Use these variations of tag to switch it up and provide a variety of games to a standard game of tag.
Supplies Needed:
Blob Tag
Chose someone as “IT”. IT starts the game as regular tag, but when he catches someone, they must join hands with IT to create a large Blob. Once the Blob has 6 people, it can split into groups of three only, and may split into groups of three any time thereafter. The person left without being tagged, is IT and the game starts again.
Cat and Mice
Allow four students to place a foot in each hula hoop. This will be their mouse hole. Call out “Mice travel!” and all the students/mice must find a new mouse hole/hula hoop. While mice are looking for a new hole, the cat will try to tag a mouse. If a mouse gets tagged, s/he will become the cat, and the cat will get to be a mouse.
Clothes-Pin Tag
Hand 3-5 clothes-pins to all the kids and have them pin them to their shirt sleeves, hems, pockets, etc. Then have them all scatter on the playing field. On the signal, everyone runs around snatching clothes-pins from one another, kneeling down to attach their newly acquired prizes. At the end of the game (usually a time-limit), the one with the most clothespins wins.
Flag Tag
Set up a basketball court-sized space. Evenly space cones on the outside of the boundaries. Everyone moves within the boundaries trying to avoid each other. If a player grabs a flag, they must place it on the ground. Once a flag is on the ground, it is considered off limits. When a player loses her or his flag, s/he must get down on the ground (sitting or kneeling). They are out of the game, but can continue to pull other’s flag while sitting in place. Play until there is only one player left or until the time limit is reached.
Mat Tag
First you take any and all the mats that you have at your camp. You then proceed to spread them out in a gym or any large area, preferably indoors. You have the kids take off their shoes and sit in the middle of the mats. Designate one or two taggers depending on the size of your group. (Remember the more kids you have the more crashing they may do!). The taggers chase the other kids on the mats only. The kids can jumps from each mat to another mat and avoid the tagger. They must stay on the mats. You can change this around so much such as to incorporate freeze tag and mat tag and have the kids freeze when they get tagged and can join in when they get unfrozen.
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About the Author:
Jason Schaitz, MBA, CPRE, is a Parks and Recreation Director with over 15 years’ experience coordinating youth programs, camps, sports, and recreation activities. He also created and manages The Summer Camp Source with the goal of providing free high quality resources for any type of camp, youth recreation or childcare program. Take your program to the next level by visiting our website for free resources and education!
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Many useful activities. Thanks for your sharing. Tag games are always fun games for active kids. I want my child to have more active time with good games like this than like TV and phone. I will probably recommend the new game mat tag, reading the description seems more exciting and suitable for kids.