Jumping Jack Tag | Friends

Quick Intro

Jumping Jack Tag is one of the simplest partner games. Two people face each other and do jumping jacks at a matched pace. At the top of each jack, when the arms are overhead, either person may reach across and lightly tap the other’s raised hand. Reach the agreed number of taps first and you win.

How to do a jumping jack is covered at Jumping Jacks. The game needs very little skill, which makes it a good warm-up round before harder games.

What You’ll Need

A space with room overhead and to the sides for the arms, plus a little extra between you for the reach.

How to Play

Agree the target, such as ten taps, and a shared pace.
Stand facing each other, about an arm’s length apart plus a little extra for the arm swing.
On “go”, both start jumping jacks at the agreed pace.
At the top of a jack, with your arms overhead, you may tap your partner’s raised hand with an open hand.
Carry on into the next jack.
First to the target wins.

What Counts

A tap counts when:

it is made at the top of your own jack, with your arms overhead;
it touches your partner’s raised hand while their arms are up too;
it is a light, open-handed tap.

A jumping jack counts when the feet go out wide and the hands come up overhead, then both return. Half jacks with the arms only reaching shoulder height do not give you a chance to tap.

Grabbing your partner’s hand or arm is not allowed.

The Rhythm

Because both people are jumping at the same pace, the arms go up at roughly the same time. That makes it easy to start. It gets harder when one person changes the timing slightly, a half beat early or late, to catch the other’s hand at the top while dodging theirs. Small changes like that are fair play, as long as every jack is a full one.

Making It Fair

A partner who needs lower impact can do step-out jacks, stepping one foot out to the side at a time instead of jumping. A step-out jack is slower, so the step-out partner gets fewer chances to tap. If the pace is very different, agree a smaller tap target for the step-out partner, or a larger one for the partner doing the full jumps. More on fair contests is in Training With a Friend.

Staying Safe

Leave enough room. Raised arms can clash. Stand far enough apart that hands meet at the fingertips, not the wrists.
Check the overhead space. Low ceilings and light fittings are easy to forget.
Keep taps light. A hard slap on a raised hand can jar the wrist.
Agree to contact on the hands before starting.

Common Mistakes

Short arm swings. Arms that stop at shoulder height make the game impossible and the exercise easier. Hands go all the way up.
Standing too close. Arms collide and timing gets messy. Step back a little.
Going too fast. A pace that is too quick turns into flailing. Agree a pace you can both keep while watching each other.

Fitting It Into a Session

This is a light, quick game. Use it as the first game in a session, after a few minutes of easy movement, to get both people moving and laughing before the harder work.

Getting Better Over Time

Because the game is simple, the best way to make it harder is to change the exercise underneath it. Try a round where every jack is followed by a squat, or a round at a faster shared pace. Keep a note of who won each round; a running tally across sessions keeps a light game interesting.

High Knees Knee Tag is another quick standing tag game.
Squat Tag adds more leg work.
Rep Bet and Gamble Games include a jumping jack version where each person bids on their own count.
Squat Jacks make the game harder, adding a squat to every jack.

FAQ

Is this suitable for beginners?

Yes. It is one of the easiest partner games to learn.

What if we always tap at the same time?

Then both score. Try changing your timing slightly to catch your partner’s hand before theirs reaches yours.

Can we play with more than two people?

The game is written for two people. For a group, a game built for several players, such as Squat Hold Pass Around, works better.

Is it all right to dodge a tap?

Yes, by changing your timing or lowering a hand a fraction early, as long as every jack is still a full one with the arms overhead.

Related to Jumping Jacks, High Knees Knee Tag and Squat Jacks.