Hide and seek

(Toddlers)

You will need

You will simply need a safe environment familiar to the child to hide in and about.

Top tip: Set clear rules and boundaries, places they can and cannot go to and in.

What to do:

1. You will need to decide who the seeker is and who hides
2. Talk about the rules, the boundaries. Where are they allowed to hide, where are they not allowed to hide
3. The seeker will need to turn their back on the other players and cover their eyes. They will need to count to ?. Below are some ideas on how your child can manage the waiting period if their counting skills need more practice
   • Start by the hiders shouting 'Ready'
   • Use a timer
   • Count to 10. Ask them to count to 10 three times
   • Count to 20 …
   • When they finish counting, they shout, "Coming, ready or not!"
4. The seeker finds the hiders
5. The first to be found is the next seeker

Skills your child will learn

Hide and seek is a game where your child will need to:

• listen carefully and remember the rules. (Playing fairly is always tricky at first and this will need nurturing)
• remember where they have looked
• consider the best places to hide and seeking new places that no one has explored yet

You will recognise that your child must learn not to give themselves away. They are building their self-control and overcoming the urge not to giggle or blurt out 'Here I am!'

There will also be high levels of joy and physical exercise.