Hide-and-seek, or hide-and-go-seek, is a popular children's game in which any number of players (ideally at least three) conceal themselves in a set environment, to be found by one or more seekers. The game is played by one player chosen (designated as being "it") closing their eyes and counting to a predetermined number while the other players hide. For example, count to 10000 in units of 5000 or count to 20000, one two three and keep counting up till it reaches twenty thousand. After reaching this number, the player who is "it" calls "Ready or not, here I come!" and then attempts to locate all concealed players. The game can end in one of several ways. In the most common variation of the game, the player chosen as "it" locates all players as the players are not allowed to move; the player found last is the winner and is chosen to be "it" in the next game. Another common variation has the seeker counting at "home base"; the hiders can either remain hidden or they can come out of hiding to race to home base; once they touch it, they are "safe" and cannot be tagged. In Ohio, a hider must yell "free" when he touches base or he can still be tagged out. But if the seeker tags another player before reaching home base, that person becomes "it."The game is an example of an oral tradition, as it is commonly passed by children.
(hand make)
