Flashlight tag turns your backyard into an adventure the moment the sun goes down. All you need is a flashlight and a few friends. It’s like regular tag, but in the dark, and instead of touching someone to tag them, you catch them with a beam of light.
Here’s how to play flashlight tag, plus variations that make it even more fun.
Time: 15-30 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy
Materials
- 1 flashlight for the person who is “it” (handheld or headlamp)
- A dark outdoor area with boundaries (backyard, park, campsite)
- 3 or more players
No flashlight? A phone flashlight works in a pinch. Headlamps are great because they keep both hands free.
What to Do
- Set the boundaries. Before it gets dark, decide where players can and can’t go. Use trees, fences, sidewalks, or other landmarks as borders. Pick a spot as home base.
- Choose who’s “it.” The person who is “it” gets the flashlight and stands at home base.
- Count and hide. “It” closes their eyes and counts to 20 (or 30 for a bigger area). Everyone else runs and hides within the boundaries.
- Hunt with light. When the count is done, “it” searches for hidden players using only the flashlight beam. Regular peeking in the dark doesn’t count. You have to spot someone with the light.
- Tag with the beam. To tag a player, shine the flashlight directly on them and call out their name. If you light them up and name them correctly, they’re caught. Tagged players go back to home base.
- Last one found wins. The last player to be caught becomes “it” for the next round. Or the first player caught becomes “it,” whichever your group prefers.
