Activity: Tag Games

Grade Level: K-3

Standard: Strand 2: Apply simple strategies in fleeing activities.

Skills: Chasing, Fleeing,

Equipment: Depends on game; usually a few fluff or yarn balls for taggers, maybe noodles or
hula hoops and always enough space for students to SAFELY move around.

Safety Concerns: Keeping students safe while keeping them physically active is our number one
job. Usually with tag games play several rounds of an activity then change the tag game. Start
out slow, students should only be speed walking during round one play. If everyone was
following directions and playing safe, the second round choose a locomotor skills (galloping,
skipping, etc.). Demonstrate the skill and remind students that we are running. If students
follow the parameters given then the last round they have earned the privilege to “jog.” Explain
to students that jogging is in between a walk and a run, so students should not be sprinting
around the gym. Show an example and non example of jogging.

I usually play each round for one song (Disney song), then move on to the next round of the
same game. After three rounds we move onto the explanation of another tag game. If you
choose taggers or students choose taggers between rounds have students who have already been
“it” put their hands on their head so the same students are not taggers each time. Those students
who have not been “it” yet will usually wait quietly with their arms folded.

Stuck In The Mud

 Basic tag game.  
 The “tagger” has a jersey on and a noodle, students run around the coned area from the
“taggers.”
 If tagged that student must freeze with arms and legs spread apart (like an “X”).  
 In order to be unfrozen another student must crawl through the legs of that student, once
they crawl through, that student is unfrozen.  
 Game continues on until you stop, and choose new “taggers.”
 Be sure students don’t go through the front and back of peoples legs at the same time, this
way they don’t bonk heads.

Octopus Tag
 Pick 2-4 students to be the “taggers.”
 All other students line up on the far side of the field ready to run/play.
 When the taggers say go, students will run across the field.  
 Those students that are tagged need to freeze where they are in an “X” position on their
knees and are now “seaweed” and are helping tag people.
 Seaweed students are frozen in their spot and CANNOT move their legs, only their arms
and lean to try to tag people.  
  Once there are only a few runners left, have the last people who were tagged be the next
round of “taggers.”

Mirror Freeze Tag [Traditional Freeze Tag]

 Students will spread out throughout space, 1-3 students are “it.”
 Taggers run throughout space and tag those students who are running from them.  
 Once a  student is tagged by an “it” that student is frozen and needs to freeze in a twisted
position or strike a pose.  
 In order to be unfrozen another student must come up to them and mirror their twisted
form or pose, count to five then give them a high-five.  Once this is done that student is
now unfrozen. 
 Game is played for several minutes then several new “tagger/it” students are selected.  

Pack Man Tag

 Explain to students the need to be safe due to limited space.  
 As with usual tags games are played walking,  jogging, and then running.  
 There are 3 taggers, they are the ghosts (with fluffballs).  
 Students can only move around the gym by following the lines on the floor, LINES MAY
NOT BE JUMPED. 
 If a student is tagged by a ghost they need to sit down on the floor right where they were
tagged.  
 Those students that have been tagged become barriers and others who run into them may
not go around them but need to turn around to go another direction.
 Game ends when all packmen are tagged or have nowhere to go due to barriers. 

Pac Man Hopping, Jumping, Leaping Tag

  Throw out poly spots around the gym so that students can use them to get from line to
line as a shortcut where they can practice hopping, jumping, and leaping.
 Explain and demonstrate to students how to hop (hopping on one foot), Jump (jump with
two feet together), Leaping (push off with one foot land on the other foot). 
 Have one student demonstrate how to hop, jump, and leap from poly spot to poly spot.
 Give all students time to practice hopping, jumping, leaping. 
 The taggers are the pac men. All other players are the ghosts. 
 Taggers are trying to tag as many students as they can.
  If a student gets tagged they need to go to the outside of the playing area and do 5
exercises before they can join back in.  
 Play for a few minutes then switch taggers.
Bridge Tag
 Instruct student on how to tag properly and appropriately.
 Be sure that students know how to move safely around the gym.  
 Pick 3-4 taggers that are on task and following directions and give them fluff balls to be
taggers.  
 Taggers are to tag others around the gym.
 If tagged that student needs to freeze with their hands in the air in the form of a “half
bridge.”
 To be unfrozen another student must come complete the bridge and have another student
go underneath them.  
 Be sure to tell students to look for those who are frozen in order to help them rejoin the
game.  
 Instruct students that it is important for them to be sure that someone is not going under
the bridge the other way to avoid knocking heads.  
 To ensure that students move safely play the following rounds: round one-walking, round
two-jogging, round three-running.

