This is the only game my kids play. When I go to the park with my 3.5 y old and 6 year old...it's 'mom come try to catch us'. We run like maniacs and sometimes the tagging becomes contact, but it's fun. There are skinned knees and tears at times- but we learn about getting up and brushing ourselves off.
I am on a crusade. This is the final straw. My child and his friend have come up with many creative ways to try and get around 'tag', e.,g they call it 'cowboys and indians', 'sharks and minnows', 'girls vs boys'...banned, banned, banned.
Reading a note from my 5-year old that said:
"Dear Mom and Dad, I am sorry I did not follow directions and played tag at recess." (in his phonetic spelling

) brought me to tears. When should any child feel bad for playing tag
at recess. This isn't even about classroom behavior. He's never been in trouble and is a very conscientious, sensitive kid.
I told him that he was not in trouble. We are using this as a teaching lesson and I told him what a 'petition' is and how when you truly believe in something how you can make do something about it. He said he will write down the reasons why it is safe and fun and will get his friends to sign so they can turn it in.