How To: Play hide-and-seek

Learn how to play hide-and-seek. If you need a rainy day activity for the kids, or just want to relive your childhood, hide-and-seek is a great game for everyone.

You Will Need

* A place to play
* Someone to be "it"
* People to hide

Step 1. Designate hiding spots

Designate the playing area, being sure to mention if certain rooms are out of bounds. If playing outdoors, limit designated areas to your property, and don't let small children hide near water or other potentially dangerous spots.

Step 2. Select someone to be "it"

Select someone to be "it." The person who is "it" has to find the people who are hiding.

Step 3. Everyone moves to home base

Have everyone congregate in one place. This is known as home base.

Step 4. Start counting

The person designated as "it" covers their eyes and begins counting to 10 or 20, or whatever has been determined to be a fair amount of time for everyone else to hide.

Step 5. Start hiding

While the person who's "it" counts, everyone else finds a place to hide.

Step 6. Start searching

Once the person who's "it" is done counting, they yell, "Ready or not, here I come!" and start looking for people hiding.

Step 7. Tag someone to get them out

After finding someone who has been hiding, the person who is "it" must tag the other person, to get them out.

Step 8. Keep playing if you want

The game can be over when the first person is found. Or, you can keep playing until everyone is found. In this case the last person found is the winner.

Step 9. Everyone tries to get home

Another variation is to have people try to get back to home base. If they get home without being tagged, they're safe.

Step 10. Finish the game and play again

Regardless of which version you're playing, once the game is over, declare a winner and the next person to be "it."

FACT: The version of hide-and-seek where players try to run home is known as pom pom home in England.