Hidden Belt: Hot and Cold Hunt and Chase

A traditional game from villages in Castile, Extremadura and Andalusia: one player hides a belt, the others hunt for it guided by 'cold' and 'hot' clues, and whoever finds it chases everyone home. The school version uses a bandana, and tagging is done by hand.

How to play

1. Explain (2 min) that the finder used to chase others with the belt itself; today we use a bandana and tag only with the hand.
2. Use cones to mark a 4 x 4 m (13 x 13 ft) home base and the boundaries. One player hides the bandana while everyone else waits at home facing away, counting to 20.
3. When the hider calls 'Ready!', everyone searches while the hider gives clues: 'cold' when they move away, 'warm', 'hot' and 'You're on fire!' when they are very close.
4. Whoever finds it shouts 'Belt!' and chases the others, who race home; each classmate tagged before reaching home earns the finder a point.
5. The finder hides it in the next round; nobody hides twice until 4 other classmates have had a turn.
6. Play about 8 rounds (10 min); with large classes, run 2 games at once on each half of the playground.

Rules

• Tag by touching the back or shoulder; the bandana is never used to hit.
• The bandana must stay partly visible and never go in backpacks, trash cans or off-limits areas.
• No peeking while it's hidden; anyone who peeks counts to 20 again.
• Run home looking ahead and without pushing.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the student hides the bandana or searches with a partner, and has a closer home base.
• Visual impairment: the student searches with a sighted guide, and clues are given up close and out loud.
• Skill level: if the finder is very fast, they clap 3 times before starting the chase.

Learning goals

• Pay attention to verbal clues to find their way around a space.
• React and run with changes of direction toward a safe zone.
• Play a traditional game handed down by older generations safely.

Equipment for a class of 25

• bandanas: 2
• cones: 8

Teacher tip

Explain why the belt became a bandana: it's a good chance to talk about how traditional games change over time. Limit hiding spots to areas you can see from where you stand.

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