Last Updated on January 25, 2024 by Gamesver Team and JC Franco
Tag and Hide-and-Seek are both classical games, popular among kids all over the world. The games are jam-packed with excitement, adrenaline-filled activities, and wit. Both games provide the perfect opportunity to wind down after a long day of school and garner some life lessons at the same time. Which game would your kid prefer? Let’s find out!
Even though there is a similarity between Tag and Hide-and-Seek, quite a few differences ensure that these games cater to children with different personalities. The games are both easy to start, as all that is needed is the players and enough space to run around. This makes them inclusive for children of all different social backgrounds.
1. Contact When Playing
Kids spread infectious diseases among themselves, especially when they hang out in a large group. Contactless play is essential, especially for introverted kids who prefer not to be in contact with other kids.
Tag requires physical contact, mainly because the tagger has to tap the players to eliminate them from the game.
We have had many different protocols come up because of the Covid-19 outbreak, and this is where Hide-and-Seek becomes a champion. The game is essentially contactless because all the players have to do to find somewhere to hide as fast as possible, and the “finder” doesn’t have to be in contact to eliminate them from the game.
2. The Excitement Factor
In this context, the excitement factor represents the difference in the turnaround times between these games. For example, Tag is quick, especially the classical Tag; the tagger can see all their targets, and all they have to do is run after them and tag one. This is exciting because everyone has a chance to play until the last man stands.
Hide-and-Seek is different; the seeker has to wait for everyone to hide and then look for every last one of them. This game can become boring fast, especially if some kids are so good at hiding. It could take quite some time for the seeker to get the best player, and then not everyone will get the privilege to seek.
3. Where to Play
Tag and Hide-and-Seek can both be done both indoors and outdoors, but there are preferences; for indoor play, the game of Tag needs a room that has no protrusions so that the players don’t get hurt. The room has to have enough barriers to hide in for Hide-and-Seek so that the game keeps being exciting.
Both these games are amazing for outdoor play as well. Outdoor Tag gives the runners enough space to dodge the tagging. Playing Hide-and-Seek outdoors enables kids to be creative when finding places to hide and creative ways to stay incognito long enough to take the game.
4. Susceptibility for Violence
The classical game of Tag has been under scrutiny lately because of harassment and bullying claims. Teachers and parents are complaining about how hard taggers are tapping their victims. Tagging has also been used as an avenue to bully the weaker kids, targeting them, tripping them, and hitting them too hard.
This scenario isn’t the same for Hide-and-Seek because kids don’t have to really get into close contact; therefore, they can’t really get hit. There is no tapping with Hide-and-Seek, and we can consider it a relatively safe game to play.
5. Safety Concerns
The biggest worry for games that involve running, chasing, and hiding is the safety of the players. Hide-and-Seek can be a risky game, with reports of kids hiding in hard-to-find places and having to be sought by emergency services, kidnappings, and kids suffocating because of hiding in enclosed areas for long.
With Tag, the safety concerns fall under bullying and harassment, and injuries that result from falling and scraping, bruising, fractures, and breaking of limbs.
With efficient supervision, these safety concerns can be managed.
6. Enhancing Players’ Problem-Solving Skills
Both Tag and Hide-and-Seek are excellent ways to enhance the players’ problem-solving skills. With Hide-and-Seek, this comes in by finding the best place to hide and staying quiet until the seeker calls the game. This seems like an easy fit, but it’s not.
Tag involves applying so many techniques to get away; running strategically, dodging taggers, and the player has to ensure they don’t trip and get injured or caught.
Both games have several rules to ensure the best player wins, and adding all these strategies and rules up makes the players even sharper.
7. Physical Activity
Constant physical activity is essential for everyone, and finding a fun setting to do that is the best thing. Both these games are excellent ways to enhance their fitness, but Tag can be considered as a much better way of keeping fit.
With Hide-and-Seek, the players only get to run once when they decide to hide and depending on the variations of the game, maybe run and touch a marker. With Tag, the players are constantly on their feet running and strategizing, which engages their muscles and cardio strength.
Obesity is a considerable problem in the world today, and adding a game of Tag during recess would be an excellent way of keeping kids energized.
8. Variations to the game
Games that have been around for a while have been reinvented and made better, and with Tag and Hide-and-Seek both being classic games, there are many variations to the games. This keeps the games exciting and makes kids think that they are playing a new game every time.
But how many variations could there be for Hide-and-Seek? They all have to involve hiding. On the other hand, Tag has several cool variations such as laser Tag, dead ant Tag, link Tag, octopus Tag, and so much more. All these variants have unique rules.
9. Social Skills
Classical games are a great way to socialize with other people, and this is especially important for kids because they are still developing their characters. Molding a child’s social awareness is important because it shapes who they will become in the future.
These games require clear communication in the form of rules to be followed, boundaries, and raising the alarm in case something goes wrong. Being able to accept losses and winning gracefully is also another social skill well needed in the outside world as well.
10. Play on Players’ Psychology
Classical games are usually very beneficial to kids; the problem is they can be doorways to psychological issues.
Let’s start with Tag; the game tends to bring about mental disorders such as depression, isolation, and anxiety in that bullied kids can develop depression. Also, overweight kids can find it hard to run fast and dodge the tagger quick enough; therefore, they are eliminated quickly from the game and find themselves out and waiting for the game to end. Quick elimination can bring about anxiety and isolation.
Hide-and-Seek is counterproductive because we teach kids to be transparent, yet Hide-and-Seek teaches them to be secretive. Do kids know the difference between hiding during a game and in real life? Kids can get lost and kidnapped during these kinds of games, which can open an entire Pandora’s Box full of mental disorders.
11. Need for Space
How much space have you got to fit a play area for kids? Classical games were necessitated by the need to have fun outdoors. Both Hide-and-Seek and Tag require lots of space to ensure that the game is fun and entertaining, but with variations here and there and the necessity brought on by the shrinking play areas out there, the games can still be enjoyed indoors.
12. Jog Your Senses
Reading your surrounding is an integral part of life and developing sensory abilities is excellent, especially when it starts early enough.
Hide-and-Seek is a fun way of creating sensory awareness; the players have to distinguish sounds to know where the seeker is at all times and the best ways to conceal themselves more. Jogging kids’ senses is also a way of getting kids to understand when they aren’t safe, and in case they aren’t, where to hide. The seeker also learns how to realize the unseen, which juggles their imagination.
Tag enhances its players’ fight or flight response, which makes them stronger. This is a significant response, especially when in danger.
Last Word
Classical games are making a comeback these days, which may benefit kids, especially if they are getting less screen time.
The positives are uncountable; the players get fitter, their brainpower increases, they can think critically and solve problems strategically, and their senses are enhanced. Imagine being able to learn something new every time you play?
The games are also a fantastic way to hang out as a family, help your kid get socially aware, and rouse and enhance innate self-preservation mechanisms. Both Tag and Hide-and-Seek have their advantages. Pick what’s best for your child and roll with it.
This article was co-authored by our team of in-house and freelance writers, and reviewed by our editors, who enjoy sharing their knowledge about their favorite games with others!
JC Franco
JC Franco serves as a New York-based editor for Gamesver. His interest for board games centers around chess, a pursuit he began in elementary school at the age of 9. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Mercyhurst University, JC brings a blend of business acumen and creative insight to his role. Beyond his editorial endeavors, he is a certified USPTA professional, imparting his knowledge in tennis to enthusiasts across the New York City Metropolitan area.