No.20
Shadow Tag
Japanese name: 影ふみ
Materials
- No equipment (sunshine is needed)
How to play
- With an adult, choose a place with clear shadows and mark the playing area. Avoid very strong sunshine.
- Choose one tagger. Others move away while the tagger counts to 10. Chase the shadows on the ground rather than people’s bodies.
- On stepping on a player’s shadow, call “I tagged your shadow!” and swap roles with that player.
- Keep checking ahead, not only looking down. Never step on anyone’s body or shoes, push or leap at them.
- Stop after 1 minute and compare shadow lengths and directions. Change taggers, play several rounds, then rest and finish.
Ways to adapt
Preschool children: follow an adult’s shadow. Older primary school children: everyone walks briskly and tries different tactics.