There’s nothing like a good chase. Just about every kid loves to play tag. That feeling you get knowing that someone is right behind you, pursuing you at full force provides a panicked laughing noise out of your tired panting chest.
The kids asked me to play a game called infection today. The game is just like tag except if you are tagged you become, “infected” and help the tagger track down the “healthy” runners like a pack of zombies.
I constantly agreed to be the first infected and chase after the rest of the kids. It was clear to me early on that kids just naturally love to be chased. Adrenaline kicks in and nothing in the world matters except outrunning the infected zombie who’s quickly drawing closer and closer and closer!
This crazy game of tag in the parking lot was the first “organized” game that I had really played with a larger number of kids from the school. The school has been rough, kids are constantly out of class always refusing to do work or agree to do anything that they are asked. A high schooler left class to color his face entirely with a red sharpie, (for the second time that day) and repeatedly slammed his head on a glass window. Some kids aimlessly wonder the hallways refusing any sort of structure. Others seem to be patient and in control until the moment they blow up and attempt to physically harm anyone and anything in their path.
I ran after these kids on the hot black cement, through the parking garage and on top of plants, around parked cars and basketball hoops. Each time I ran behind a kid I made sure to slow down, to make them seem that they might get away without being infected. The closer I got, the louder they laughed and the harder they breathed, (50% of the time before tagging a kid they would quickly turn around and yell, “TIME” with the basketball referee “T” sign held up in the air… classic trick) I loved to drag it just to hear the contagious innocent giggle.
I believe the reason why these kids are naturally drawn to tag is simply because they are being pursued throughout the game. If they are hiding too well they will pop out and make sure you see them, they will egg you on and say “Hey! Over Here! Come get ME!” They are constantly being recognized in this game and they receive so much one on one attention that someone will actually seek them out and run right after them.
I would argue that any kid or parent is looking for someone to chase them at some point. For someone to recognize them and say, “Hey, I see you, I’m coming after you because I care about you.”
