Tag Games - How we love to connect.

Tag games help us to connect.

The essential impulse of all life is a will to connect rather than a drive to compete.

To connect means to become joined, united or to establish a rapport or relationship.

Children love to play 'tag' games, they wish for this connection with the other and are helped along by playing these games.  

Here are some fun 'tag' games for you to try.

Everybody's it!!!

Proclaim, "everybody's it!" in an open space and the participants begin trying to tag others, while avoiding getting tagged.

Decide beforehand if simultaneous tags result in: rock paper scissor game, winner free.

Once tagged, participants sit down, extend their arms, and try to tag those left running around. 

The variation in Ultimate Everybody's it is that when a ‘it’ player is tagged, all players that they have been tagged by ‘it’ become live players, they can get up and run again. 

For example, Johnny tags Kristina, Kristina sits down. If Johnny is then tagged by Peter, Johnny sits down and Kristina stands up and is free.

Bumper Tag

Just like regular tag but instead of tagging with your hands, you must tag with your hips. Be sure to remind all of the players that all that is needed is a little bump. Nobody should purposely be knocked to the ground. 

Cyclops tag

Everyone has to play with one hand covering an eye. 

Dr Octopus

Choose an "It" to be your octopus.

Then choose a doctor.

When you say, "Go," the children run from one side of the field or court to the other. If they are tagged by the octopus they sit down and are out until tagged by the doctor.

The game ends when everyone is tagged, including the doctor. The last person to be tagged is the new octopus. 

Tortoise Tag

A tag game that will wear your kids out!! Make really big boundaries.

One person is "it." This person has to chase the others. When he tags someone, that person must lay down with both hands and feet sticking straight up, like a Tortoise on its back. In order for the tortoise to come alive, four people must tag one limb each.

Once someone has been a tortoise three times (this is on the honor system), they are now "it". It's always possible to have multiple people being "it" and makes it crazier when you don't know who to run from!

Fainting Goat Tag

One person is chosen as the Shepard.

Whoever the Shepard touches becomes the new Shepard.

The "goats" can fall to the ground to avoid being tagged for up to 10 seconds. As long as they are on the ground, they are safe. The goat can't fall to the ground unless the Shepard is 10 feet away or closer.

This game is very tiring.

Help Tag

Pick two people to be "It". The rest of the group has two or three objects that are considered to be "base". If someone is tagged they go down to both knees and cannot talk or move at all. They can become unfrozen if given one of the base objects. 

Hospital Tag

The basic rules are the same as tag. 

One person is "Mr. Yuck" and the others run. When you get tagged you may cover your "wound" with one of your hands. When you get tagged a second time, you may cover your "wound with your other hand. The third time you get tagged, you are out. 

OR

We did the same thing except that whatever part you were tagged on went numb (i.e.-if your arm was tagged, you couldn't use it.) If you ran out of forearms, shoulders, and legs, you had to lie there, until someone tagged you. Then you were out of the game.

Otters and Clams Tag

Set up a flat playing area with boundaries big enough for the entire group to run in without causing injury. 

Choose three players to be otters. The rest of the players are clams. Tell the otters to count to 20 and then they start to chase after the clams. 

When one of the otters tags a clam the clam becomes frozen and shouts "Help the clam!" They remain frozen until 2 people stand around the clam joining hands and say "Free the clams!" This unfreezes the person and they are back in the game. 

Note: The otters cannot tag players who are unfreezing another player. That being said, players cannot stand with their arms linked around another player waiting because they do not want to be tagged. Game play must continue quickly.

Reverse Tag

First you choose who is it. Then the people that are NOT IT count to five while the the person that is IT Runs away. 

Then you go after "IT". Then when you tag him you become it then you have to run from everyone. 

(it is the same thing as regular tag but backwards!!)