One, Two, Three, Safe for Me and All

A safe preschool version of hide-and-seek as it's played in Mexico: the seeker finds hidden children and calls them out by saying "un, dos, tres por (name)," and the last one hiding can free everyone with "un, dos, tres por mí y por todos mis compañeros!" It builds orientation in the yard, observation and safe play outdoors.

How to play

1. The teacher walks the group around the play area marked with cones and points out the allowed hiding spots: behind the slide, the tree, the bench… never inside closed spaces or outside the cones (3 min).
2. Mark "base" with a cone. The teacher counts out loud to ten at base with two child seekers while everyone else hides in pairs (2 min).
3. The seekers, holding the teacher's hand at first, find a pair, run back to base and call "Un, dos, tres por Lucía y Mateo!" (One, two, three for Lucía and Mateo!); that pair then helps look (5 min).
4. If a hidden pair reaches base before the seekers, they touch the cone and shout "Un, dos, tres por mí y por todos mis compañeros!" (One, two, three for me and all my friends!), and everyone comes out and cheers (2 min).
5. Wrap up at base: each pair tells where they hid, and we pick new seekers for next time (2 min).

Rules

• We only hide in spots we've seen with the teacher.
• Always in pairs, holding hands or close together.
• If the teacher says "Everyone to base!", we come out right away.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a child in a wheelchair can be the base keeper who calls the "un, dos, tres," or hide with a partner behind an accessible spot.
• Visual impairment: always hide with a partner who guides, and hidden children clap once when the seeker asks.
• Autism: preview where and with whom the child will hide, and explain that the shout at base is a happy one.

Learning goals

• Find your way around the yard while seeking and hiding.
• Play within safety limits outdoors.
• Learn the traditional hide-and-seek call used in Mexico.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Cones: 10

Teacher tip

In Mexico the game is called "las escondidas," and the call "un, dos, tres por mí y por todos mis compañeros" frees the whole group. The key rule is allowed hiding spots: you must be able to see every pair from somewhere in the yard.

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