How to Play Stuck in the Mud (Variation of Tag)

Stuck in the Mud is one of about a thousand variations of Tag. It's similar to Freeze Tag, and like that variation, Stuck in the Mud makes Tag more open-ended and more of a team sport than it usually is. If you have a very large group, you may want to assign two players to share the duties of being "it," otherwise the game could drag on for a while.

Things You'll Need

• People
• Open area

Instructions

1. Designate the boundaries of your playing area to avoid any confusion. Identify any dangerous areas and make them off-limits.

2. Select one person to be "it." This person will try to tag the other people.

3. Have the kids freeze in place when they are tagged — they are now "stuck in the mud." Make sure that they stand with their feet far enough apart for another kid to crawl through their legs.

4. Encourage free players to "unstick" the other players by crawling between their legs.

5. Start the game over once everyone except one last player are frozen in place. The last player to be tagged becomes "it."

Tips & Warnings

• This game works best with small kids. Bigger kids tend to get too rough.

• Game should be supervised by a responsible adult.

References

• "Let's Go Outside!"; Jennifer Ward