Other names
Inspiration
A fun tag game that helps people get comfortable being close to others.
Themes
Evasion, Agility, Awareness
Group size
Any # players
Timing
5-10 min/round
Play area
Grassy field
Energy
High (running)
Age range
8+ years
Start formation
Scatter
Equipment
Bandanas – a few
Hazards/safety
- Players tripping on obstacles. Make sure the playing area is clear of hazards (brambles, roots, rocks).
- Participants colliding with each other. Emphasize that participants must maintain control of their bodies at all times.
Instructions
- Establish a general playing area. This game doesn’t need a strict boundary, because players are incentivized to stay close to the rest of the group.
- Each player pairs up with one other player by linking elbows, then the pairs spread themselves out randomly in the playing area. Pairs may walk around the playing area as the game proceeds; they don’t have to stay in one place (though most do).
- Get one or two of the pairs to volunteer to split up, with one person in each pair then becoming a “predator” and the other becoming “prey.” Give each predator a soft object to hold (a bandana works perfectly) that identifies them as a predator.
- When the facilitator says “go,” any predator can chase any prey. Prey can weave in and out of the pairs of people to evade capture. At any time, prey can join an existing couple by linking elbows with one of the people in the pair. Immediately, the person on the other side detaches and is now prey.
- When a predator tags a prey, their roles switch. To symbolize the switch, the predator drops the bandana they’re carring on the ground; the former prey (now turned predator) must pick up the bandana before they can chase any prey.
- Play for 4 or 5 minutes, then pause the game. Announce that during this next round, as the game is being played, you as the facilitator may unpredictably “break up” more pairs of people, then hand one of the people a bandana, which makes that person a predator and their former partner prey. Having three, four, five, or even more predators and prey active makes the game extra fun and lively. The bigger the total group size, the more predators and prey you can have.
Modifications