Tag! You're it! 🏃♂️
Here's How to Teach Your Learners the First Stages of Playing Tag
Last week, we went after the reinforcing aspects of pursuit and how some kiddos genuinely enjoy being chased. This week I want to go a little bit further! Particularly focusing on how we, as BCBAs, can effectively harness this understanding in our practice.
The Escape Function and Beyond
Often, when working at a table with a child, they might suddenly bolt in the opposite direction. Again, our immediate thought is usually that the function of this behavior is escape—perhaps they want to avoid doing their worksheets or tasks. This can happen in a variety of settings, including playrooms, where the initial assumption might be that our learner simply wants to get away from their current activity. It’s just too boring, too hard, too aversive—and so off they go…
However, there’s an additional layer that we often overlook: the reinforcement derived from being pursued. Kids sometimes find the sensation of being chased extremely reinforcing. This can manifest in elopement situations where the child runs to unsupervised or potentially dangerous areas, not just to escape, but to access the thrill and drama of two or three adults tracking them down.
Let’s face it, you have to agree, that sounds a little fun.
Recognizing and Addressing Pursuit as a Reinforcer
When a child elopes, our priority is to ensure their safety, often by stopping them from moving to unsupervised areas. But if the underlying motivation is the enjoyment of being chased, we need to find appropriate ways to provide this stimulus for them. Ways that are a great deal less dangerous, but just as wacky.
Many of us can relate to the excitement of pursuit through games like hide-and-seek and tag. These games appropriately parallel the stimulus of pursuit that a child might seek when they elope. They offer a structured, safe way for children to experience the thrill of being chased or pursued.
A Personal Example
My daughter, who is just a year old, loves to crawl up the stairs. Initially, I thought she was simply exploring. However, I soon noticed that she crawls faster and smiles when I go after her. This revealed to me that she enjoys the feeling of pursuit. To keep her safe, I’ve started to engage in chase games in appropriate settings, such as the living room or playroom, rather than letting her head toward potentially dangerous areas like the stairs or fireplace.
Teaching Tag: A Step-by-Step Approach
Let's talk about how we can teach tag to our kiddos, providing a structured way for them to enjoy the stimulus of pursuit. Note: Watching the video above will make things a lot clearer.
Start Small and Structured: Begin with very basic and contrived situations. Have the learner seated, facing you. Prompt them to tag you, and then reinforce them for it. Initially, this might not look much like tag at all, but it's about establishing a pattern.
Introduce Evasion: Once the learner understands that when they tag you they get some kind of reinforcement, start incorporating evasion. As you prompt them to tag you, make small movements to avoid being tagged, reinforcing their attempts to extend themselves to reach out and tag you.
Increase Complexity: Gradually increase the complexity by getting up from your seat as they try to tag you to prolong the evasion. This should naturally encourage the learner to leave their seat, as well, to go after you.
Expand the Environment: Follow this same pattern, but move from the seated, structured environment to more natural settings, like the playroom or playground. Additionally, once they’ve tagged you, look to chase them. Encourage them to run within the controlled environment of the playroom or playground. Enrich the experience with words and actions that might create a little intrigue. For example, you might raise your hands and walk toward them like a zombie, exclaiming that you’re “coming for them”. As you try to apply the tag, you might barely “miss”, creating that feeling of pursuit and escape that they love. Introduce multiple exchanges to ensure the child grasps the ongoing nature of the game.
Incorporate Turn-Taking and Peer Interaction: Once the child is comfortable with the game with you, introduce turn-taking and involve peers. This not only maintains their interest but also fosters social interaction and appropriate play behaviors that can create friendships.
Next Steps: Transitioning to Hide-and-Seek
After mastering tag, consider introducing hide-and-seek. This game maintains the pursuit element but adds a new dimension, which can be equally reinforcing and exciting for the child.
Final Thoughts
I’ve always felt that “escape” is the most overlooked function and therefore is likewise overlooked as a reinforcer for kids.
Understanding and appropriately leveraging the reinforcing elements of pursuit/escape can significantly impact your interventions for the better. Not only that, providing your kiddos with an appropriate way to access this kind of fun enriches their lives and affords them a safe avenue to reach these sensations for the years to come.
Martin Myers is a BCBA with a passion for helping improve the field of ABA. He is the creator of BxMastery, with over 4,000 goal ideas, sequenced, to inspire your programming. With 10+ years of experience in the field, he’s dedicated to empowering others and fostering positive change through effective leadership and communication. Connect with Martin on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for more insights and updates.