Dragon Tag

1. Line up.
2. Each player holds the waist of the person in front of them.
3. Then the dragon’s head (the player in front) tries to “bite” the tail (the last player in line).
4. Anyone who lets go is out for a round.

Shadow Tag

1. Try this indoors or a well-lit backyard after dark.
2. Instead of tagging people, It steps on peoples’ shadows. 
3. Your shadows will change as you run!

Taboo Tag

1. Choose something only It can step on or touch, such as a certain area on the playground or the grass between some trees.
2. Runners who touch the “taboo” spot are out until a new It is tagged.

Crossover Tag

1. It picks one person and keeps chasing him or her, unless someone runs between them, a.k.a., “crosses over.”
2. Any person who crosses over becomes It’s new target.
3. Everyone else keeps moving. If anyone is standing still, It can point at that person to make that person the new It.

Chain Tag

1. Start with regular tag.
2. The first player tagged joins hands with It. They run together and use their free hands to tag others.
3. Each person tagged becomes a new link in the chain. Play until everyone is part of the chain.

Extend the Fun

Young children: Little ones might have trouble following multiple rules or feeling okay when they’re out of the game. Try the tag variations that are more inclusive, such as chain tag or dragon tag. Or change the movement. Instead of running, have kids hop or walk like a crab.

Older children: Encourage your kids to make up their own game of tag. Maybe they build on one of these variations, or maybe they come up with something wildly different. Try letting each It come up with a new rule (funny ones are best!) so that, by the end of the game, there are dozens of silly rules to follow.