Favorite Tag

Favorite Tag






Children love to talk about their favorite things.  In this game, students will be thinking of their favorite things, discovering what others favorites are, and learning about classification.   All while getting a lot of exercise!


Equipment Needed:
3 soft objects used for tagging players (ex. small pieces of pool noodles, yarn balls, or rubber rings)

Explanation of Game:
This is tag with NO SAFE.  Players continue to move throughout the playing area for 2-3 minutes, until teacher gives them a signal to stop.  Rotate taggers every round.

To begin the game, select 3 taggers to begin on the end line.  Taggers carry the noodle with them and use it for tagging players.   Players begin in personal space.  For each round of this game, the teacher (or a student) will choose a category of favorite things to share and announce it so everyone knows the category.  When everyone yells “FAVORITE TAG” the game begins.

Examples of categories:
Colors, fruits, vegetables, ice cream flavors, sports, subjects in school, outdoor activities,  books, teachers, board games, toys, etc.

Round 1 = Share the name of your favorite book
Round 2 = Share your favorite color
Round 3  = Share your favorite toy

If a player is tagged, they sit down with their legs crossed and think of their favorite ______(insert whatever was pre-determined by teacher).  Another player may help a tagged player by sitting across from them and sharing their favorite things.  Once they both have shared, they say Thank You and stand up to continue playing.

Example:  Category is favorite ice cream flavor.  Jim is tagged and sits down.  Raina helps Jim by saying “my favorite ice cream flavor is Mint Chocolate Chip.”  Jim says, “my favorite ice cream flavor is Moose Tracks”. Both say “thank you” and continue playing.

Notes:
You can change the game by allowing tagged players to scoot on the floor to help other tagged players (rather than waiting for a non-tagged player to sit down with them).

This is a great icebreaker activity or beginning of school activity to help students get to know each other.

Bean Bag Tag

Bean Bag Tag

This is a great way to teach colors to young children.  Before playing the first game the teacher could hold up each bean bag and have students say what color it is.  If you are using Geo-Shapes, the teacher can hold up a bean bag and the students say what shape it is (circle, square, triangle, rectangle).

Further, you could make a rule that if you are tagged and someone comes to trade with you, the players have to say to each other what color, shape or animal they are trading for.

Equipment Needed:
3 soft objects used for tagging players (ex. small pieces of pool noodles, yarn balls, or rubber rings)
1 bean bag per player (variety of colors)
OR
1 Geo-Bean Bag per player(variety of shapes)
OR
1 Bean Bag Amimal per player (variety of animals)

Explanation of Game:
This is tag with NO SAFE.  Players continue to move throughout the playing area for 2-3 minutes, until teacher gives them a signal to stop. 

To begin the game, select 3 taggers to begin on the end line.  Taggers carry the noodle with them and use it for tagging players.   Players begin in personal space.  Give every player a bean bag.  They must hold  the bean bag in their hands the entire time.  If the bean bag is dropped, they must pick it up in order to continue playing.  When everyone yells “BEAN BAG TAG” the game begins.

If a player is tagged, they sit down with their legs crossed and wait for another player to help them.  Another player may help a tagged player by trading bean bags with them.   The bean bag that is traded must be a different color, shape, or animal, depending on what kind of bean bags you use.   For example, if Johnny has a blue bean bag he may trade with someone who has a red bean bag.  But a player with a blue bean bag may not help Johnny. 

Stop and Go Tag

Stop

and

Go

Tag

This is a quick, easy to understand game that can be taught to any grade level.  I like to keep track of who has had a turn to be a "stopper" and a "go" person so that anytime we play throughout the year we will have someone new.  

Equipment Needed:
3 red yarn balls
3-5 green scooters

Explanation of Game:
This is tag with NO SAFE.  Players continue to move throughout the playing area for 2-3 minutes, until teacher gives them a signal to stop. 

To begin game, select 3 taggers (“stoppers”)and 3-5 “go” people.  Taggers begin at one end line and hold a red ball.  “Go” people ride on green scooters and start on the opposite end line.  Players begin in personal space.

If the “stoppers” touch a player with the red ball the player has to STOP and KNEEL on the floor.  The “go” people ride on the green scooters.  They will ride around the gym and help the people who are kneeling.  If a player is touched by the “go” person, they may stand up and continue playing.

Stoppers may not tag “go” people and vice versa. 

Notes:  Remind players about scooter safety = only ride on your belly, bottom or knees.  Do not stand on the scooter or run and jump on it.

If scooters are not available, give the "go" people a green jersey to wear, or a small green object to carry such as a green foam ball, green rubber ring, etc.  

Hide and Seek - Trick or Treat Tag

Hide and Seek

Trick or Treat

Tag

This game is the SAME as Trick or Treat Tag but with the option for players to HIDE and SEEK!  In my years of teaching P.E. I noticed that sometimes kids would try to hide while we play tag.  They would curl up in a corner or behind a box of equipment I had laying out.  Then others would tattle on them for trying to hide.  Therefore, I decided to PROVIDE hiding spots for them and it turned out to be a big hit! 

Please read the Trick or Treat Tag post for rules of the game. 

Additional Equipment Needed: 
2-4 gym mats

Explanation of Game:
Set the gym mats standing UP throughout the playing area.  Bend them so they can stand sturdy without falling over.  Players may hide behind a mat for a maximum of 10 seconds.  Players may STILL BE TAGGED while hiding!  Taggers may also hide behind a mat to fool players.

Notes:
I tell students to be careful not to run into mats or touch them while hiding.  If a mat falls over, I take it down and they will not play with it anymore.  This rule eliminates the temptation for players to be goofy and crash into the mats.

This video shows students playing hide and seek tag with the mats.

Trick or Treat Tag

Trick

or

Treat

Tag

Video of this game with written instructions below: Videos show what tagged player do.





As soon as October rolls around I hear children talking about what they will be dressing up for on Halloween.  In this game, children can pretend they are dressed up and going trick or treating!  But, this is a much healthier option. We are trick or treating for EXERCISES.....and they love it!

Equipment Needed:
3  soft objects for taggers to carry and tag people with (I use 1 foot pieces of a pool noodle, yarn balls, OR rubber rings)
3 Halloween baskets or bags
At least 5 foam dice per basket (15 total)
Halloween music (optional)

Explanation of Game:
This is tag with NO SAFE.  Players continue to move throughout the playing area for 2-3 minutes, until teacher gives them a signal to stop.  If a player is tagged, they have to "trick or treat" at a "house",  then they may continue to play.

To begin game, select 3 taggers and 3 people to be the "houses".  Taggers begin at one end line.  The "houses" hold the basket of foam dice anywhere along the perimeter of the gym.  Other players begin in free space or on the opposite end line.  The teacher calls out an exercise that will be used when trick or treating (ex. jumping jacks).  When every yells "TRICK OR TREAT", the game begins.

If a player is tagged, they go to a "house" and say "trick or treat".  The "house" person gives the player a dice (a "piece of candy").  The player rolls it on the floor and has to do the number of a given exercise (jumping jacks).  After doing the exercise, they put the dice back in the basket, say "thank you" and continue playing.

Notes: 
Play 2-3 minute games, then stop and choose new taggers and new "houses".  Play Halloween music while students play!  For each new game, call out a different exercise for players to do.  Examples:  Jumping Jacks, Windmills, Sit-Ups, Push-Ups, Mountain Climbers, Leg Lifts, Arm Circles, etc. 

Instead of using foam dice, you could fill the baskets with exercise task cards.

I like to remind students the importance of using good manners and saying "thank you" after trick or treating!

Encourage students to visit a different house each time they are tagged.