Types of Tag Games and How to Play Them
Tag, that simple game where the person who’s “it” touches someone to pass on the role, is something just about everyone has played.
It’s said that if you trace it back, its origins lie in Heian-period rituals for driving away demons.
Today, it has evolved into many different variations.
This time, we’ll introduce some of those diverse forms of tag.
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Types of tag/oni games and how to play them (11–20)
Mr. Wolf, what time is it now?
Let’s play tag while enjoying a call-and-response using the phrase, “Mr.
Wolf, what time is it?” First, choose one player to be “It” (the wolf).
The children face the wolf and ask, “Mr.
Wolf, what time is it?” The wolf answers with various times, and if it’s anything other than “3 o’clock,” the children respond, “Phew, thank goodness!” If the wolf says “3 o’clock,” that’s the signal to start chasing.
Run away so you don’t get caught! Whoever gets caught becomes the next wolf.
Mukkuri Kuma-san!
“Mukkuri Kuma-san” is a game of tag where you can enjoy music and singing.
First, choose one person to be “it” (the bear), and the others will be the children who run away.
The bear sits down and covers their face with both hands.
The children form a circle around the bear, hold hands, and walk around the bear while singing along to the music.
In the lyrics, there is a part at the end where the bear wakes up; at that point, the bear opens their eyes and starts chasing the children.
When the bear wakes up, the children should immediately let go of each other’s hands and run away.
Whoever is caught becomes the next bear.
Arranged ice ogre
In freeze tag, if a child is touched by the It (oni), they freeze and can’t move; if a teammate touches them, they can run again.
It’s a classic game of tag that kids have loved for ages.
First, decide who’s It with rock-paper-scissors or similar.
Choose the number of Its based on the total number of players.
At the start signal, the children run away and the It chases them.
The It should not only chase the runners but also guard frozen players to prevent them from being rescued.
When freezing, standing still is fine, but you can also add a twist—like striking a monkey pose—so it’s clear they’ve been tagged.
Tag, where kids and adults both have fun: “Hand-Holding Oni (Tag)”
Participants are divided into one “it” and the “children.” The children form pairs and hold hands.
At the start signal, the children run away, and “it” chases them and tries to touch their joined hands.
When a pair is touched by “it,” they must let go, find a new partner, hold hands again, and keep running.
At the finish signal, any child who is in a pair is safe; any child left alone loses.
If there are many children, you can increase the number of “it” players.
It’s a game everyone can enjoy, and it helps people get friendly even if they’re meeting for the first time.
Traditional children’s game “Abukutatta”
@shinbokuhoikuen AbukutattaTraditional GamesShin-gi Nursery SchoolCertified Childcare and Education CenterKodomoen (combined childcare and kindergarten)#Nursery schoolNursery teacher / Childcare workerParentingOutdoor play#Indoor Play#Nursery School Craft#Childcare CraftingProductionWakayama Prefecture, Shingu CityShingu City#Nachikatsuura TownKiho Town
Original song – Shinboku Nursery School – Araki Nursery School
Abukutatta is a fun game that mixes a thumping heartbeat and excited anticipation, and even small children can enjoy it.
Choose one person to be “it,” have them sit in the center with their face covered.
The others join hands to form a circle around “it,” and walk around while singing.
As the song progresses, there’s a part where the people holding hands say, “Knock, knock, knock.” When that happens and “it” says, “It’s the sound of a ghost,” everyone breaks the circle and runs away.
Whoever gets tagged by “it” becomes the next “it.” If you add your own original sounds during the “What sound is it?” part, the game becomes even more exciting.
Gacchan Demon
Choose one person to be it (the chaser) and one person to be the runner.
The remaining people form groups of two or three.
The chaser can only tag the runner.
The runner can hold hands with someone in a group.
When they hold hands while saying “Gacchan,” the person on the opposite side becomes the new runner.
This is a variation of tag.
One high school girl vs. a horde of demons
Speaking of tag, the usual version is one demon and lots of kids, but in this version it’s a terrifying game where you’re the only kid and everyone else is a demon.
It feels like you wouldn’t be able to trust anyone.
It’s an online game, but it sounds like it would be fun to try in real life, too.
Seated Demon
Within a designated area, the tagger chases the children, but cannot catch a child while they are sitting.
After counting to ten, the tagger may touch a sitting child.
The children must escape before then.
This game is also known as “Squat Tag.”
Zombie Ogre
As the name suggests, it’s a thrilling game of tag where every time the ‘oni’ touches someone, the number of oni keeps increasing.
The game ends when the last remaining person is tagged, so there isn’t really a winner or loser.
In other regions, it’s also known as ‘contagion tag.’
Wi-Fi Tag
The rules are simple: the runner escapes while carrying a pocket Wi‑Fi, and the “it” chases them by checking the Wi‑Fi signal strength on a game console or similar device.
It’s a hybrid game that combines tag and hide-and-seek.
It feels like, “Wow, the times have come this far…,” but it sounds like a lot of fun.