Toilet Tag
 Instruct students on how to tag properly and appropriately.
 Be sure that students know how to move safely around the gym.  
 Pick 3-4 taggers that are on task and following directions and give them fluff balls to be
taggers.  
 Taggers are to tag others around the gym.
 If tagged the student needs to take a knee and hold their hand out to the side to look like a
toilet “flusher.”
 To be unfrozen someone must come and flush the toilet and make the noise :) 
 Be sure to tell students to look for those who are frozen in order to help them rejoin the
game.   

Jumping Rock-Paper-Scissors Tag

 Students are standing in pairs, facing each other and spread throughout the room.
 Students must understand how to play “Rock, Paper, and Scissors.” The following
hierarchy exists: Rock breaks Scissors; Scissors cut Paper; and Paper cover Rock.
 Partners face each other and jump 3 times. On the third jump, they move into position for
Rock, Paper, or Scissors.
o ROCK – Legs are together and arms are tight to the sides.
o PAPER – Legs are spread apart and to the sides. Arms are also spread out to the
sides.
o SCISSORS – Legs are spread forward and backward with one arm forward and
one arm pointing backwards.
 Partners score a point when they beat the other. If they both make the same
formation, it is a tie and they repeat the activity.
 TAG VERSION: Have students meet in the middle of the gym to play RPS, they
who ever “WINS” is the tagger, and must tag the other before they turn around
 and make it to a “safe home base.” Place cones for each pair about 15 feet behind
each partner.
 Change partners after three bouts.

 Workout Tag
 Set up 4 cones (for boundaries).
 Create a large activity area.
 Taggers will use fluffballs to “tag” safely within area.
 The object of “Workout Tag” is to avoid being tagged by dodging or working out with
someone.
 I will choose 3 – 4 people to be “taggers.” On start cue, everyone walks quickly. Taggers
will try to safely tag others with fluffballs.
 To avoid being tagged, ask someone, “Will you workout with me?” Do 3 jumping jacks
together, then walk quickly again.
 Students know that if someone asks them to workout with them the answer is always
“yes.”
 If tagged before exercising, take the fluffball; you are now “It.”
 No guarding people while they exercise; you must be at least 3 paces away.
 On stop cue, everyone rest while we change taggers.
 Variation:
o How else can you move?
o What other exercises can you do? (push-ups, sit-ups, etc.)
 Change locomotor skill while moving (e.g., hopping, skipping, jumping)

Fitness Tag
 Instruct students on proper tagging procedures with fluff balls.  
 Several students (3-5 depending on space) are given fluff balls and are taggers.  
 The taggers must move safely around the gym tagging others.  
 If a student is tagged they need to move to the safe zone and perform a fitness skill before
they can return to the game.  
 Fitness skills can change every game: 5-10 jumping jacks, 5 push ups, 15 second wall sit,
5-10 step ups
 Play several rounds: round one with walking, round two with speed walking, and if they
are able to stay and move under control let them run the last round. 

Cookie Monster Tag

 Individuals on a line facing another line 20 to 40 paces apart.
 Cookie Monster cannot respond “No” more than 2 consecutive times.
 Play until all are tagged except one. Last 1 tagged becomes the next Cookie Monster.
 Repeat using different locomotor skills (e.g., skip, gallop, jump, etc.)
 Our SPARK Starter is called “Cookie Monster!
 To begin, all are “Cookies” except the person in the center play area who is the “Cookie
Monster.”
  The Cookie Monster will try to tag as many “Cookies” as he/she can as you try to safely
fast walk across our sea of milk!
 When Cookies yell, “COOKIE MONSTER, COOKIE MONSTER, ARE YOU
HUNGRY?”
 Cookie Monster says, “YES, I’M HUNGRY,” or, “NO, I’M NOT HUNGRY.”
 If response is “No, I’m not hungry,” cookies need to ask again.
 When the Cookie Monster says, “Yes, I’m Hungry!” All cookies walk fast and try to get
to the other side without being tagged.
 Tagging can be done with two fingers safely between shoulders and waist (or fluffball).

