Tag Games
Below are Samples from “The Games Box”
When you pre-order this fantastic resource you you will automatically receive a 50% discount on that purchase, a free guide on how to organise a games session and these sample games from “The Games Box” in a form that you can print out and use as individual cards.
BLIND TAG
Everyone is in pairs. One of the pair is blindfolded. One pair are ‘It’. They try to tag all the other pairs.
Required: a blindfold
BUNNY HOP
Before starting the game proper, encourage the children to practise “bunny hops”.
Tell the children that they are all “bunnies” except for three, who are selected and introduced to the children as the “ferrets”.
On the command “Go”, the bunnies leave their burrows (located along the perimeter of the playing area) and hop about freely, while the ferrets remain quietly in their corners. When the teacher calls “Now!” the ferrets go into action, on all fours, and try to catch as many bunnies as possible before they reach the safety of their burrows.
CHAIN TAG
Players who are tagged form a chain by holding hands continuing to tag others.
CIRCLE TAG
Divide the group into pairs and ask them to form a circle with one partner standing behind the other. Select one pair to start the game. One person is the ‘chaser’ the other is the ‘chased’. They are placed on opposite sides of the circle. At a signal from the leader the ‘chaser’ tries to catch the ‘chased’. The ‘chased’ avoids capture by running between and around the other players. They may avoid capture by standing in front of one of the pairs. When this happens the partner at the rear becomes the ‘chased’ and the game continues. If the ‘chased’ is tagged by the ‘chaser’, s/he then becomes the ‘chaser’ and the game continues. Players need to be encouraged to change places frequently to keep the game fast and interesting for everyone. Don’t allow players to dominate the game.
DRAGON TAG
One of the players is selected as ‘the dragon’. ‘The dragon’ chases all the other group members. When someone is tagged, s/he holds on to ‘the dragon’s’ waist and then ‘the dragon’ continues the chase. The game continues until all except one are part of ‘the dragon’.
DUCK DUCK GOOSE
All of the players except for one are seated. The person standing (player A) walks around the outside of the circle, tapping the players as s/he passes them, saying “Duck” on each tap. Any time s/he chooses, player A taps someone and says “Goose.” That player who is tapped (player B) gets up and runs after A trying to tag him/her. If s/he succeeds before A gets back to B’s seat after running around the circle, player A must once again go around the circle. If A gets to player B’s seat without being tagged, B takes A’s place in the game.
HOSPITAL TAG
In this activity everyone is “it”. The objective is to keep from being “tagged” by another player but to tag as many other people as possible. The first time players are tagged they have to put a hand on that part of the body they were tagged — for instance, if they are tagged on the top of the head they then have to play with one hand on top of their head. They can then resume attempting to tag others. The next time they are tagged they have to put their other hand where they are tagged that time. The third time they are tagged they’re dead and have to sit down and can no longer attempt to tag other people.
HUG TAG
A variation of tag in which players are safe only when they are hugging another player. Each hug may only last 30 seconds at which time players must part company.
MADHOUSE TAG
A variation on the basic game of tag. When players are tagged they must act like they are crazy lunatics until they are released by another player who mimes giving them an injection.
PARANOIA
Give each player a scarf or piece of material. Have them make a tail by putting the corner of the scarf in the back of their pants. Don’t let anybody tie it to their belt loop. The ‘tail’ must hang at least to their knees. In this game, everybody is ‘It’. The objective is to try to pull the scarf out of your opponent’s pants. Anyone who loses their scarf is out of the game. If you have taken someone else’s ‘tail’ however you can replace the one you have lost. The person holding most ‘tails’ at the end of the game is the winner.
Required: 1) All players need to be wearing a waisted garment. 2) scarves or pieces of material for each player
PEG – O – 6
Each player is given 6 clothes pegs. At the leaders signal each person must get rid of their clothes pegs by pinning them on someone else. One peg per person only! The game continues for as long as seems appropriate then the leader calls STOP! The winner is the one with the least amount of pegs!
Required: clothes pegs – 6 per player
PIGGY BACK TAG
Play tag in pairs with one partner carrying the other on their back. No rough play allowed.
For a comprehensive set of games cards for every age group, every occasion, in 11 different categories, look at “The Games Box” .
Harry Tawse | 
July 20, 2009 12:10 pm
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