How to Play Tag

By Jaques of London · Est. 1795 · Updated 2026-08-17

Tag is a chasing game in which one player, designated It, attempts to touch any other player. The moment contact is made, the role of It transfers and the chase begins again. The rules are minimal, the action is immediate, and no equipment is needed beyond an open space and willing players.

Its appeal is straightforward: it is genuinely fair, scales to almost any number of children, and can fill five minutes or fifty. It is played in school playgrounds, parks, gardens, and sports halls across the world, and remains one of the first games most children learn.

A little history

The origins of Tag are unclear. Chasing games in which one player pursues others appear in records from ancient Greece and Rome, and similar games are documented across cultures worldwide, suggesting the concept arose independently in many places rather than spreading from a single source. The English name 'Tag' is widely used in Britain and North America; the British playground equivalent 'It' or 'He' is also commonly recorded. Beyond these broad facts, confident claims about a specific origin or inventor are not supported by reliable historical evidence.

Setting up

1. Agree on the boundaries of the playing area and make sure all players know them before the game starts.
2. Decide any local rules, such as whether 'bases' or 'safe spots' are allowed and, if so, how many and where they are.
3. Choose the first player to be It. A counting-out rhyme, a volunteer, or the last person to sit down all work equally well.
4. It closes their eyes and counts aloud to ten while the other players scatter within the boundaries.
5. On 'ten', play begins.

How to play

1. It runs after any other player and tries to touch them with a hand. A touch anywhere on the body counts; pushing does not.
2. The moment It touches another player, that player immediately becomes the new It. The previous It is free and may run.
3. The new It must call out 'Tag, you're It' or a similar clear announcement so all players know the role has changed.
4. Play continues without pause unless a dispute arises or a player needs to stop for safety.
5. A player who steps outside the agreed boundaries is called back; if It tagged them at the boundary, the tag does not count.
6. If safe spots are in use, a player standing at a safe spot cannot be tagged. However, a player may not stay at a safe spot indefinitely: the group should agree a time limit before play begins, typically a count of five or ten.
7. It may not immediately tag the player who just tagged them. This 'no tag-backs' rule should be agreed before play starts, as it is not universal but is the most common convention.
8. The game ends when the group agrees to stop, when time runs out, or when players tire.

Winning and scoring

Traditional Tag has no winner or loser: the object is simply to avoid being It. In informal play, social pressure is the only scoring system, since being It for a long time is undesirable. If the group wants a competitive format, they may appoint a timekeeper and record how many times each player was It: the player who held the role least often at the end of the session is considered the best player. Neither format requires a fixed points total or a match length.

The fine points

The most common dispute is whether a tag was genuine contact or a push. The standard ruling is that only a clean touch with the hand counts; a shove or grab does not. If there is genuine disagreement, the tag is replayed: It retains the role and the disputed player is given a five-second head start. It is worth settling this before play rather than mid-game.

Tag-backs, where the new It immediately re-tags the person who just tagged them, kill the momentum of the game. Most groups play no tag-backs as a default rule, meaning It must pursue a different player for at least five seconds before turning back. Boundary disputes are resolved the same way as tag disputes: if the tag and the boundary crossing happened simultaneously, the tag does not count. For very large groups, it helps to have two players designated as It simultaneously to keep the game moving.

How to win more often

• Change direction sharply rather than simply running faster: It has to react to each turn, which costs them ground.
• Watch where It is looking, not just where they are running. If they glance at someone else, use that moment to create distance.
• When you are It, target players who are already slowing down or who are cornered by a boundary, not the fastest runner in open space.
• Use the edges of the playing area to funnel a target rather than chasing them into open ground where they can jink away freely.
• Stay aware of the whole group. Clustering with other players may feel safer but it gives It several targets close together and makes you easier to catch.

Variations

Freeze Tag

When It tags a player, that player must freeze on the spot in whatever position they were in. Frozen players can be unfrozen by another free player crawling between their legs or touching them. It wins if they freeze all players simultaneously. This variant works especially well with larger groups as it gives frozen players a reason to stay engaged.

Chain Tag (also called Chain He)

When It tags a player, the two join hands and must chase together. Each new player tagged joins the chain, which must stay linked at all times. Only the players at each end of the chain may make a tag. The last free player wins. This variant slows the pace but rewards team coordination and is easier to manage in a smaller space.

Shadow Tag

Instead of touching a player, It must step on that player's shadow to make a tag. This is a lower-contact variant that works well on a sunny day and suits younger or more cautious players. The mechanics are otherwise identical to standard Tag. Cloudy conditions make the game impractical, so this one is weather-dependent.

Tunnel Tag

Tagged players must stand still with their feet apart, forming a tunnel. A free player can unfreeze them by crawling through their legs. It aims to freeze all players at once. This is a physically active variant with a cooperative element that suits younger children, and the crawling action makes it impractical on wet or muddy ground.

Tag: frequently asked questions