Rain/Fire Tag
 There are two jobs that students are given in this tag game.  
 Five students are given red fluff balls, these students are the fire or flames, five other
students are given hula hoops, these students are the rain men.  
 If a student is tagged by a fire tagger they must freeze like a flame on a candle (hands up
high touching palms) and say “Rain Man Rain Man.”
 Students with hula hoops need to look and listen for people who are frozen or asking for
the “Rain man” and put the hula hoop over the frozen persons head and all the way down
to their toes, they will jump out and are now unfrozen.  
 To make the game more difficult on the hula hoop kids or the tagger kids have uneven
numbers of taggers.  

Secret Agent Tag

 Students close their eyes and the teacher will tap 2-3 people on the head, these people are
“secret agents.”  
 “Secret Agents” job is to unfreeze those that are tagged and down on a knee by tapping
their shoulder twice.  
 Taggers are given fluff balls and expected to appropriately tag others. 
 When students are tagged they go down on one knee or sit criss-cross applesauce on the
floor.  
 If “secret agents” get tagged they can only come back into the game if another secret
agent tags them back into the game.  
 When the majority of players are tagged and down, end the game and ask students who
they think the “secret agents” were in the game.  
 Remind students how to move safely and appropriately through the gym. 

Crazy Doctor Tag

 All students close their eyes so that they don’t know who the “crazy doctor” is.  
 2-3 students are given fluff balls in order to establish that they are taggers.  
 Those students with fluff balls need to hold their fluff balls discreetly so that others
cannot see that they have one.   
 Students all move carefully around the gym.  
  Students that have fluff balls are the “crazy doctors.”  If you get tagged, that person gives
you their fluff balls or their “crazy” and you also want to hide the fluff ball to tag others. 
 Talk to students about how they can hide their fluff ball by folding their arms, putting
their arms in their pockets etc.  
 Tell students that the goal of the game is to never have a fluff ball. 

Band Aid Tag

 This is an everyone versus everyone tag game.
 All students move safely around the gym holding hands up at shoulder level palms out
and wiggle their fingers.
 These hands or fingers are called “butterfly taggers.”
 All students start out with two “butterfly taggers.”
 If tagged by another student (using soft butterfly tagging hands) they take one hand and
place it across their chest on their shoulder, like a bandaid. That student is now down to
just one “butterfly tagger”
 If they are tagged a second time, then they need to add another bandaid to their body
using the other hand. They now do not have any “butterfly taggers” left to tag with.
 These students must go to the designated area which is the “hospital.”
 When at the hospital students can do an exercise or a cheer. The cheer is “I’m Awesome,
I’m Awesome, I’m Really Really Awesome”, then students can re-enter the game with
both “butterfly taggers” and play continues.

Partner Line Tag

 Pair students up and stand on a line 
 Establish tagger (Rock,papper,scissors) 
 Tagger does 15 jumping jacks while partner moves away 
 Students play tag while moving on the gym floor lines
 When tagged student does 15 Jumping Jacks then go to tag their partner. 
 Students continue to play and switch rolls 
 You can have the students find a new partner after a certain amount of time
 Pool Noodles: If you decide to not have the students tag using a “butterfly tag” you can
give the tagger a pool noodle to use and they will just hand the pool noodle off when they
switch roles. 

Star Wars Noodle Tag

 Instruct students on proper tagging procedures with noodles.  
 Blue noodles are the Jedi Knights. Pick a few students to start out with a blue noodle to
be Jedi Knights.
 Red Noodles are the Sith. Pick a few students to start out with a red noodle to be the
Siths. 
 The Jedi Knights start the game on one side of the gym. The Siths start the game on the
other side of the gym. 
 The rest of the students without noodles spread out in the gym.
 On “Go” students run around the gym and avoid the Sith. If tagged by a Sith, they must
sit down.
 Jedi Knights run around and tag the students sitting. If a student sitting is tagged by a
Jedi, they get to stand back up and join the game again.
 Jedi knights and Siths can tag each other as well. If either is tagged by the other, they
must drop their noodle and begin running around with the rest of the students.
 If a student sees a noodle on the ground, they can pick it up and become the character that
noodle is assigned to. 
 If two students grab a noodle at the same time, they RPS to see who gets the noodle. 
 Play for the designated amount of time and then pick new students to start a new round as
Jedi Knights and Siths.