How to Play Hide and Seek

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Basic rules for the classic game, plus different versions to try

Co-authored by Luke Smith, MFA

Last Updated: April 23, 2024 Fact Checked

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Hide and Go Seek Rules

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Playing Different Variations

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

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In Hide and Go Seek, players run and hide before another player tries to find them. It’s perfect for a rainy afternoon indoors, or a sunny day in a big yard or a park. The rules are simple, but there are countless variations to try with your friends. We’ll show you how to play a standard game of Hide and Go Seek, then show you some ways to mix up the rules for maximum fun.

Things You Should Know

Gather at least 2 players and pick someone to be the seeker. The rest of the players are the hiders.
The seeker counts up to 100 while the other players hide. Then, the seeker yells, “Ready or not, here I come!” and starts to search for the hiders.
Once the seeker finds all the hiders (or gives up), the round is over. The first person who was found is the seeker in the next round.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Hide and Go Seek Rules

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Gather at least 2 players and pick someone to be the seeker. You need at least 2 people to play Hide and Go Seek (1 person to hide, and 1 to seek), but there’s no limit for how many players you can have.^{[1]
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Research source} The more people you have, the more fun you’ll have!
- It's a good idea to let parents or other adults know what you're playing in case they get worried about where everyone is.
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Set rules for where players can hide. Gather the players and tell them the boundaries—which places are off limits, and which are fair game.^{[2]
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Research source} For example, you might decide you can only hide inside the house, not outside. Or, maybe hiding in the yard is fair, but no hiding in the basement, which might scare the younger players. Keep everyone’s safety in mind.
- Remind everyone to choose safe spaces to hide, which they won’t get stuck in, and let them know they can shout if they need someone to come get them.
- Make sure everyone understands the importance of respecting privacy. Mention personal areas that are off-limits, like parents’ rooms, and tell all players not to snoop or touch other people's personal belongings.
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Choose a player to be the seeker, or the person who’s "it." The seeker is the person who goes and finds all the players who are hiding.^{[3]
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Research source} Choose 1 player to be the seeker before the game starts. There are a lot of ways to choose. You might have a volunteer, or count down from 3 and see whoever says, "Not it!" last.
- If you can’t decide, have everyone play Rock, Paper, Scissors. Start with 2 people, then have the winner play the next person, and keep playing until you have only 1 winner, who will be the seeker.
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Run and hide while the seeker counts to 100. The seeker stays put and shuts their eyes, then counts up to 100, counting, “One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi…” Meanwhile, everyone else runs off and finds a hiding place.^{[4]
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- Be a master at Hide and Go Seek by staying quiet as you run for a hiding space, otherwise the seeker might hear which direction you went and start searching there first.
- The best hiding places are ones that the seeker might not even think to check, like behind some coats in a closet or underneath the covers of a messy bed.
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Stay hidden while the seeker comes to find you. Once the seeker is done counting, they yell, "Ready or not, here I come!" to warn others that they’re about to start searching.^{[5]
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Research source} At this point, they look high and low, trying to find the other players. Once you’ve been found, you’re out! When you’re out, wait at the place the seeker counted, or follow the seeker around and watch as they try to find the other players.
- Remain still and quiet in your hiding spot. You don't want to give yourself up once you're hidden! If you're noisy, even the best hiding spot won't conceal you.
- Hiders are allowed to move or switch hiding places if the seeker is nearby. But if the seeker already came and didn’t find you, stay put. You’ve got a great hiding spot.
If the seeker can’t find some of the players after searching for a long time, they yell, "Olly, olly oxen free!" to let them know that the hiders won and that they can come out, since the game is over.^{[6]
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Research source} Walk around and yell it repeatedly until everyone is gathered together again.
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Play a new round with a new seeker. Usually, the player who was found first becomes the seeker in the next round. The new seeker counts, everyone else hides, and the game starts again.
- Feel free to make new rules each round to make the game more fun. For example, set a time limit for the seeker, or let the found players help the seeker find other players.

Method 2

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Playing Different Variations

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Home base: This variation adds an extra challenge to Hide and Go Seek. At the start of the game, establish a “home base” where the seeker counts. Once they’re done, the hiders must try to win by coming out of hiding and getting to home base without being tagged by the seeker.
- Another version is that all the hiders have to get back to home base before everyone else is tagged, or else they're out.
In this version, hiders are turned into seekers once they've been tagged, and go around searching for the remaining players.^{[7]
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Research source} It makes the game go a little quicker, and adds extra challenge for the remaining hiders.
When players are found, they have to go to "jail,” or a separate area like a couch or a certain room. The seeker's goal is to put everyone in jail. However, the players who aren’t in jail can free the ones in jail by tagging fellow players without being tagged themselves.^{[8]
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This is like jailbreak, but with teams. To play Manhunt, split into 2 teams (preferably of 4 or more) and assign each team a home base. The teams go hide around the other team's home base and try to make it back to theirs. When everybody makes it back home without being tagged, they win. This game is best played in a large area such as a park.
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Sardines: Playing Sardines is like playing reverse Hide and Go Seek. Assign a single player to be the hider, and everyone else are the seekers. When the seekers are done counting, they go and search for the hider. When a seeker finds the hider, they join them in the hiding spot, like a bunch of sardines in a can. The last seeker to find the group of hiders is the hider in the next game.^{[9]
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Play-Sardines}
- As the hider, it’s best to choose a roomy hiding spot that can fit many people, like a closet or under a bed.
In Hide Teddy, players split into 2 teams. Each team has a toy like a Teddy bear that they work together to hide from the other team. Once both teams are ready, they race to see who can find the other team’s toy first.^{[10]
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What is a way to keep quiet without keeping yourself from breathing?

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Just breathe slowly and quietly through your nose. Try to relax and think calm thoughts.

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How do I find hide and seek games?

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All you need is people to play with. Find some people to play with and start a game.

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Can I hide under a bed?

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Yes, just drape the blankets over the space under the bed so if the "it" glances over there, they won't see you.

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Tips

Playing Hide and Go Seek teaches children valuable skills like object permanence and problem-solving, as well as social skills like conflict resolution and teamwork.^{[11]
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If playing with younger children, be fair and don't make it too hard to find you. Younger children can become frustrated when they cannot find you.

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Hide in places that look impossible to hide in but you're sure you can fit (e.g. inside a cabinet under a sink in the bathroom). Just make sure you can get out pretty easily without hurting yourself.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Whether you are playing indoors or outdoors, try hiding somewhere that's higher up. Most people look to their sides, or try to check every nook and cranny, but people don’t usually look up. Just be careful not to hide somewhere high where it’s unstable, or you can get hurt.
Hide in a spot where you can move to different hiding spots without being seen. Try places where the seeker has already looked because they probably won't check there again.
When you are hiding and the seeker is close, try not not breathe heavily, sneeze, cough, or laugh because you might be found easily.

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Warnings

Keep safe when looking for places to hide. Avoid excessively small spaces like inside a refrigerator or clothes dryer, where oxygen can be limited or you might become trapped behind a closed door. Putting yourself in danger isn’t worth winning the game.

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