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kids playing tag

Outdoor Game: Tag Rules for the game of Tag

Players Required: 3 minimum
Ages: 4 and up

Game Overview:
A great way to eat up energy, this game is all about running away from the person who’s It.

How to Play:

  • Choose one person to be It.
  • The person who is It then chases all of the Non-Its.
  • The Non-Its run amok trying to avoid It.
  • If a Non-It is tagged by It, that Non-It becomes It, and It becomes a Non-It.
  • Often tagging someone to be It is coupled with a shout of “Tag! You’re It!”.
  • Since Tag can be the game that never ends, here are a few common ending points:
    • enough of the players get bored and therefore change the game
    • food is offered
    • time runs out for some grown-up reason
    • a dispute over who is It escalates to the point of grown-up intervention and time-outs. (Or peace-making food and apologies)
    • all the players are utterly exhausted

Notes:

  • “No Tag-Backs!”
    • This is the safe-phrase used by the most recent It from being immediately turned upon by the new It and put right back where they were as It.
    • This safe phrase only works for that one exchange. The next It can go after previous Its.
    • Every and any It can use this phrase when they tag a new It.