free printable
Capture the Flag Rules Card
A one-page capture the flag rules card: how to play, how to score, and how to set it up. Hit print, fold it, and keep it with your set. Want the full walkthrough? See the Capture the Flag rules.
LAWNLEAGUES.COM
rules card Capture the Flag
Players6 to 20+ (two teams)
Ages7+
Setup5 min
SpaceA large yard, field, or park
What you need
- Two flags or stand-in markers (bandanas, cones, or a glow set)
- A way to split the field in half (a path, a row of cones, or a chalk line)
- Two teams of players, roughly even in number and size
- A clearly marked jail area near each team's flag
- For night games, glow sticks, LED markers, or a glow-in-the-dark set
Scoring
- First team to capture the enemy flag and carry it back across the midline wins the round
- Tag an attacker in your territory and they go to your jail
- Tag a jailed teammate to free them; freed players typically get safe passage back to their side
- If a flag carrier is tagged, the flag is dropped where they stood or returned to its base (agree which before you start)
- For longer games, play best of three or five rounds, swapping sides between rounds
How to play
- Divide the field and set the flags. Split the play area into two equal territories with a clear midline (a path, cones, or chalk). Each team places its flag in plain sight somewhere on its own half, usually toward the back. The flag has to be reachable and not buried or hidden, so everyone agrees it is fair.
- Mark each team's jail. Pick a jail spot on each half, often near that team's flag or in a back corner. This is where tagged opponents are held. Make the boundary obvious so there are no arguments about who is in jail and who broke free.
- Split into two even teams. Divide players into two teams of similar size and athleticism. Each team picks a loose strategy: who guards the flag, who guards the jail, and who runs offense into enemy territory. Mixing roles mid-game keeps it interesting.
- Cross the line to attack, defend on your side. On your own half you are safe and can tag opponents. The moment you cross into enemy territory you are fair game and can be tagged by the defending team. The whole game is a push and pull of dashing across, drawing defenders, and looking for a gap to the flag.
- Get tagged, go to jail. If a defender tags an attacker in enemy territory, that attacker goes to the enemy jail and has to wait. Jailed players stand in the marked jail and cannot rejoin until a teammate rescues them. A pile-up of prisoners is a tempting target and a defensive headache.
- Rescue your teammates. A free teammate can sneak across, tag a jailed player to free them, and both get a safe walk back to their own side (a common house rule gives freed prisoners safe passage). Rescues swing momentum hard, so good teams send runners to spring their jail just as the defense commits elsewhere.
- Grab the flag and run it home. To win, an attacker must grab the enemy flag and carry it all the way back across the midline to their own territory without being tagged. Get tagged while carrying it and the flag is usually dropped or reset to its spot. Bring it safely home and your team wins the round.
Set it up
There is no fixed field size. A backyard works for a small group, but capture the flag shines on a big field, a park, or a wooded area where there is real ground to cover and places to break a defender's line of sight. The one rule that matters is a clear, agreed midline splitting the two territories evenly. The bigger the space, the more running and strategy, so scale the field to your group size and energy.