Everybody Is It Tag Game Is An Energetic Strategy Group Game

Step-by-Step Instructions

Spread your group throughout a designated area.
When you call “GO,” everyone attempts to tag every body else, while also avoid being tagged.
When tagged, a person is obliged to simply crouch down and wait.
Briefly acknowledge the ‘winner,’ and then call “GO” again.

Video Tutorial

Video Transcript for Everybody Is It Tag Game

Now that I actually have the opportunity to make up the rules, I’ve decided that everybody is now ‘It’. When I say ‘Go’, as I find that works pretty well to start a game, everyone is basically trying to tag everybody else.

At this point, as soon as a tag is being made, notice I said tag, not tackle and drag me to the ground, just a simple tag somewhere on the shoulder works pretty well, I invite you just to simply bob down.

And then just wait for what happens next. It won’t take very long. And then I’ll tell you what occurs after that. So to begin, I’ll say ‘Go’, everyone is ‘It’. And once you are tagged I invite you to simply bob down and then we’ll see what happens after that. Are you ready?

Now there’s often a question about boundaries. Basically the fun is here. You can go as far away as you want, but this is where the action is. Are you ready? Go!

(people running and playing Everybody Is It tag game)

Looking good.

(people running and playing Everybody Is It tag game)

Ten seconds left.

(Bring it on.)

(I’m tagged.)

Two left. Five seconds left.

(people still playing Everybody Is It tag game)

Who’s it going to be?

(people still playing Everybody Is It tag game)

There it is. Alright.

How To Play Narrative

This tag group game is dedicated to all those folks out there who, like me, have experienced the ignominy of being ‘It’ for a long period of time, ie you never realised just how long the lunch recess was – every day! Now that I get to make up the rules, everyone is going to be It!

It’s quite simple. Start by asking your group to spread throughout a designated open space, and then say “GO.”

This will impel everyone into a frenzy of contest and self-preservation as they try to tag all others whilst avoiding being tagged.

Explain that as soon as a tag is made, the tagee is obliged to simply crouch down in that spot to indicate to all others that they are ‘out.’

The action continues until the last person remains.

If you are like me, most people will be ‘out’ within 10 seconds – which doesn’t necessarily make for a fun time.

So, I recommend that you don’t give the ‘winner’ much time to celebrate or be lauded. Instead, surprise everyone with a sudden “GO” to ignite another round.

Practical Leadership Tips

For the record, it is often useful to clarify what a tag looks like, ie a compassionate contact made with one’s hand on another’s shoulder or back is quite sufficient.

Here’s my advice for the standard “What happens when two people tag each other at the same time?” question, which is really the same as, “I tagged him/her first, but they won’t go out” complaint! The people involved have two options. One, they can both declare themselves ‘out’ and wait for the next round, or, two, they can argue for the next minute or two and miss all the fun around them.

If you end up with two or three athletic folk at the end who appear to be resisting the urge to give up easily and get tagged, call out “TEN SECONDS TO GO…” to spur them into action. If no one can be declared a winner in this time, so be it, and move onto another round if you choose.

Social-Emotional Learning

You could integrate Everybody Is It as part of a well-designed SEL program to develop your group’s ability to make caring and constructive choices about personal behaviour and social interactions.

Specifically, this activity offers opportunities to explore and practice the following social & interpersonal skills:

Self-Awareness

Demonstrating Self-Confidence, Honesty & Integrity

Self-Management

Demonstrating Self-Discipline & Self-Motivation
Setting Personal & Group Goals

Social Awareness

Demonstrating Empathy & Compassion
Respecting Others

Relationship Skills

Communicate & Listen Effectively
Build Positive Relationships

Responsible Decision-Making

Demonstrating Curiosity & Open-Mindedness
Making Reasoned Judgements
Identifying Solutions
Anticipating & Evaluating the Consequences of One’s Actions
Promoting Personal & Collective Well-Being

You can learn more about SEL and how it can support character education here.

Health & Wellness Programming

Behavioural Norms

The manner in which individual group members participate in this fun tag game may open opportunities for your group to reflect on certain behavioural norms, not to mention social and interpersonal skills. For example, and in addition to those described in the Reflection Tips tab, here are a few questions you could invite your group to reflect upon:

Describe the level of safety consciousness demonstrated by the group.
Was compassion or empathy expressed or demonstrated during the game?
In what ways were the needs of certain individuals accommodated, if at all?
Did you observe any behaviours that concerned you? How?
Can you reconcile these behaviours with your group’s full value agreement?
How important was it to successfully tag someone?
In what ways did we cooperate with one another?

Popular Variations

Forward Motion Only: In the moment of contest, if a person takes a backward step, they are deemed ‘out.’ Ruthless, I know!
Out & Tag: While crouched down, an ‘out’ person can tag the passing feet and legs of those who are still in the game (note, only tags are permitted, no grabbing.) This action will cause the tagged person to go ‘out’ and entitle the tagger to return to the action.
Take a look at Hospital Tag as a terrific variation and follow-on exercise to this tag game.

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Useful Framing Ideas

I don’t know about you, but when I was in primary school, almost every recess was spent playing some form of chasey or tag. It was great fun, unless of course, you were like me – the smallest and least athletic of the class – and you spent most of this free time being ‘It.’ Not much fun, I know. So, now that I get to set the rules, I’ve decided that every body is it…

This next game requires so little time to describe, because as soon as I say “GO,” everybody is It…

Reflection Tips & Strategies

Coupled with one or more reflection strategies, here are some sample questions you could use to process your group’s experience after playing this classic tag game:

Did this activity evoke any memories of tag games when you were younger? Good or bad?
What strategies did you employ to stay in the game for as long as possible?
Was the game fun, and if not, why not?
What does being tagged early or late in the game say to you? Why?

Program Templates

Highly Energetic ‘Warm-Up’ Session

What You Need:
8+ people, 15 mins

Snoopy & Red Baron – inventive partner exercise involving gentle stretching movements
Toe Tag – rapid-fire partner tag game
Everybody Is It – highly energetic tag game that can be played several times
Head Butt Tag – team-based tag exercise in which people switch teams regularly

Source

The inspiration for Everybody Is It, and many more quick tag games, can be found in the following publications:

No Props No Problem by Mark Collard. 150+ interactive group games including ice-breakers, energisers, trust exercises & team-building activities

NO PROPS NO PROBLEM - $49.00 AUD

Front cover of Count Me In Large Group Games That Work book, by Mark Collard

COUNT ME IN - $49.00 AUD

Front cover of Silver Bullets: 25th Anniversary edition, by Karl Rohnke

SILVER BULLETS 2nd Edition - $79.00 AUD

Contributor Mark

Add your Comments...

Have you played this activity? What worked, what didn't work? What type of group? Do you have useful advice for other users? Do you know a fun variation?

Comments (1)

David Piang-Nee June 12, 2021
Great fun and quick game especially when the boundaries are not too big. Worthwhile mentioning the boundaries to the younger ones when playing outdoors as well.

Being a tag game, mentioning a gentle tag and checking in on the challenge by choice component is worth doing as well as in Circle Tag is worth doing. Great to get the blood going and those reflexes engaged.

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Everybody Is It

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Step-by-Step Instructions

Video Tutorial

How To Play Narrative

Practical Leadership Tips

Social-Emotional Learning

Health & Wellness Programming

Popular Variations

You Might Also Like...

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Hospital Tag

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Turbo Name-Game

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Balloon Tag

Useful Framing Ideas

Reflection Tips & Strategies

Program Templates

Highly Energetic ‘Warm-Up’ Session

Source

Add your Comments...

Comments (1)

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