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Capture the Flag: a sticker of a red flag on a short wooden pole planted in a tuft of grass

Capture the Flag Rules

Two teams each guard a flag on their own half of the field. Sneak into the other half, grab their flag and bring it back across the middle line.

  • Two teams
  • 20 to 30 min
  • Two flags or pinnies, cones
  • 2nd to 8th grade
  • Lively
One page with all five steps

How to Play

5 steps
  1. Capture the Flag, step 1: Split the field

    Split the field

    Mark a center line and put one flag at the back of each half.

  2. Capture the Flag, step 2: Guard and sneak

    Guard and sneak

    You can only be tagged on the other team's side.

  3. Capture the Flag, step 3: Tagged goes to jail

    Tagged goes to jail

    A tagged player waits in the other team's jail, next to their flag.

  4. Capture the Flag, step 4: Jailbreak

    Jailbreak

    A teammate who reaches the jail untagged frees one prisoner, and both walk back.

  5. Capture the Flag, step 5: Bring it home

    Bring it home

    The first team to carry the other team's flag across the center line wins.

Ways to Change It Up

  • Many FlagsUse several beanbags on each side; the most captured wins.
  • Safe HoopsAdd hoops where players can't be tagged for five seconds.

Play It With

Coming SoonPickers & Groups

Group Generator

Split a class into random or balanced groups in one click.

K to Grade 12
Makes even teams
Classroom ToolTimers & Noise

Classroom Timer

Set the minutes, press start, and run a countdown the whole room can read.

All grades, Pre-K to 12
Ends each round on time

More PE Games

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Sharks and Minnows: a sticker of a smiling cartoon shark fin poking out of blue water next to two tiny fish

Sharks and Minnows

Lively

The shark in the middle tags minnows crossing the field; tagged minnows turn into seaweed.

Whole class10 to 15 min
Kickball: a sticker of a red rubber playground ball resting on a white base

Kickball

Lively

Baseball with a rubber ball: roll the pitch, kick it and run the bases.

Two teams30 min
Steal the Bacon: a sticker of a beanbag shaped like a strip of bacon

Steal the Bacon

Lively

Call a number and two players race to grab the bacon and get it home untagged.

Two teams10 min

Capture the Flag Questions

Plan the Game into the Week

Drop a game into any lesson plan in EMStudio, with the rules attached. Free to start.

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