Hospital Tag with a Ball
Arrival tag game for dodging and changing direction with the ball glued to your feet.
At a glance
- A 20 m square with a cone on each corner. Everyone has a ball and everyone is a tagger.
- Dribble, and tag another player on the back or shoulder with your hand. Keep your own ball close.
- Tagged once: hold that spot with one hand. Twice: hold two spots. A third time: 6 toe taps on the spot, then you are healed.
- Progress 1: You can only tag while your own ball is moving.
- Progress 2: You can only tag while your ball is moving and within one step of you.
If it's not working: Play in a bigger area.
- players
- Ttagging
- Hhand on the spot
- Mtoe taps
- dribble
- 1in this order
Everyone dribbles and tags at once, shown as five. T dribbles in and tags H on the back with a hand. H holds that spot with one hand and keeps dribbling. M has been tagged three times, does 6 toe taps on the spot as medicine, then dribbles off again, healed.
Full details: set up, how to play, tips and age tweaks
Set up
- Mark the square with a cone on each corner.
- All children start inside, spread out, each with a ball.
- Everyone is both a tagger and a dribbler.
15 m by 15 m (2021, 2020) or 20 m by 20 m (2019 to 2016); 4 corner cones; 1 ball per child. No bibs.
How to play
- Dribble around and try to tag other players on the back or shoulder with your hand, while keeping your own ball close.
- First time you are tagged, hold that spot with one hand. Second time, hold two spots.
- Third time, do 6 toe taps on the spot as medicine, then you are fully healed and back in.
- A healed player plays on and can be tagged again.
Keeping everyone moving
Everyone tags and dribbles at once. The medicine is six toe taps, then straight back in.
Make it easier
- Play in a bigger area.
- Allow tags only below the shoulder with a gentle touch.
Make it harder, step by step
- You can only tag while your own ball is moving.
- You can only tag while your ball is moving and within one step of you.
- The medicine becomes 6 sole rolls with the practice foot.
Three things to say
- Keep moving your feet and your ball.
- Change direction when someone comes close.
- Tag gently and look after each other.
Colts habit
Work hard: feet and ball never stop.
Both feet
Sole rolls with the practice foot as the medicine.
Heads up
Look around to see who is coming.
For your birth year
Pick a birth year to show the tweak for that group.
- 2020 to 2021
- Play with no ball for the first two minutes, then add balls. 15 m by 15 m.
- 2018 to 2019
- As written, 20 m by 20 m.
- 2016 to 2017
- You can only tag someone while your own ball is within one step of you.
A young leader can run this one, with an adult coach beside them.
Safety: Gentle tags on the back or shoulder only. No pushing.
Keeping score: Each child counts their own healings and tries for fewer next round.