Health, fitness and education professionals encourage an increase in the amount of outdoor play time for kids to counteract the increase in childhood obesity, the lack of unstructured play time and the opportunity for kids to have fun while not tethered to electronics and technology. Outdoor play has many benefits for kids, including exercise, fresh air, more time to experiment and use the imagination, the development of social skills and increased independence. Add strategy to the usual chase-and-catch games, such as tag and kids are engaged in game that requires more thought and advanced social skills.
Capture the Flag
KidzWorld notes that the Boy Scouts have played Capture the Flag for more than 60 years. The game is based on the wars of long ago when capturing the enemy's flag ended the battle. Unlike popular outdoor games where a group of kids chase, tag and score independently, strategy games require team work, planning and a larger, more defined play area. Strategy games usually last for much longer than the usual outdoor chase games.
Playing Field
The game requires a playing field that has hiding places and landmarks. Kids need enough room to run and a variety of places to duck and hide while playing the game. The game is best played in a park, a large backyard with trees and bushes or a small area in the kids' neighborhood. Divide the playing field into three areas, assigning each team a territory. Each team designates a small space to serve as its jail. Leave a space between the two territories to serve as a neutral zone.
Teams
Teams are created with the same number of kids on each team. Team members serve as spies, lookouts and scouts. One member serves as the jail guard. Some team members guard the flag, while others go to enemy territory to try to capture the enemy's flag. Players try to free their team members from jail and help team mates in their efforts against the other side.
Flag And Jail
Each team plants its flag in a visible place within its territory. A flag may be any item. A team may not move its flag to a different place. If a player has the opposing team's flag and is tagged, the player goes to jail and the flag is returned to its original place. If a player makes it back to his territory with the opposing team's flag, his team wins the game. If a player is caught or tagged while in enemy territory, she must go to enemy's jail. A player can free a team mate by touching her if he can get past the jail guard. You can free only one person from at a time. You can be returned to jail as many times as you are tagged. You can agree to yell jail break and free all.
Strategy
Teams use strategy to capture the flag of the enemy by maneuvering around the playing field, using hiding places, distractions and interference. One strategy might be that a player allows himself to be chased to take attention off a team mate who is getting close to the other team's flag. Strategy often involves waiting until a player in hiding gives up and comes out or luring the jail guard away from her post. Teams conduct several operations simultaneously, including guarding the jails, keeping their team mates out of jail, trying to get close to the enemy's flag without getting caught and guarding its own flag. The constant movement, team work and secret maneuverings make for a fun game that combines prolonged activity with quick thinking.
Tips
Some Capture the Flag rules require the flag to be hidden and teams to find the location to capture the flag and win the game. Some rules allow for both teams to agree that yelling "jail break" at the same time frees all players in jail to return to their territory.
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