Games for Kids: How to Play Scarecrow Tag

This month’s game, a version of chasey (or tag), is fabulous fun for classes or groups of children – we call it Scarecrow Tag.

Scarecrow Tag

Number of players: 6+ (the more the merrier!)

Recommended Age: 4+ years

Equipment needed: None

To play:

To begin, make sure that all of the children are aware of the boundaries of the area defined as the playing area for the game. The size of this area will be guided by the number of children playing – you need enough room for the children to run around without colliding but do not want the space to be so large that the tagger cannot catch at least some of the other children relatively easily.

One player is nominated as the tagger. Alternatively, you may have 2 or more taggers for whole class/bigger groups.

The players run around the agreed play area and when tagged by the tagger must freeze, standing with arms and legs spread wide to form a scarecrow shape.

The tagged player can be set free if another free player crawls through their legs.

A player is also ‘safe’ and cannot be tagged while they are crouched under a scarecrow’s legs.

The game continues until time is called or a new tagger(s) is chosen.

Do you play a version of Scarecrow Tag? What other group games do your children enjoy?

See the other games in this series so far:

• How to Play What’s The Time, Mr Wolf?
• How to Play Please Mr Crocodile