zombies, who wear their bandanas on their heads, are trying to infect humans to bring them to their side.

When a zombie is hit, they either have to tag a point or wait a set amount of time before coming back. For humans who get tagged, they become zombies!

This game is popular over multiple days, but can easily be scaled down.

Give your humans an objective that they must reach and defend, while the zombies try to defeat all of them. With a few extra zombies to start with, this can make for some pretty heroic Nerf war moments! And, it will even give you time to play some other different games at the same party.

Finding your participants

“What if they gave a war and nobody came?”

Well, if it’s a Nerf war, it wouldn’t be a lot of fun!

Fortunately, Nerf hasn’t built its reputation by being a boring pastime. If you’re wondering how to have a Nerf war for your child, chances are everyone in their class will want to come!

If you need a place to hold your Nerf war, it would be worth your time to find a park or other public space. It shouldn’t be too hard to reserve a space to duke it out!

Gearing up for War: Choosing the Right Blasters

Once all the logistics for how to have a Nerf war are taken care of, you need to actually arm your players! If this is a birthday party, it’s probably best to keep things simple unless you have a sizable budget for armaments.

One great option is the Nerf Strongarm blaster, which is pretty inexpensive even by Nerf terms. Still, consider having parents respond ahead of time if they’ll be able to bring any Nerf blasters.

Another great idea is stocking up on darts so that no one is left unarmed. These darts aren’t too expensive, and keep the war going until the sun goes down.

If you’re playing with younger kids, you may want to look out for the Nerf Rival blasters. These models use dense foam balls rather than darts, which fly farther than Elite darts. They can be a lot of fun for older kids but could be a little dangerous in younger hands.

To keep things fair, you may want to hide special “power weapons” around the field that players can pick up. These can change the course of the game and give players a chance to wield some exciting firepower.

How to have a Nerf war safely

Safety is a paramount part of how to have a Nerf war. Everyone’s there to have a good time, so make sure that no one’s day gets ruined by a stray dart!

We’ve already offered a few safety tips, like no guns modded with carbon dioxide canisters and clear boundaries. Another helpful safety option would be safety goggles.

You don’t need anything fancy, just the kind you’d find at any hardware store. You can easily stock up on a set for everyone at your party!

Declaring Your Nerf War

If you’re wondering how to have a Nerf war, you may be worried. Sure, it can be a lot of fun and a great way to get your children outside. But how can you regulate a Nerf war any more than a real one?

Hopefully, we’ve given you some tips. As you plan your Nerf war, feel free to brainstorm your own ideas! The most important thing is making sure is everyone is armed, and the rules are clear. If your rules are vague or not enforced, it’s easy for people to break them or feel like things are unfair.

Even if there’s a special birthday girl or boy, all’s fair in Nerf war. Make sure everyone gets to feel like they’re part of the game, and everyone will go home happy.

You finally mastered the basics, but now you want to step up your game with some killer rollerblading tricks — we get it.

Maybe you like to close your eyes and imagine yourself nailing every trick in the book. But when you actually go to lace up your rollerblades and hit the rink, you abruptly learn that these tricks are a lot harder than they seem in your head.

After all, rollerblading is hard. Even learning basic rollerblading tricks is a challenge for most people. If you want to make your dreams a reality, though, it’s best to start with the simplest tricks and work your way up.

Oh, and don’t forget your helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and maybe some bubble wrap just to be safe!

The History of Rollerblading

The earliest known rollerblades consisted of a wooden spool and strips of wood nailed to the bottom of the wearer’s shoes. While the invention certainly worked, it doesn’t sound very pleasant.

In 1863, the first modern rollerskates were invented (featuring two sets of wheels rather than a single row). For the next century, plus a couple of decades, this design was the wheeled shoe of choice.

Finally, in 1980, the rollerblade design was revisited by a pair of Minnesotan brothers. Inspired by a desire to practice their hockey skills during the warmer months, they transformed a pair of ice skates with a set of wheels.

Though the brothers named their company Rollerblade, Inc., the name eventually joined the ranks of Band-Aid and Kleenex as a generic term.

Unlike rollerskates, these new rollerblades offered more speed, mobility, and the potential for all types of tricks.

How to Master Your Favorite Rollerblading Tricks

Enough historic chit-chat, because it’s time to talk about learning some cool rollerblading tricks.

Rollerblading is a great cardio workout, especially when it comes to getting your blood pumping and sweat dripping. And whether you lace up your rollerblades for exercise or fun, learning rollerblading tricks is an excellent way to keep things interesting.

Here are a few tricks to help you master the sport:

Use the right gear

Every sport, hobby, or activity requires certain equipment to get the job done. Rollerblading is no exception.

If your rollerblades don’t fit correctly, you put yourself at risk for all types of injuries. Rollerblading injuries can be as minor as a scraped knee or as serious as a broken ankle.

Plus, if you’re trying out more advanced rollerblading tricks, this risk multiplies. You need to make sure your skates fit correctly around your ankle and offer support. If your rollerblades don’t offer the right support, it’s time to invest in a new pair.

