Eclipse Tag

Written By Lee Hartley

Objective:

Two teams flip between hunter and hunted on the coach's call. Players must listen, adapt, and rescue frozen teammates. The team with the most untagged players standing when time is called wins.

Great for younger kids.

Set-up:

  • Area: Around 20 × 30 yard rectangle on grass, marked with orange cones at the boundary.

  • Place one large hula hoop in the back-left corner (yellow team Safe Zone) and one in the back-right corner (blue team Safe Zone).

  • Split players into two equal teams: Sun (yellow pinnies) and Moon (blue pinnies).

  • Both teams start mixed up in the middle of the field, scattered, in ready position.

  • Coach stands on the sideline with a whistle and a clear view of the entire field.

How to Play:

  • Coach calls "DAY!" - Sun (yellow) chases Moon (blue). A tagged Moon player freezes in place with arms crossed.

  • Coach calls "NIGHT!" - Moon (blue) chases Sun (yellow). A tagged Sun player freezes in place with arms crossed.

  • Coach calls "ECLIPSE!" - everyone freezes for 5 seconds. No tagging, no running. Players may turn their heads and TALK to teammates to plan.

  • Frozen players are unfrozen by a teammate giving them a high-five.

  • A player inside their own team's Safe Zone hoop cannot be tagged, but can only stay inside for 5 seconds before they must leave.

  • Coach can switch calls (DAY / NIGHT / ECLIPSE) freely. Try to switch right when one team is overcommitting.

  • Game lasts 3 minutes. When time is called, everyone freezes.

  • Count standing (not frozen) players on each team.

  • Most standing wins.

Progressions / Variations

Solar Flare: During the round, coach calls "FLARE!" and rolls a bright orange bean bag onto the field. Whichever player picks it up gets 30 seconds of invincibility (cannot be tagged, but cannot tag either). Holding the bag, they can high-five frozen teammates to unfreeze them.

Comet: Choose 1 player from each team to be a COMET. Coach now calls "COMET" (Comet chases everyone). If tagged are frozen until unfrozen by team mate. Sun & Moon stop chasing each other when COMET tagging.

The Game Encourages

  • Agility, sprinting, change-of-direction, spatial awareness

  • Active listening - the whole game depends on hearing the call

  • Decision-making (when to commit, when to retreat, who to rescue)

  • Leadership and communication - kids will naturally call out warnings and plans during ECLIPSE

  • Emotional regulation - being frozen feels unfair if you're losing; the rescue mechanic resets the energy

    SEL / PBIS alignment: following directions quickly, supporting teammates, resilience, fair play

Equipment

  • 12-15 cones for field boundaries

  • 2-4 hula hoops

  • Pinnies in 2 distinct colours (yellow Sun, blue Moon; add other for Comet variation)

  • Optional: 1-2 bright bean bags for the Solar Flare power-up

 
Lee Hartley
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Storm Chasers