Halloween Ghost Tag Game Printable: Freeze Tag Rules + Base Cards
A Tag Game With a Ghostly Twist
If your Halloween party needs a game that gets everyone moving, ghost tag is the one to start with. It takes the tag game kids already know and gives it a spooky job: one player becomes the ghost, and everyone else has to stay one step ahead. When the ghost tags you, you freeze right where you stand, arms out like a ghost, until a teammate sneaks over and sets you free.
It works for a backyard party, a classroom Halloween celebration, or a gym full of costumed kids. You do not need special equipment, and you can run it with six players or thirty. The rules below are written out so you can print this page and hand it to whoever is running the game. Younger kids pick it up in about thirty seconds, and older kids love finding clever ways to dodge, hide behind the pumpkin bases, and rescue frozen friends at the last second.
What You Need
Players:
6 or more (works best with 8 to 20)
Space:
A yard, gym, or large room with clear boundaries
Supplies:
4 pumpkin base cards (printed below), a white sheet or ghost costume for the ghost (optional but fun), a whistle or timer, and a flashlight for the night variant
Set the boundaries before you start. Walk the edges of the play area with the group and point out what counts as out of bounds. Move anything trippable out of the way: garden hoses, extension cords, loose rugs, and stray toys. Costumes are welcome, but players should be able to run safely in them, so skip long trailing capes and masks that block vision.
Ghost Tag Rules (Printable)
GHOST TAG RULES:
1. One player is the Ghost. Everyone else is a Runner.
2. When the Ghost tags you, FREEZE. Stand still with both arms out like a ghost.
3. A frozen player can only be unfrozen when a Runner tags them and says “Boo!”
4. Pumpkin bases are safe zones. Stand on a base and the Ghost cannot tag you.
5. You may stay on a base for 10 seconds only, then you must run again.
6. If you step out of bounds, you are frozen until a teammate unfreezes you.
7. The round ends when every Runner is frozen, or after 10 minutes, whichever comes first.
8. The last Runner frozen (or the first Runner tagged, if you prefer) becomes the next Ghost.
Print this card and give it to the adult or older kid running the game. Two rules cause the most debate, so settle them in advance: whether a tag on clothing counts (we say yes, it keeps the game moving), and whether frozen players can hop or wiggle to attract rescuers (we say no, frozen means frozen).
Pumpkin Base Cards (Printable)
PUMPKIN BASE 1 — FRONT YARD:
Safe zone. The Ghost cannot tag you here.
10-second limit. Count out loud, then run!
PUMPKIN BASE 2 — BACK YARD:
Safe zone. The Ghost cannot tag you here.
10-second limit. Count out loud, then run!
PUMPKIN BASE 3 — PORCH:
Safe zone. The Ghost cannot tag you here.
10-second limit. Count out loud, then run!
PUMPKIN BASE 4 — GARDEN:
Safe zone. The Ghost cannot tag you here.
10-second limit. Count out loud, then run!
Print the four base cards, cut them out, and tape each one to a pumpkin, a paper pumpkin, or a spot on the ground marked with chalk. Spread the bases out so runners have to cross open ground to reach them. That open ground is where the best chases happen. If your group is small, use two bases instead of four.
How to Play
Pick the first Ghost. Drawing straws, playing rock-paper-scissors, or letting the birthday child or party host go first all work fine. Give the Ghost a white sheet, a ghost mask, or just a white headband so everyone can spot them at a glance. Place the pumpkin bases around the play area and gather everyone in the middle.
On “Go!” the Runners scatter and the Ghost starts chasing. When the Ghost tags a Runner, that Runner freezes on the spot with arms stretched out wide, just like a ghost. Frozen players stay put and wait for rescue. A free Runner can unfreeze them with a tag and a “Boo!” — but rescuing is risky, because the Ghost often guards frozen players and waits for a rescuer to come close.
The 10-second base rule keeps the game honest. Without it, clever players would camp on a pumpkin all round. With it, every safe zone is just a breather before the next sprint. Call out the time or use a whistle when a round hits ten minutes. If every Runner ends up frozen, the Ghost wins the round and a new Ghost is chosen. If time runs out first, count how many Runners are still free and celebrate them as the survivors.
Play at least three rounds so several kids get a turn as the Ghost. Being the Ghost is the most exciting role, and kids who only ever run will start asking when their turn comes.
Ways to Change It Up
Team Variant — Ghosts vs. Hunters:
Split into two teams. Ghosts try to freeze every Hunter; Hunters unfreeze their own teammates. If a Hunter tags the lead Ghost, that Ghost is frozen for 30 seconds. First team to freeze the whole other team wins. This version works best with twelve or more players and a bigger play area.
Flashlight Night Variant:
Play after dark with flashlights. The Ghost carries a flashlight and “tags” by shining the beam on a Runner and calling their name. Runners freeze just the same. Keep this version safe: play only on flat, clear ground you have checked in daylight, keep an adult supervising at all times, and never run on streets, driveways with cars, or near a fire pit or candles. No running in the dark near steps, pools, or fences. If visibility is poor, skip the night version and play in daylight instead.
Classroom and Gym Variant:
Short on space? Play in a gym or a cleared classroom with desks pushed to the walls. Use paper pumpkins taped to the floor as bases instead of real ones. Swap running for fast walking if the room is small, and shorten rounds to five minutes. Teachers can use it as a Halloween brain break: one quick round, then back to lessons with everyone a little calmer and a lot happier.
Other easy twists: let frozen players make ghost noises to guide rescuers, or add a second Ghost once half the Runners are frozen. Small changes keep the game fresh across several rounds without new supplies.
Free Printable + Premium Bundles
The ghost tag rules and pumpkin base cards above are free to print and use for your party, classroom, or family night. Print as many copies as you need, cut out the base cards, and you are ready to play. If you want the full premium printable bundles with matching Halloween party games, decorations, and gift tags, you will find them at Fukroo on Etsy.
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