Category: Tag

Tit for Tat

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Grade level: 4-8
Equipment: Mats, cones, hula hoops
Game Description: This game is a VERY fun variation (thanks Marshall for this variation) of the widely popular strategy game of “Yoshi”. Two teams faceoff against eachother in this invasion/territory game. The goal of the game is to get as many points as possible by having as many players as possible in the destination zones on the opposite teams side. The rounds are timed (2, 3, 4, 5 mins, or whatever time you’d like). Players are safe on their own half but can get tagged if on the opponents side (unless in a safe area). Tagged players will need to be saved, if a teammate can safely rescue them. LOTS of movement, teamwork, and laughs. Amazing variation to a classic game, thanks again to Marshall.

Predators & Prey

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Grade level: 1-6
Equipment: None
Game Description: Here is an awesome cross-curricular idea that’s lots of fun, and teaches science concepts through play. Find a playing area indoors or outdoors. Have a quick discussion to see what students know about predators, prey, carnivores, herbivores, omnivores, etc. Ask students to give some examples. Then start setting up the game (it’s really simple actually). You’ll start by choosing a herbavore (example rabbits). Most of the players will be the rabbits. Their job is to simply run away from the taggers (the omnivores and carnivore). Then choose 2-3 players to be the omnivores (example foxes). The foxes will be chasing down the rabbits to try to tag them. But then you will also choose a carnivore, at the top of that food chain (example wolf). The wolf is able to chase after either the foxes or the rabbits and tag them. When players are tagged they need to go to the teacher at the side to perform a predetermined quick exercise to get back into the game. The teacher also has a special job… (thanks to Richard Turenne for this game idea!)

Capture The Flag Outdoors

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Grade level: 3-8
Equipment: 2 Flags, large playing area
Game Description: This has been the GAME OF THE YEAR at our school. LOTS of Fun, many skills and laughs have been had. Competition at its finest, and what a workout. It’s the standard version of Capture The Flag brought to physical education class! Find a large area (field, community center, playground, bushes, forest), make 2 teams, and get started. Teams spend a minute hiding their flag on their half of the area (no peeking). Once hidden, GO! The goal of the game is to capture the other teams flag before they capture yours and bring it across the middle line. Careful on the opponents side, because if you get tagged, you go to the jail for 2 mins. The tagger needs to tap the jail (a bench or something) and then they can resume play. No puppy-guarding the flag. Add in extra rules as you see fit, please watch the video for more specifics, I don’t have the time or the will to type everything out… just want to say thanks to Paul Grosskopf, a friend and colleague for setting all these things up for us this year (rules, mods, locations, flags, etc).

Noodle Basketball

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Grade level: 5-8
Equipment: Basketballs, Nets, Pool Noodles
Game Description: This is a basketball-type game that uses the typical skills in basketball, though with it’s own twist for a unique basketball tag type game. Two teams will faceoff against eachother. The object of the game is for your team to score as many points as possible into the bball net, or trash can or something if you don’t have nets. But if your ball gets touched by a noodle (held by one of the taggers) then you must return back to your side and start over. Give maybe 1/4 or 1/3 of the players a pool noodle, the rest of the team gets their own basketball. If you have a pool noodle then you must stay on your own side. Change the taggers each round. Round 1: layups only. Round 2: add jump shots. Round 3: add 3-pointers. Round 4: Taggers can go everywhere, and if a player is tagged then he or she must perform some sort of exercise. (Thanks to Randy Eich)

Snow Pizza

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Grade level: K-6
Equipment: Snow (or sand or concrete pad & chalk)
Game Description: Here’s a fun game to play in the fresh snow (thanks to a friend of mine Richard Turenne)! If you don’t have snow, try using sand or a cement pad and sidwalk chalk! First, players need to follow the leader (the teacher) who makes a pizza shape in the fresh snow by trailblazing a path. Throughout the process, stop and ask math questions related to fractions as you create a pizza shape (full, halves, quarters, etc). Once it’s created, time to PLAY! One player starts as a tagger in the middle of the pizza. The rest of the players start along the pizza crust. The tagger, known as the big bad pizza man or woman, will go and try to tag someone. EVERYONE MUST STAY ON THE LINES/PATHWAY. When someone gets caught, that player becomes the new tagger. Vary the size of your pizza circle depending on your numbers. ENJOY!

Hawks & Doves

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Grade level: 2-6
Equipment: Benches, cones
Game Description: The 2 opposite corners of the court are cornered off with cones – those are the nests. The doves (runners) start from one nest and attempt to get all of them to end up in the other nest. Start with just 1 or 2 Hawks in the other nest (taggers). All the other students are doves. Between the nests, somewhere in the middle of the court is a bench – that is the cage.
The doves start from one of the nest, the hawks from the other. Once the hawks leave their nest, the game starts. Once the hawks leave the nest they cannot enter either nest anymore. The nests become safe areas for the doves. The Hawks tag as many doves as possible. The caught doves stand up on the bench (the cage). The free doves have to go to free them by running to them and tag (touch them). In rare cases all doves manage to end up all together in the opposite nest. Or all are in the cage. Usually some are in the cage, others leave the finish nest to save them and get caught themselves. After some time stop the game and chose another student to be a hawk! (Thanks to Dani Uzunova)

10 Second Tag

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Grade level: 1-6
Equipment: None
Game Description: This is a fast-moving tag game, where the tagger is constantly switching (every 10 seconds or sooner). The runners/flee’ers will start in a playing area (maybe within half of the gym) and the remaining players form a line waiting for their shift to tag. They don’t wait long though, as the teacher blows the whistle every 10 seconds or sooner for the next person in line to jump in to tag. Anyone who is tagged simply goes to the back of the line, and the game continues on as such. This is a great game for learning the names of new students. As the players are standing in line, the teacher can talk to them and learn their names. Try it out! To speed it up even more, try having 2 players go in to tag at a time. (Thanks Joel Sweetland for this idea)