What is Dice Tag?

Dice Tag turns a math problem into the difference between chasing and getting chased. Split into an odd team and an even team, roll two dice, and call the operation — add, subtract, or multiply. The result's parity sends one team running and the other giving chase.

It works because the math isn't homework bolted onto a game — it's the trigger. Nobody gets to just run; the parity of the answer decides who does, so the arithmetic gets rehearsed at full speed instead of at a desk.

It needs real room — an open park or a gym, not a space with desks in the way — and a group who's up for running. If your space is tight or the group can't move much, this isn't the pick; save it for whenever you've got the square footage.

The rules

Split the group into two teams: the odd team and the even team.
Roll two dice and call the operation — add, subtract, or multiply the numbers shown.
An odd result sends the odd team running; an even result sends the even team the other way.
The other team gives chase and tries to tag the runners.
Tagged players, and anyone who gets the math wrong, do the exercise you assigned.
Keep rolling and running until you call time — usually 10-20 minutes in.

Before you start

Group size: 10–30 players, split into two teams. Odd team, even team — split as evenly as you can so both directions have someone to run.
A large space, indoors or outdoors. An open park or a school gym both work — enough room for two teams to run in opposite directions without colliding.
Materials: two large dice and sticky tags. Inflatable dice keep the numbers visible from a distance; sticky tags mark who's already been caught.
Decide the exercise before you start. Tagged players and wrong answers get the same consequence — pick it ahead of time so you're not deciding mid-round.

How to run it

Split into two teams 1–2 min
Divide the group into the odd team and the even team — the numbers double as team names for the rest of the game.
Roll the dice, call the operation 15 sec each
Roll two dice and tell the group whether to add, subtract, or multiply the two numbers.
Send the matching team running 30 sec each
Odd result: the odd team runs. Even result: the even team runs the opposite direction. The other team chases and tags.
Tag or miss the math, do the exercise 30 sec each
Anyone tagged — or anyone who gets the math wrong — does the exercise you picked, then rejoins.
Roll again 10–20 min
Keep rolling and running until you call time, usually 10-20 minutes in.

← tag is the disguise, math is the game.

Facilitator tips

Size the dice for every playerLarger, softer dice are easier to see and safer to catch for players with visual or motor differences.

Call the roll out loudAnnounce the numbers and the operation as you roll, so players who can't see the dice get the same information everyone else does.

Build in a non-running roleNot everyone wants to run. Let some players solve the math out loud or cheer their team on instead.

Set the tone before the first rollAsk for respectful language up front, and stay ready to adjust the rules as the group tells you what it needs.

Why it works

Math practice that doesn't feel like math practiceThe operation only matters because it decides which way you run right now — arithmetic gets rehearsed under real pressure instead of on a worksheet.

Reflexes and recall on the same clockFreeze on the math and the tag (or the exercise) catches up with you — attention and arithmetic have to move at the same speed.

HELLO, MY NAME ISJon

"This is the one I send to teachers first. It sneaks arithmetic into a chase game, and nobody complains about doing math when the alternative is getting tagged."

Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker

Reflection questions

5 questions for the debrief, ready whenever you want to go past the game.

What did you enjoy most about playing Dice Tag?Surfaces what actually landed for people — the running, the math, or catching a teammate mid-sprint.
How do you think this game helped us practice our math skills?Names the math out loud and ties the run back to the reason you were doing it.
Did you find any strategies that helped you avoid getting tagged? If so, what were they?Lets the strategists share their approach before the group forgets it.
How did you feel when you were tagged or had to do an exercise?Checks the emotional temperature of the game's one consequence.
What suggestions do you have for modifying the game to make it more inclusive, challenging, or fun?Turns the group into co-designers — the next round might be theirs.