British Bulldog
One player in the middle tags 'runners' as they try to cross from one safe zone to the other.
🌤outdoor
What is British Bulldog?
British Bulldog is a rough playground game popular in British and Commonwealth schools since Victorian times. One or two players stand in the middle of a play area (the 'bulldogs'); the rest are 'runners' who try to cross from one safe zone to the other without being tagged. Tagged players join the bulldogs. Last runner uncaught wins. Banned in many modern British schools for injury risk but persists in youth clubs and camps.
Quick facts
Category
Playground Games
Type
Team sport
Players
4–30
Where played
outdoor
Country of origin
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Estimated origin
Victorian British schools
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-24.verified