Hide and Seek.

Playing Hide and Seek is one of my favorite activities. I like pretty much all variations on the game. With cars tracking people moving from point a to point b, to running around the backyard hiding behind bushes. This has become a very popular past time of the under 5 set I frequently spend time with.

As it has gotten colder, there is more indoor time. And you would think this would lessen the opportunity for hiding, but really it hasn't. Instead of pretending not to find the kids immediately while they are hiding in the same two spots they always hide in outside, I pretend not to find them immediately in the same three spots they always hide in inside. Today I upped the ante. They are getting smarter everyday, so why not make them work a little harder, right? Before they even knew we were playing, I decided to hide from them. When they called my name a few times, I didn't answer, and the five year old said, "We're lost! Oh, no." To which I said, "BOO!" Panicky, and hysterical screams were the order of the day, followed by fits of laughter. We then took turns hiding.

I hid in some awesome places while two of my young friends ran around trying to find me. I heard their little footsteps going up and down the hall, all over the great room, and family room, pause at the stairs, and from the other side of the house I would say, "I didn't go downstairs." They would scream wildly, run back and forth again, until they found me, in the closet, or behind the open door in the dark guest bath or one of the other places I found to spend five minute segments of my time. When the oldest hopped on the bus for afternoon kindergarten, the adorable little girl and I decided to keep playing. I found her instantly. Without a five year olds' help, this little three year old had some pretty weak hiding spots. When it was my turn to hide, I hid in more predictable spots (i.e. the top bunk) and she found me soon enough, but when I hid behind the rocking chair in the nursery, she took a lot of time trying to find me. When I heard her at the top of the stairs, and announced that I did not go downstairs, she ran back to the hall and proceeded to call my name, over and over again, "MAHWEE!!! MAHWEE!" thinking I would out myself. Fat chance, toddler. Without her older brother as cohort she quickly lost steam after 30 seconds of searching, and went to her room, sat on the floor and decided to play with her barbies. She sang a song of her own composing about ballerinas and princesses, and was entirely adorable, all the while, I was still behind the rocking chair in the nursery.

Why, you might ask, after the three year old girl had given up trying to find me was I still on the floor behind a chair? Because what kind of lesson would that be to instill on a toddler? If something is hard and I quit, it will work itself out. NO DICE. After her song and a few minutes with her dolls, she realized I was still missing. She came into the nursery and slowly crept up to the bed next to me, and threw back the covers, aggravating the sleeping cat, but still didn't see me. She was sad, and left the room. I knew my spot would probably go undiscovered lest I help her out, so at this point, I giggled. She called out, "Mahwee?" and I giggled again, and she found me within two seconds.

All in all, a pretty good game, and a catchy song about ballerinas to boot.