Knee Tag
Quick, simple tag exercise for groups of four or more.
At A Glance
In pairs, individuals attempt to tag the uncovered knees of their partner as often as possible.
What You Need
- An open, flat space.
What To Do
Divide your group into pairs, and ask each partnership to stand facing one another about a metre apart, and place their hands on their own knees.
Explain that a knee can only be tagged when it is not covered by that person’s hand. Also, a person is only entitled to move their feet when they place their hands on their stomach (ie leaving their knees uncovered). So all movements will occur with hands on tummies, and only when he/she stops moving can an individual cover their knees.
All tages are made with an open hand. Play several 30 second rounds, then swap partners.
Variations
- Allow every person to tag any other person.
- As above, but introduce the “Hands Up” rule. When this command is called, everyone must keep their hands on their tummies and never defend their knees. Only when “Hands Down” is called, may participants choose to cover their knees.
If you know of a cool variation to this game, please add a comment…
Adapted from Knee Tag in ‘Count Me In: Large Group Activities That Work’
Circle Tag
A tag game that will have your group running in circles.
At A Glance
Starting in a circle, individuals run clock-wise in an attempt to tag as many people in front of them until they are tagged and eliminated from the game.
What You Need
- Flat even ground on which to run
- Chalk or boundary markers
What To Do
Having picked the perfect spot to conduct a lot of running, ask your group to form a large circle, with about a metre between each person. Using chalk or boundary markers (not rope), mark the inside of the circle where people are standing.
Next, explain that everyone’s goal is the same – to stay in the game as long as possible, and maybe even, be the last person standing. Then, on your command “GO,” instruct everyone to run clockwise on the outside perimeter of the circle tagging any person in front of them. Or, in other words, everyone is “IT,” but everyone (taggers and taggees) must run in the same direction.
You should expect within 10 seconds or so, more than 2/3 of the group will have been eliminated. Ask all eliminated persons to assume a position standing on the boundary (this also keeps the chasing to the outside of the circle).
Gradually, fewer and fewer people are left chasing each other, and ultimately, one person remains. Ta da!
Variation
- For smaller groups, of say only 10 people, each person is entitled to be tagged 2 or 3 times (you decide) before they are eliminated.
If you know of a cool variation to this exercise, please add a comment…
Head Butt Tag
A fast-paced tag in which you are both the chased and chasee.
At A Glance
On “GO,” everyone declares themselves as belonging to one of two teams, and the chase resumes until everyone on the opposing team is tagged.
What You Need
- A large, flat open space
- Minimum of 10 taggers
- 5 – 10 minutes
What To Do
An early highlight of this game occurs right at the start when you roll into, “… Okay everyone, we’re going to play head-butt tag now!…” But don’t worry, it’s not what it seems, but at least you have your group’s attention.
Instruct your group to spread themselves randomly about the playing field / space. Explain that there are two “teams” – heads and tails (or butts) – and everybody gets to choose which team they (initially) want to belong. To be on the “heads” team, a participant must place both of their hands on top of their head, while everyone belonging to the “butts” team will place their hands on their bottom (not somebody else’s!)
From the centre of the field, you announce that you will count to three quickly, at which point everyone must have declared an affiliation with either the “heads” or “butts” team. On three, the chase begins. Heads chase butts, and butts chase heads. When a tag is made of a member on an opposing team – by removing one hand from a head or butt to touch another – the person who is tagged automatically becomes a member of the team that just “caught” them.
Loyalties may swap many times in a game. It continues until everyone swears allegiance to the same team, or it seems that most people are pooped!
Variations
- Toss a coin in the middle of the field, and shout the heads or tails outcome. The team which is announced chases the other team. Play several quick rounds, the game continues until everyone is caught.
- Rather than nominate just two teams, allow each person to choose any part of their anatomy to place their hands on, for example, their chest, shoulders, ears, etc. Same rules apply – the person tagged assumes the “team” position of the person who tagged them. This variation takes much longer, but only if you’re willing to let it run full-time.
Taken from ‘No Props: Great Games with No Equipment’
If you know of a cool variation to this exercise, please add a comment…
Dead Ant Tag
A crazy tag that involves a little co-operation.
At A Glance
Upon being tagged, a person is obliged to lie on their backs with arms and legs extended into the air, and wait to be lifted by others to a designated spot, at which point they can return to the game.
What You Need
- A large, flat open space with boundaries.
- Minimum of 10 ants.
- 5 – 10 minutes.
