Hide and Go Seek

Sumner, Ramona, and their grandfather, Pop, played a lot of hide and go seek while we were in New Hampshire. We were staying in a suite--two rooms, two closets, one table, four doors, two bathtubs, some beds with blankets, and a couple of chairs. Not a lot of hiding spots. But for Sumner and Ramona, it was as good as four acres of wooded brush.

Philip learned how to play Hide and Go Seek from his dad and this is how they play: When someone is hiding, you let them look for you for a minute or so. Then, you start to peep. That means you make the tiniest "peep" sound. Once the peeps begin, the race is on. The Seeker(s) gets closer and closer and then, the climax: the Hider jumps out and scares and tickles and grabs the Seeker(s).

They play this over and over again. They love all of the anticipation. The thrill is tremendous. I can remember waiting in hidden spots when I was a kid and using all my energy not to giggle or pee in my pants from all of the excitement. The knowing something and getting to reveal it or not knowing something and getting to discover it is pure fun. When they hide, they get the rush of "tricking" Pop and making him react to their surprise attack at the end. When they seek, they love getting closer and closer to being shocked (yet again) by Pop. And then there is the embrace at the end, the comfort of knowing that the world is reordered as you want it to be. It is very sweet.