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Spiders and Flies

Spiders crawl on hands and feet with bellies up, Flies crawl the same way with bellies down, and a tagged Fly freezes until a teammate lands three rescue taps. It works because the chase never actually stops for anyone — getting caught just means waiting for a rescue, not sitting out the round.

15–30 min8–20 peopleEasyNo materialsIn-person onlyClassroom ✓
By Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker · Last updated February 19, 2024

What is Spiders and Flies?

Spiders and Flies splits the group into two teams that move on all fours in opposite postures: Spiders crawl with bellies up, Flies crawl with bellies down. Spiders chase, Flies scatter, and a tagged Fly freezes in place until a teammate lands three rescue taps. The round ends the moment every Fly is caught — then the caught team becomes the next round's Spiders.

It works because the tag-and-rescue loop never lets anyone sit still for long. There's no elimination: a caught Fly is one rescue away from being back in the chase, so both teams stay in motion for the whole round. Add the spider's den variation and the Spiders have somewhere to actually strategize, not just chase.

It needs real floor space to crawl and scramble in — an open room or yard, clear of anything sharp — so it's not built for a tight classroom, a video call, or a group that can't get down on the ground. Best fit is kids 6 and up, in teams of 8–20.

The rules

  1. Split everybody into two equal teams: Spiders and Flies.
  2. Spiders move on hands and feet with bellies facing up.
  3. Flies move on hands and feet with bellies facing down.
  4. Spiders try to tag Flies; Flies try to avoid being tagged.
  5. A tagged player stops moving and sits where they were caught.
  6. A Fly can rescue a caught teammate by tapping them three times.

Before you start

  • Group size: 8–20 players, split evenly. Two teams of equal size, Spiders and Flies. If the numbers come out odd, even the teams up as close as you can.
  • An open area, clear of anything sharp. Indoors or outdoors, anywhere with enough room for two teams to crawl and scramble. Clear away sharp or unsafe objects before you start.
  • No materials, no setup. Nothing to bring and nothing to build — just an open space and two teams ready to go.
  • Age check. Works well for kids 6 and up; getting around on hands and feet takes some coordination.

How to run it

  1. Split into two teams 1–2 min

    Divide the group into two equal teams. One team becomes the Spiders, the other the Flies.

  2. Explain the roles 1 min

    Spiders try to tag as many Flies as they can; Flies try to avoid getting tagged. Say it in one breath before anyone gets down on the ground.

  3. Get into position 30 sec

    Both teams drop to hands and feet. Spiders keep their bellies facing up; Flies keep their bellies facing down.

  4. Start the chase 10 sec

    Give the signal and let both teams start moving. Spiders chase, Flies scatter and dodge.

  5. Tag, freeze, rescue 5–10 min

    A tagged Fly stops moving and sits right where they were caught. Another Fly can tap them three times to bring them back into the game.

  6. Switch roles 1 min

    Once every Fly is caught, the round ends. The caught team becomes the Spiders for the next round.

← nobody stays caught for long.

Facilitator tips

Let players choose their crawlAllow crawling, walking, or any comfortable movement instead of requiring the hands-and-feet position — it keeps players with mobility limitations in the game.
Color-code the teamsHand out colored armbands, scarves, or hats so Spiders and Flies are easy to tell apart at a glance, even mid-chase.
Pair up mismatched abilitiesPut a player with mobility limitations next to a more agile teammate. Two people working together beat one person struggling alone.
Keep the focus off the scoreboardThe chase holds up fine without a running tally — let the tag-and-rescue loop carry the energy instead of who's ahead.

Variations

Spider's den

Instead of tagged Flies sitting where they're caught, Spiders drag them to a "den" and leave them there — an extra layer of strategy for both catching and rescuing.

Why it works

Constant motion, no sidelinesThe instant tag-and-rescue loop means nobody sits out for long — a caught Fly is back in the chase the moment a teammate lands three taps.
Reaction time, liveSpiders and Flies both have a split second to react — dodge, tag, or dash in for a rescue — which is the actual skill this game trains.
Teamwork built into the rescueA Fly has to notice a caught teammate and choose to break off their own escape to save them. That trade-off is where the cooperation happens.
A body-awareness workoutMoving on hands and feet with the belly up or down is an unfamiliar position for most players, which builds coordination and balance along the way.
HELLO, MY NAME ISJon

"I like this one for how little it asks for — no materials, no lead time, and it still holds up in a gym, a backyard, or a classroom that just needs to move. The spider's den variation adds just enough strategy to keep it from getting stale."

Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker

Reflection questions

For classrooms and camp groups ready for the debrief — five questions that turn the chase into a conversation.

  1. What did you enjoy most about playing Spiders and Flies?A quick temperature check on what actually landed for the group.
  2. How did you feel when you were tagged by the opposing team?Opens up how the group handles getting caught and bounces back.
  3. Did you have a chance to work together with someone new on your team? If so, how did that experience go?Surfaces whatever new pairing formed inside the chase.
  4. If you were a Fly, what strategies did you use to avoid being tagged by Spiders? If you were a Spider, how did you try to catch as many Flies as possible?Gets both roles comparing strategy — dodging and hunting are different skills.
  5. What did you learn from playing this icebreaker game that could be helpful for future group activities?Names the point of the game out loud before everyone scatters.

If this fits, so will these

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The Cat and Sparrows

Sparrows scatter, the cat gives chase, and everyone rotates through both roles.

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Homeless Rabbit

One player without a circle has to run, and bumping into someone else's spot passes the role along.

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Wolves and Rabbits

The same chase-and-burrow energy as Homeless Rabbit, built for a bigger open space.

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Duck Duck Goose

The classic tap-and-chase, played in a circle everyone already knows how to join.

Jon Zajac

Founder & Chief Icebreaker

I started IcebreakerSpot because I believe strong connections are the foundation of successful teams. This site exists to make it easy to find and share the icebreakers and team-building activities that build trust, spark collaboration, and help groups do great things together.

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