How to Play Flashlight Tag

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 24, 2023 References

Playing tag has always been about outrunning whoever is 'it.' But now, you can add a fun twist, making the game more about stealth and tact, by using flashlights to transform the game. Depending on how many people want to play flashlight tag, you can play as individuals or as a team. Either way, you'll have a lot of fun!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Playing with One 'It' Person

1
Find a spot outdoors that isn't well-lit. Make sure that there are a lot of hiding spots and that it's a safe place to run around.
- Although flashlight tag is typically played outside, you can also play inside with the lights off! Just be sure to clear away anything that someone could trip on during the game.^{[1]
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- When playing outside, you don't have to play when it is completely dark. If you need to be home by a certain time or if you get scared at night, you can play at dusk or in a better lit area (such as a park).^{[2]
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- You can also play with silly string during the day instead of a flashlight.^{[3]
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2
Gather a group of people and bring a flashlight. You only need three people to play this game, but the more people you can get to play, the better!^{[4]
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- Ask some of your neighborhood friends to play on a weekend. This game is also fun to play when you have a party or sleepover.
- Flashlight tag can also be played with your family. If you have brothers or sisters, ask them if they would like to play. If you are an only child, ask your parents or grandparents.
- If your parents hesitate to let you play outside when it's dark, ask if one of them would play or at least come with you. Your friends' parents might also feel better knowing an adult is there.
- Bring some extra batteries with you, in case the batteries in your flashlight quit working in the middle of the game.^{[5]
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3
Choose who is 'it.' This person will have the flashlight and will be responsible for "tagging" people.
- If more than one person wants to be 'it,' you can draw straws, pick numbers out of a hat, or flip a coin.
4
Hide! Have the person who is 'it' count to a set number (such as 100), while everyone else hides.
- The person who is 'it' should close their eyes or wear a blindfold during this time.
- Good hiding places can be found through nature. You could, for example, hide behind a tree or a bush. You could also crouch below a large rock or hill. If you're playing in someone's backyard, make use of the structures. Hide underneath a slide. Hide under the table in the playhouse.
5
Seek! After counting to the specified number, the person who is 'it' can then start to look for people. As with regular tag, once you are tagged, you are out. However, to tag someone in flashlight tag, the person who is 'it' must tag people with the beam of the flashlight and call their names.
- In regular tag, if you can run faster than the 'it' person, you can evade them for a while. But with flashlight tag, the 'it' person can tag you with the light from a distance. Thus, while you are hiding, scope out your location and look for other places you could dart behind. To avoid being tagged with the beam from the flashlight, you'll need to put something between yourself and the 'it' person.
6
Play until everyone is 'out.' When you are tagged, you must go to “jail,” a specified location where all the people who are 'out' must wait until everyone else has been tagged by the person who is 'it.'^{[6]
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Research source} Once you are 'out,' you can no longer participate in the game, but watching and cheering from the sidelines is also fun!
- Alternately, instead of playing until everyone has been tagged, you can also play with a rotating 'it' person. In this case, once someone is tagged, they become the new 'it' person and the person who tagged them hands over the flashlight.^{[7]
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- With a rotating 'it' person, you will need to hide not only from the current 'it' person but from everyone playing the game. Be sure that none of your friends see where you hide!
7
Restart the game. The first person tagged and sent to “jail” in the last round will be the 'it' person for the second round.^{[8]
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- If you are playing with a rotating 'it' person instead of a “jail,” you don't need to restart the game, because it is never over!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Playing Team Flashlight Tag

