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Tag
Tag (also known as it, tips, dobby,
chasey, tig, tick, and many other names) is a playground game
played worldwide that involves one or more players chasing other
players in an attempt to "tag" or touch them, usually with their
hands. There are many variations. Most forms have no teams, scores,
or equipment.
Basic
rules
A group of players (two or more) decide who is going to
be 'it', often using a counting-out game such as Eeny, meeny, miny,
moe. 'It' then chases the others to get close enough to 'tag' them
— a touch with the hand — while the others try to
escape. A 'tag' makes the tagged player 'it'. The game continues
indefinitely. There are many variants which modify the rules for
team play, or place restrictions on tagged players' behaviour. A
simple variation makes tag an elimination game, so those tagged
drop out of play. A cry of "time-out" may be a signal to stop
temporarily, and "time-in" to resume the game. Variants of tag
include additional rules regarding whether another player is
eligible as a target. A 'no tag-backs', 'no returns', or 'can't tag
your master' rule prevents a player from tagging the person who has
just tagged them.
Base
Players
may be "safe" from being tagged within a pre-determined area, when
off the ground, or when touching a particular structure;
traditional variants are Wood Tag, Iron Tag, and Stone Tag, when a
player is safe when touching the named material. This safe zone has
long been called a "gool", probably a corruption of "goal". The
term "gool" was first recorded in print in Massachuchetts in the
1870s, and is common in the northern states of the US. Variants
include "gould", "goul", and "ghoul", and alternatives include
"base" and "home".
Bans and
restrictions
Tag and other chasing games have
been banned in some schools in the US and UK due to concerns about
injuries and complaints from children of harassment. In 2008, a
10-year-old boy in Omaha died while playing tag when he suffered
brain injuries from falling onto a metal pole, and a school dinner
lady in Dorset was left partially paralyzed after a 13-year-old boy
playing tag ran into her in 2004. She failed in her attempt to sue
him for
compensation.
A
principal who banned tag in their school said that "In this game,
there is a 'victim' or 'It,' which creates a self-esteem issue. The
oldest or biggest child usually dominates." A dislike of
elimination games is another reason for banning tag. In some
schools only supervised tag is allowed, sometimes with a type of
tagging called “butterfly tagging” — a light tap
on the shoulders, arms or upper
back.
The president of the US National
Association for Sport and Physical Education said that "Tag games
are not inherently bad ... teachers must modify rules, select
appropriate boundaries and equipment, and make sure pupils are
safe. Teachers should emphasize tag games that develop
self-improvement, participation, fair play, and cooperation." The
UK Local Government Association encouraged the playing of tag in
2008, saying that children are 'wrapped in cotton
wool'.
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