Team Tag Against the Clock
Teams of five take turns in pinnies trying to tag the rest of the class for one minute, counting every tag. Tagged players do a quick exercise and jump back in, so nobody is ever out. It builds speed, cooperative chasing and dodging.
How to play
- Make 5 teams of 5 in different-colored pinnies. Mark a 20 × 20 m (about 65 × 65 ft) square with cones and jog easily inside it for 1 minute.
- Team 1 is 'it'; everyone else spreads out in the square. The teacher sets the stopwatch for 60 seconds.
- Taggers tag on the back or shoulders and count each tag out loud. A tagged player does 3 jumping jacks outside the line and comes back in.
- When the minute ends, the team announces its total and walks for 30 seconds while the next team puts on pinnies.
- All 5 teams take a turn as taggers (6 min). Before its turn, each team gets 20 seconds to plan a strategy, such as trapping players in a corner.
- The team with the most tags wins, and the class discusses which strategy worked best (1 min).
Rules
- Only light open-hand tags on the back or shoulders count.
- You may not tag the same person twice in a row.
- Leaving the square to escape counts as being tagged.
- Safety: heads up and slow down before contact, especially in the corners.
Variations
Easier
Use six taggers, and runners may move only at a fast walk.
Standard
Teams of five taggers, one minute per turn and 3 jumping jacks when tagged.
Harder
Taggers must hold hands in pairs, and only tags with the free hand count.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: a student using a wheelchair keeps the team's tag count, and their own tags count double.
- Hearing impairment: the start and end of each minute are signaled by raising and lowering an arm.
- Lower fitness: when tagged, the student takes 5 seconds of deep breaths instead of the jumping jacks.
Learning goals
- Perform short speed bursts with changes of direction.
- Work with a team to organize the chase.
- Warm up at high intensity with no eliminations.
Equipment for a class of 25
- pinnies: 25
- cones: 4
- stopwatch: 1
Teacher tip
Make teams balanced for speed and let the last team watch the others first; trapping strategies start to show up quickly.
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