1
Find a spot outdoors that isn't well-lit. Make sure there are a lot of hiding spots and that it is a safe place to run around. If a friend has a large backyard, you could play flashlight tag in an area away from street lights or porch lights. If you know a playground will be open after dark, consider playing there.
- You can also play indoors with the lights off. This works best in a big, open room, like a furnished basement without too much furniture. Be careful playing around heavy furniture or household items that could break.
2
Gather a group of people and some flashlights. Team flashlight tag is best played with a lot of people. If you have ten or more people who want to play, team flashlight might be more fun than playing with only one 'it' person. With team flashlight, half of the people playing are 'it' at the same time, so be sure to have enough flashlights for half of your friends.
- Be sure to have extra batteries handy so that if someone's flashlight stops working mid-game, they can replace their batteries quickly.
- You may also want to set a rule to employ if batteries do run out. For instance, if someone's batteries do run out, they would have 30 seconds or one minute to “pause” and replace their batteries before rejoining the game. During this “pause,” they could not be tagged 'out.'
3
Pick teams. Be sure to split the group into two even halves, with approximately the same number of people on each team.
4
Determine a location for the “jail.” The size of your “jail” will depend on how many people you have on each team. Your “jail” should be large enough for everyone from one team to fit comfortably.^{[9]
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- You can outline the “jail” with sidewalk chalk if you don't have a clearly defined area to use as the “jail.”^{[10]
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  Research source} Be as specific about the parameters of the “jail” as possible, since people can be tagged out of “jail” by another member of their team.
5
Choose one team to be 'it.' The easiest way to decide which team is 'it' would be to flip a coin.^{[11]
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Research source} You could also choose a representative from each team to play rock-paper-scissors.
- Once a person goes to “jail,” they can be tagged back into the game by one of their team members. Thus, the 'it' team will need to guard the “jail.” Choose one or two people to act as guards during the game.^{[12]
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Hide! Allow one minute for the team who is not 'it' to run and hide. During this time, the 'it' team must remain in “jail” with their eyes closed. After the minute is up, the 'it' team can leave jail and begin tagging members of the other team.^{[13]
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7
Tag members of the other team until no one else is left. To tag someone, a person should sneak up on a member of the other team and shine the flashlight on them. This person is then out and must go to “jail.”^{[14]
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- Make sure to quickly shine the light on the person you want to tag and then turn it off immediately. Otherwise, another person hiding in the area might see you and run away.
- During this time, members of the not-'it' team should try to rescue the team members in “jail.” You can do so by tagging their hand, at which point they are back in the game.^{[15]
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8
Continue until all of the members of the not-'it' team are in “jail.” A game of team flash light ends when everyone from the not-'it' team is caught and put in jail. However, if a game is taking too long, you can always agree that, after a certain point, the 'it'-team loses. For example, give the 'it'-team an hour to locate all the players before they lose.
- After a complete team has been tagged 'out,' you can restart a new round. The not-'it' team from the last round will now be the 'it' team.^{[16]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Taking Precautions

1
Keep the field of play away from the campfire and tents. If you're playing flashlight tag while camping, make sure to keep the field of play safe. Do not play too close to the campfire and tents. You do not want to risk getting burnt by the fire, or accidentally knocking down a tent late at night.^{[17]
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2
Use dim flashlights and avoid laser pointers. You should play flashlight tag with somewhat dim flashlights. You do not want to be shining bright lights into other player's eyes, as this can cause eye irritation.^{[18]
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- Never use laser pointers to play flashlight tag. Laser pointers can be extremely harmful to eyesight and even cause temporary blindness. This puts players at risk for falling and getting hurt.
3
Keep your playing area small. If you're playing flashlight tag, try to keep the play area small. For one, this can make the game more fun. If you're playing in an open area, like the woods, it can be nearly impossible to find everyone with unlimited access to hiding spots. Also, playing in a small area is good for safety. You do not want any players getting lost.
4
Keep track of all players, if you're the adult. If you're an adult supervising a game of flashlight tag, make sure you keep track of all the players. You do not want any kids to get lost or injured during a game. Do a quick role call before and after a game of flashlight tag to make sure everyone's accounted for.

Community Q&A

Question

What about if someone trips because we're playing at night?

Community Answer

Ideally you should play in an area where everyone knows the environment well and there is relatively smooth terrain, but you might want to have a first aid kit handy just in case.
Question

What if my friend's flashlight runs out? Should I shine my flashlight on the player, or is that unfair?

Antp2103

Community Answer

Pause the game and get some batteries; keep some spares on-hand just in case.
Question

Can I play flashlight tag in a house with all the lights off?

Brandon Safiran

Community Answer

It is best to do this outside in a open field because if you do it in your house, and you're running around in the dark, chances are you'll stub your toe or trip.

Warnings

Because its dark, make sure you don't lose anyone for too long or something might have happened to them.

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Don't be upset if you lose! It's just a game!

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Be careful not to shine a flashlight in someone's eyes!

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