USA / Canada (brought from Britain; popular in colonial-era North America, mentioned in 14th-century French writings as 'Barres')
Prisoner's Base
Also known as Bars, Prisoner's Bar
Two teams send runners to cross enemy territory and capture prisoners without being tagged.
8 or more playersAges 8-14OutdoorsHigh energyBig space
The rules
How to play
1
Divide into two teams with home bases at opposite ends and a jail for each team midfield opposite the enemy base.
2
One team sends a runner out; the other sends a chaser.
3
If caught, the runner goes to the enemy jail.
4
A teammate can rescue a jailed player by reaching the jail without being caught and tagging them, but only one prisoner can be rescued per run.
5
The team that captures all rivals wins.
6
Players can only tag those who left base before them.
Keep it fair
Keep a simple rule: you can only tag someone who was already on the field when you left base. Enforce it strictly from the first round.
Good for building
runningstrategyteamworkspatial awareness
What you need
Just: a stick or stones to mark base and jail lines
More to play