What To Do
Make up whatever story you care to tell your group (such as “someone has just kicked off the top of an ant-nest, and all of the ants are now frantically searching for their home”), and then spread your “ants” all about your space. Then clearly designate one or more areas as “ant farms.” Ask for a volunteer who would like to be “it” first, and on “go,” this person runs around trying to tag everybody else. Pretty basic set up so far.
Next, explain that when a person is tagged, they are obliged to suddenly drop to the ground and, lying on their backs, wiggle their arms and legs into the air exclaiming “dead ant, dead ant” ad nauseam. This will act as an emergency signal to all other still-in-the-game ants to rescue one of their own. These paramedic ants (no more than four) will grab one or more limbs of the dead ant, and lift them gently to the safety of the closest “ant farm”. As long as the paramedic ants remain in contact with the dead ant, they can not be tagged by “it,” ie this is just one incentive to save souls.
Upon being gently placed (notice, I have used the word gently twice now!) onto the spot of the ant farm, the dead ant will experience a miraculous recovery and swing back into the game. And so it goes on.
Variations
- For really large groups, introduce two or more ants.
- Designate an area that is somewhat to the periphery of the action representing an “abandoned picnic”. Each ant is now called to visit the picnic –eating the scraps, so to speak – as many times as possible, by placing any part of their body inside the designated area. For each visit, the group gets a nominal point (or crumb), and collectively the group will work to earn as many points as possible. Of course, they must continue to save lost souls in the process.
- Just for the fun of it, call “dead ants” anywhere, anytime (ie long after you have played), and watch as people just drop to the floor and wiggle their way through a impulsive “dead ant, dead ant” chorus.
Taken from ‘No Props: Great Games with No Equipment’
If you know of a cool variation to this activity, please add a comment…
Clothes Peg Tag
Excellent for stimulating lots of energy and action
At A Glance
Armed with a swag of clothes-pegs, a person will aim to attach as many pegs on other people, while also trying to dodge extra pegs being pinned on them.
What You Need
- A big bag of clothes-pegs
- 10 – 15 mins
What To Do
Collect as many pegs as would supply 4 to 8 pegs per person. Then distribute this same number of pegs to everyone in your group, and ask them to pin them onto their clothing somewhere. The pegs need to be accessible, that is, somewhere on the upper torso, preferably on the back, front or arms of the clothing.
I doubt you will need boundaries for this activity, because the fun is always in the centre, but go ahead and set them if necessary. On “GO,” everyone aims to take as many of their own pegs off their clothing (one at a time), and attach them to other people’s clothing. To be clear, all pegs must remain on a person’s clothing except for the one they are trying to attach to someone else. Naturally, it’s not a one-way street; often when a person is not looking, they don’t suspect that someone is slyly pinning a peg on their back.
Run the game for as long as you feel there is energy, then stop and count each person’s stash of pegs. Pretty simple, the person with the least wins.
Variation
- Try it in reverse. Everyone aims to steal as many pegs from others in their group and attach them to their clothing.
Taken from ‘Count Me In: Large Group Activities That Work’
If you know of a cool variation to this activity, please add a comment…
Toe Tag
A hop-step-and-jump tag game that quickly raises the energy of your group.
At A Glance
Starting back to back, two partners spin around on “go” and try to “tag” the toe of their partner before they get tagged.
What You Need
- A flat, open space to accommodate lots of frenetic activity.
- Minimum of 2 toe-taggers.
- 2 – 5 minutes.
What To Do
This is a perfect 2 minute filler that has the power to transform your mopey group into a ball of energy.
You need groups of two people. Ask everyone to start with their backs to their partner, and on an appropriate signal like “go”, both partners spin around 180 degrees to face one another and engage in a dance-like combat. Each person attempts to “tag” the toe of their partner gently before one of their own feet gets tagged.
Be sure to remind your group that you said “tagged” and not “stomped” – this will make all the difference between many fun rounds, and a lot of sore feet. Play best of three rounds, but if you lose the first two, better make it five!
Variations
- If too much energy is expended chasing your partner, a less aerobic version is to start by facing your partner and holding their hands.
- Form a circle with your group holding hands. Each person attempts to “tag” the feet of their immediate neighbours. As soon as a person has had both feet tagged, they retreat from the circle, the group re-joins, and the game continues until the final two “toe taggers” duel.
Taken from ‘No Props: Great Games with No Equipment’
If you know of a cool variation to this tag game, please add a comment…
-
Who am I?
Hi, I'm Mark Collard.
This blog shares some of the most successful group games, team-building activities & programming tips I know.
--| FREE ACTIVITY eBOOK |--
Enter your name and email address in the form below to receive a FREE 30 page ebook which features ten of the BEST ice-breakers & group games I know!
Share: Tell others about this site...
@markcollard