by L Wiles - 2008-08-01
Partner tag is a very active, chasing game played with 4 or more players, typically outside in a large grassy area.
One player is IT, one player is being chased and is called the “extra” player, the rest of the players pair off by hooking together at the elbows. The player who is IT tries to tag the extra player before he or she can hook onto an existing pair. Once the extra player hooks arms with one of a pair the second person in the pair now becomes the extra player and is the player being chased (player A is paired with Player B, the extra player hooks elbows with Player A and player B becomes the new extra player). If the “extra” player is tagged before hooking onto a pair then he or she becomes IT and the person who was previously IT becomes the new “extra” player.
Usually tag is played within certain physical game boundaries.
Most versions of tag have a rule called “no tag backs".
Some versions of tag allow a safety zone or rest zone typically called home base. In partner tag the partners are in essence a home base but you could add an additional home base if you like.
If there are an odd number of players you can designate one group to be a set of three instead of a pair or you can have two “extra” players instead of one.
Change it up a bit and designate only one or two pairs with many “extra” players being chased. This would be a good variation to add in an additional home base.