Hide And Seek Rules

Hide and seek is a popular game we all played as kids. This game dates way back as it is loved for its quality of not requiring tools or any other material to be played. It can also be played by multiple players at the same time.

This game encourages children to be strategic and adventurous, but more to it. What are the rules of hiding and seek, and how exactly do you play this game properly.

We will look at the origin and history of hide and seek, how to play this game, and finally, some rules and facts associated with this popular game.

Origin and History of Hide and Seek

The game hide and seek was first mentioned in the 2nd century BCE, and it was called apodidraskinda by a Greek writer called Julius Pollux. From this explanation, it is obvious that this children’s game dates way back.

Today in Greece, hide and seek is called kryfto. Greek scholar Julius Pollux isn’t the only person to mention hide and seek in the early times.

The game was mentioned in Elizabethan England; the only exception is describing children using blindfolds.

In his boom, William Shakespeare also mentions hide and seek “Love labor’s lost.” Finally, it appeared in a painting by Friedrich Eduard Meyerheim in the 19th century.

Hide and seek is popularly known in different cultures. In Nigeria, It is known as Oro by the Igbo people. In Spain, it is called el escondite; in South Korea, it is known as sumbaggoggil; in France, it is called jeu de cache-cache.

In Israel, it is called machboim. In Australia, it is called “44 homes,” and In India, it is called “Dhappa and Dinner.” Hide and seek is also played differently in Russia and Brazil.

It is known among various other cultures, and its popularity has only grown over the years.

Facts About Hide and Seek

An interesting fact about the game hide and seek is that this game has variants. One of the variants is Sardines, where only one person hides, and the others have to find them.

When a player discovers, the player has to hide with the initial person hiding, and with time the hiding place becomes cramped with players. The last person to find the group is named the loser. In 1931, M. Burrage called this game Smee in his ghost story.

In another version of hide and seek, when one player is caught, the seeker has to shout a phrase like “All in, All in” or “Olly only oxen free” to signal the other players to the base and indicates that around has ended and a new round may start.

In a variant call wave, the game kicks off like the standard game, but eventually, things become complex when the seeker finds a player.

When the seeker finds a player, the player has to join the seeker in finding the other players. If the play caught discovers another player before the seeker, they will wave, which frees the player from hiding. The player can continue hiding from that point, choosing an entirely new hiding spot.

The last variant of hide and seek called home base. In this variant, a spot is marked, and it is called the home base, and seekers have to find players and actively watch the home base. The player aims to make it to the home base without being can’t by the seeker.

The home base can be anywhere since there is no rule regarding it, but the best spot for it is difficult to defend, like around a tree.

We often play hide and seek using the basic rules while ignoring the other rules. We will list out some of the basic hide and seek rules to make the game more fun to play.

There needs to be at least two players in hide and seek
The seeker should always close or cover their eyes
The seeker counts to an agreed number, usually between 10 to 100.
The seeker must count aloud for the riders to hear
Some areas that are considered dangerous can be declared off-limits.
Seekers must indicate aloud that they are prepared to find the hiders
The first player to be found becomes the seeker in the next round
The last player to be found is declared the winner

How to Play Hide and Seek

There is a standard way of playing hide and seek and other ways of playing this game. The standard game of hide and seek involves multiple riders and one seeker. The seeker stands in a designated spot and counts to a decided number while the other players run and hide.

After the seeker is done counting, they find the other players. If the first player is found, they can assist in finding the other players, and it continues that way. The last player to be found is made the winner of the game. Another round can begin after this.

There is no time limit when playing hide and seek, and the basic skills required for this game include the mastery of staying silent, running, tracking, hiding, and observation.

Conclusion

Aside from hide and seek being a fun game, It also sharpens your child’s observatory and strategic skill, but of course, this game has to be played in safe places and with caution.

As we have seen earlier, hide and seek dates back to the 2nd century and has appeared as history progresses.

They are multiple variants of hide and seek, but all the same, they still maintain the same rule of the seeker finding the riders.

For different variant, they are some addition to the basic rules and how it Is played. There is no time limit to this game, and it can be played with at least two players.

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We trust this article helped you learn Hide And Seek Rules. You may also want to check out Campfire vs Bonfire – What’s the Difference.

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