Pilolo! A Treasure Hunt from Ghana
Based on pilolo, a searching game from Ghana: the teacher hides beanbags around the playground, calls out "Pilolo!" and everyone heads out to find them and bring them home. Children practice finding their way around, paying attention and helping each other.
How to play
- Sitting down, the teacher explains that in Ghana children play pilolo: someone hides sticks or stones, and when they hear "Pilolo!" everyone goes looking. Mark home base with cones (2 min).
- Everyone covers their eyes at home base while the teacher hides beanbags in plain sight behind cones, trees or benches (2 min).
- The teacher calls "Pilolo!"; each child finds one beanbag, speed-walks it back home and goes out for another until none are left (3 min).
- Round two: each beanbag comes home in a new way the teacher calls out: on your head, hopping, on all fours (3 min).
- Children who have found one help the others with "cold" or "warm"; finish by counting the beanbags at home base together (2 min).
Rules
- Nobody goes until you hear "Pilolo!"
- Take one beanbag at a time back home.
- If you see two, leave one for a friend.
- Walk fast, no pushing.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, hide the beanbags in very obvious spots in a small area.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, use the whole playground and bring each beanbag home the way the teacher calls out.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, each child looks only for one color, and one child helps the teacher hide them.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: hide some beanbags within reach, and a partner brings over the hard-to-reach ones for them to count at home base.
- Autism: show a photo of home base beforehand and count down from five before calling "Pilolo!"
- Visual impairment: use beanbags with a large bell sewn inside, plus a buddy who gives "cold" and "warm" clues.
Learning goals
- Find their way around the playground looking for hidden objects.
- Go out and come back to a set landmark.
- Learn about a traditional game from Ghana.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Beanbags: 30
- Cones: 4
Teacher tip
Always hide beanbags at kids' eye level and never in unsafe spots. If someone hoards beanbags, remind them of the rule: one at a time.
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