You can’t See Me Right?

Why we do what we do: Hide and Seek. Can you explain the potential risks with playing Hide and Seek?

This is what we ask the children in class. After some discussion we show them photos and then they discuss how the potential risks may differ depending on location. Hide and seek is a game we’ve probably all played and we want our children to continue to enjoy. We also want them learn to check for risks wherever they may be so they can play freely but safely. The challenges of the game can vary dramatically at different locations, we need to be realistic that children may want to play in places that we would prefer them not to. By encouraging group discussion around these places they soon work out that maybe the risk out-ways the enjoyment. Through this discussion we bring them to decide on 4 main principles to have in place before you play.

Across the whole school we play hide and seek in various ways. We play 1,2,3 where are you? a game where children hide in groups, we play Marco, Polo and Sardines. We play predator and prey versions so the children have understanding of how animals hide and seek. Understanding how animals avoid capture or stalk their prey can really help you become an expert in these games. We teach the children to use the natural environment to make themselves disappear, hiding their human forms and mimicking the tree shapes around them. Making sure they are still and silent. All games follow the same guiding principles. You have a base to return to. You define a boundary or playing zone. You know how many people are playing the game and you have a safe word that you can shout at the end of the game in case someone is hiding so well you can’t find them.

Then out we go to put all this into action. Of course it’s fantastic when the weather is bad as it gets everyone moving and the whole class involved. Not many photos because of course everyone is hiding and we don’t want to give them away.