No.300
Hens, Foxes and Vipers: Three-Way Tag
Japanese name: ニワトリ・キツネ・ヘビ（三つ巴の鬼）
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Diagram key
- A
- Fox
- B
- Chicken
- C
- Snake
- D
- Holding area
- E
- Chase the animal indicated by the arrow.
- F
- Players are safe inside their own base.
- G
- A teammate’s tag frees a player.
Materials
- Team markers in three colours
- Markers for bases and captured-player waiting areas
How to play
- Place three team bases in a triangle. Foxes catch chickens, chickens catch snakes and snakes catch foxes, using a gentle shoulder or back tag. Your own base is safe.
- Leave base on the signal. Capture only one opponent at a time, then walk together to the waiting area beside your base without holding their arm. Both are immune from capture on the way.
- Captured players line up in the waiting area outside the base. A teammate may rescue one by gently tagging them. Never enter another team’s base.
- A rescued player raises one hand and walks home, immune from capture until reaching their own base. Then they rejoin.
- Stop after 3 minutes and count each team’s uncaptured players. Everyone rejoins. Rotate the teams’ animal roles and play three rounds.
Ways to adapt
Younger primary: teams of two or three, with adult reminders about who catches whom. With larger groups, station an adult at each base to supervise captures and rescues.