The game of tag is a classic childhood favourite game and chances are you’ve played a TON of tag variations. This one is called Shadow Tag.

To play Shadow Tag you need two or more players (lots is good!) and enough sun outside to cast a shadow.

If you have enough players you can play “Can’t tag your butcher.”*

How to play Shadow Tag? Well, first you have to decide who is going to be it. I’ve got a page of great games to help you decide who should go first. (You might want to visit it.) Once you have decided who is “it” they run around and try to tag (touch) other players. (You might want to create an in-bounds and out-of-bounds playing area before you start although the kids tend to do that naturally.) Once someone has been tagged, they become “it” and have to try and tag other players.

Now the tricky part about Shadow Tag is that you can’t feel it if you’ve been tagged as the person who is “it” is tagging your shadow! So while you might think you are safe… your shadow might be about to be tagged by their foot. (Usually you get tagged by a foot, but you can be tagged by any part of the it person touching your shadow!)

Tip: Try and keep your body between the it player and your shadow!

This is a fun challenge and twist on the traditional game of Tag and it is a great warm up game for kids to play in gym class, during organized sports, and of course, whenever the kids want to play–like at birthday parties!

If you want more tag game variations check out this page!

Enjoy!

What’s your favourite Tag variation?

* “Can’t tag your butcher” means you can’t tag the person who just tagged you. They are “safe” while you are it as they are the one who tagged you.

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Boy, does that bring back some memories.

Today, I encourage you to bring out this old game if your kids haven’t been introduced to it already. And yes, some of you may have just given me the hairy eyeball on that one and are wondering why I am so cruel as to suggest a game that brings out the competitive edge in those kids you just got settled nicely on the couch.

Want to know why?

Because, believe it or not, it is healthy for your kids.

No, really. A little competition is healthy for our kids. Challenges such as King of the Castle teach our kids how to deal with conflict, competition, winning, losing, and even cooperation (think of two younger siblings unroosting the eldest) and maybe even sharing (the two youngest siblings are now looking down at the eldest from their perch).

Whenever we step in and calm a little tuffle that is bringing out the competition in our kids–because let’s face it, King of the Castle isn’t just about skill and timing, it is about competing and besting the other players, even if for 2.3 seconds–we interfere with a chance for them to learn about themselves and everyday situations. Playing King of the Castle is a chance for them to learn how to solve conflict, deal with annoying winners, be a gracious loser, and of course, a gracious winner–even though the whole point of the game is to rub your momentary win in the face of others.

Still not convinced? Think of it this way, there are always going to be those competitive rub-your-nose in it types out there in the real world, right? So, would you like your child to learn how to deal with it now when the biggest ‘risk’ is them stomping home in tears? Or would you rather protect them from it and then later in their life when they are at their first job they get so angry with a coworker who is a competitive nose-rubber that they end up losing it on this person and getting themselves fired? Probably not the last one, right?

While it is in our nature and coded into our genes to want to step in and protect our children from every sting and arrow in their childhood, we also need to peel back the protective barrier every once in awhile and let our kids deal with some small stings so they build their own protective armour for when they leave our nests.

Every day is a learning opportunity for kids and play is learning. Let’s let our kids play.

How about you? How do you approach competition? Any King of the Castle scars to show and stories to tell?

The point of this game is to roll your ball (you toss it at the start line) from one end of the ‘court’ to the other end where the finish line is, missing or hitting different things that are in your ball’s way.

This is an easy course with the white rack as the start line, the blue jar lid as 100 point bounce off object and the comb as a knockdown item for 200 points. The horse was a bridge to go under, but is now the audience.

First off, decide where your court will be. Create a start line (can be a ribbon, a pencil, a line drawn into the carpet with your finger, or whatever you have) and a finish line. Between the two lines, make obstacles for your ball to hit, miss, go over, bounce off, under, around–anything!

Some ideas–a toy horse could be a bridge and your ball has to go between the legs. Maybe a propped up comb needs to be knocked over, a toilet paper tube needs to be gone through. Put as much in your court as you want. Mix it up! Is it too hard? Make it easier. Too easy, make it harder!

When playing with a friend, have one person on each end of the court. So your finish line becomes their start line and your start line becomes their finish line.

The obstacle game can also be a ‘points’ game where you get points for hitting or missing different things in your court.

Make this a family activity: The more people working on the course, the cooler the ideas!

This activity promotes fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

How to play Knock Your Socks Off

Divide the group of players (6-16 players works well) into two teams. Everyone needs to be wearing socks. The teams get down on their hands and knees as this is a crawling game–you cannot stand up or stand on your feet at any point during the game. Choose an area for the game such as the living room–if you leave the boundaries of the game area, you are automatically out.

When the game starts, the two teams begin crawling around, trying to pull the socks off the other team’s feet. The goal is to get all the socks off the other team. Once a sock is off a foot, it stays off. Once a player has no socks left on, they move to the sidelines to cheer on the other players (they are out of the game).

No kicking! And no grabbing at your own sock if someone is pulling it off. And no knee-high socks or stirrup pants–they are so unfair! (I know this because everyone used to whine when I did it. Sorry!)

Make this a family activity: Break into teams. Parents against kids or boys against girls or just mix it up! Watch out: Mom tickles!

This activity promotes speed, agility and a little healthy competition.

One player is the wolf and everyone else stands far away at a starting point. The wolf keeps their back to the other players (and cannot peek). Everyone asks together, “What time is it Mr. Wolf?” The wolf says a time and everyone moves towards the wolf that number of steps. For example, if he says “12 o’clock”, everyone takes 12 steps.

After everyone has moved forward, they ask the time again. If the wolf replies “Time to eat you!” everyone runs back to the starting point. The wolf tries to tag players. If a player is caught, they are out. Keep playing until all players are caught. The last player caught by the wolf, becomes the wolf for the next game.

Variations: Eaten players join the wolf.

Make this a family game: Who gets to be the wolf first?

This activity promotes counting skills and speed.