Tag, You're It!

Diego Rodriguez over at metacool has been talking (and teaching) about creating infectious action. Yesterday, I saw some great grass roots infectious action at the kindergarten playground, this game called ... TAG, YOU'RE IT!

Everyone knows the simple rules, which makes it so infectious. You go up to a friend, tap them, and scream TAG, YOU'RE IT! Suddenly, they're compelled to chase you!

Once somebody sees a game of tag going on, they find their own friend to tag, and then suddenly there are a half dozen simultaneous games of tag swirling around you: pairs, trios, and gaggles of kids running around in intersecting vectors of action and reaction.

It's OK to get tagged, once or many times. It's OK to be IT for like four or five games simultaneously. Chase one friend, chase them all, its up to you! And don't worry if you don't catch that friend, they'll tag you again, if they're still interested.

It's even OK to suddenly forget about the whole thing, find a friend to hold hands and go searching for Hidden Treasures. Until one of you remembers, and then...

TAG, YOU'RE IT!

photo gleaned off flickr