Emotion Freeze Tag
A twist on freeze tag: anyone tagged freezes as a statue showing the feeling the teacher calls, and only a teammate who copies the statue face-to-face and names the feeling can free them. It blends running and dodging with recognizing emotions.
How to play
- Mark off an area about 20 x 20 yards (1 min) and pick 3 taggers wearing pinnies. Announce the round's feeling, for example, "surprised."
- On the whistle, taggers chase everyone else. Anyone tagged freezes as a statue showing the round's feeling with body and face.
- To free them, a free player stands in front, copies the statue for 3 seconds and says the feeling out loud. Then both keep running.
- Each round lasts 2 minutes. At the end, count the statues, choose 3 new taggers and change the feeling (happy, angry, scared, sad, disgusted).
- Play 5 rounds (about 11 minutes) so most students get a turn as tagger.
- Wrap-up (2 min): in a circle, each student shows their favorite statue and the class guesses the feeling.
Rules
- Tag with a gentle touch on the shoulder or back; no pushing or grabbing clothes.
- A player who is freeing a teammate cannot be tagged.
- Run inside the boundaries and look ahead to avoid collisions.
Variations
Easier
Use only 2 taggers and very familiar feelings, and free players with a high five plus naming the feeling.
Standard
Three taggers, and freeing by copying the statue and naming the feeling.
Harder
Each tagger carries a card with a different feeling, and the statue must show the feeling of whoever tagged them.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student tags from a central zone using a foam noodle, or frees classmates who come to their spot.
- Hearing impairment: show the round's feeling on a large card and signal start and stop with a flag.
- Lower fitness: the student may power-walk instead of running and rest as a statue with no penalty.
Learning goals
- Dodge and move with changes of direction and speed.
- Show feelings as a statue and recognize them in others.
- Help teammates get back into the game.
Equipment for a class of 25
- pinnies: 6
Teacher tip
Switch taggers often so nobody stays frozen too long. If there are lots of statues at once, add a special rescuer in a different-colored pinnie.
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