Make sure you don’t forget to wear a high-quality helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads. Whether you’re a novice or have years of rollerblading experience, never hit the rink without the proper protective gear.

Work on your balance

What’s the main difference between rollerskates and rollerblades? The amount of balance it takes not to fall!

With rollerblades, your entire body balances on a narrow row of wheels. But, like riding a bike, once you get yourself going, it’s easy to keep your balance.

However, quick turning and stopping can land even experienced rollerbladers on their backside.

Are you scared to work on your balance? Try walking on grass with your blades to feel out where your weight should sit on the wheels. After you know how to walk, you can try skating while holding onto something like a railing or a wall.

Practice stops and turns

Most beginners feel great about their rollerblading skills — until they need to stop.

Most rollerblades feature a rubber stopper on the back. To stop, you need to bring your stopper blade behind your rollerblade and gently apply the brake to slow down.

You should keep your feet in a T-shape while stopping. This position will give you the most stability while you’re trying to stop:

Turning is another tricky milestone for any new rollerblader.

If you watch ice skaters turn, you might notice it looks like their legs are crossing over each other. This technique also works for rollerblading.

To turn, you want to first build up a decent amount of speed. Once you’re there, you want to scissor the opposite leg of the direction you’re going over the other leg:

10 Awesome Rollerblading Tricks You Can Learn Today

Once you understand the basics, it’s finally time for some tricks! So lace up your rollerblades and let’s get down to business.

Here are some of the best rollerblading tricks for beginners, as well as skaters with a bit more experience:

1. Heel-toe

The heel-toe is one of the first rollerblading tricks everyone should learn.

For this movement, you glide along the front toe of one blade and the heel of the other. When you do this, it looks incredible, but the trick itself is actually surprisingly simple. All you need to do is maintain your balance.

2. Fishtail

Once you see the fishtail in action, the name will make perfect sense. After all, your rollerblades will arc back and forth like a swimming fish.

To perform this trick, you want to build up some speed and trail your back rollerblade on the inner side of its front wheels. While doing this, you move your rear skate side-to-side to complete the motion.

Out of all the rollerblading tricks you can learn, the fishtail offers some of the most impressive looks without being too difficult to master.

3. Wavers

Getting a little more advanced, we have the wavers trick. Personally, this is one of my favorite rollerblading tricks.

For this trick, you move your feet apart and bring them back in repeatedly. This motion creates the illusion of a rippling wave.

Before trying this trick, make sure you feel confident in your rollerblades. Otherwise, you can quickly injure your ankles if you go too fast.

4. Flat spin

Everyone should learn how to do a flat spin, in part because this movement is the building block for many other rollerblading tricks. You’ll need to master the flat spin to eventually achieve a 180- or 360-degree spin.

You want to keep your blades shoulder-width apart and twist your upper body in the direction you want to go. When you do this, you’ll rotate in that direction.

Avoid jerking your body or moving too quickly. Instead, you want this rotation to be slow and smooth.

5. Single-blade

Next, we have a trick that’s straightforward and fairly easy.

To rollerblade on one foot, start by picking up your other foot and holding it in front of your body. When you get better and have more balance, you can move the foot behind your body and lean forward for some extra flair.

6. Backward

Skating backward is not as simple as it sounds. But if you want to get the most out of your rollerblading tricks, learning to skate backward is an essential skill.

Start by pushing one foot away from your body, which will spin you around. After that, you can move similar to how you would if you were going forward.

Make sure you’re looking over your shoulder. Otherwise, your backward skating will quickly come to an end!

7. Slalom

The slalom is a lot like a downhill skiing drill. This trick is just like weaving between cones or flags, but without the actual obstacles in your way.

To perform the slalom movement, keep your blades close together and move your body back and forth in smooth waves.

8. Barrel roll

We’re getting a bit technical now, so buckle up. This is another rollerblading trick that requires a bit of speed to start.

Once you reach your desired speed, you want to start rotating your upper body counterclockwise and allow your left skate to go with you. As you move your left skate, bring the right skate around your other leg to complete the spin.

The barrel roll can be a bit difficult to learn without seeing it for yourself, so make sure to check out the video for more info:

9. Hockey stop

This trick is even more advanced, so feel free to bypass it if you aren’t feeling up for it!

Start your hockey stop by turning your right foot to lead while your left stays behind. This creates a sharp turn that looks incredible when performed properly.

Again, the hockey stop is one rollerblading trick you really need to see for yourself, so check out the video below:

10. Crossover turn

For this final trick, you skate in a wide arc while crossing your outer foot over your inner one. When you do this, you go around in a wide circle.

You can pick which direction you want to go, but once you master it, you’ll look like a professional.

Make Your Rollerblading Dreams a Reality

Mastering some of these rollerblading tricks might seem like a chore, but you’ll love all the compliments you get from strangers and friends! The key to success in anything is practice, so don’t get discouraged if you can’t master some of these tricks the right way.

Instead, start with the simple ones and work your way up.

What are your favorite rollerblading tricks to whip out on the sidewalk or at the roller rink? Let us know in the comments below!