Snotty Noses Happy Parents Raising Healthy Kids by Dr Orlena Kerek, Paediatrician

99,100…We all race off, frantically trying to find the “hiders” before anyone else. Suddenly I hear a little voice from behind an arm chair, “they’re coming!” “Shh!” whispers a more grown up voice. A blond head pops up giggling.

This is one of my favourite games to play with kids.

Family games are so much fun and this one is so easy.

Games are such a great way to connect with your kids.

This game is called “Sardines” or “Tinned Sardines” and I’ve loved playing it since I was a child.

Now I have my own family and we love playing Sardines together.

I have happy childhood memories of playing Sardines and now I’m busy building awesome memories for my children to have.

I know they will remember the fun, the excitement, the family connection.

How do you play “Sardines”?

Sardines is like Hide and Seek but in reverse.

One person hides (or two if you’re playing with very small people who aren’t so good at hiding by themselves.) The others run around looking for the “hider” and when they find them they squash into the hiding place too.

Just like a tin of sardines.

The hiding is the best bit. You’re all squashed into a tiny place jostling and shoving or balancing on each other and trying hard not to giggle.

“Shh! SSHH!”

“They’re coming! Shh!”

All of us have heard Celeste and we dive to join her behind the arm chair. All of us except her twin brother. He can hear us but he doesn’t know where we are.

He’s wandering around in a different room, laughing and calling out for us.

“I’ll go and help him,” says his older brother and he forfeits his place to go and collect his younger sibling.

When Sebastian sees us, he shouts in delight, “there you are! My can see you!” (translates to “I can see you.”)

I love playing Sardines, not just because it’s great fun but also because it’s a great way to connect as a family, to connect with your children.

It’s an awesome way to let go of all your adult stress and just enjoy playing with your kids.

It’s an awesome way to spend some “together time”.

Plus, whilst we’re counting, we do a bit of “maths love”. The children count in 2s or 3s (depending on their ability.)

Now it’s my turn to hide. Sebastian is with me. We sit quietly together. He’s better at hiding than his twin sister. One by one the children poke their grinning heads around the door (I’m not very well hidden, I didn’t think Sebastian would be too keen on the coat cupboard.)

We sit squashed in together, not particularly quietly, waiting for daddy to find us.

Someone jumps up giving us away.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Here comes Daddy.

The kids squeal and giggle as Daddy feigns surprise.

“Again! Again!” They all implore.

“One more time!” We agree (again).

We squish together to count to 100 in 3s whilst Galen runs off to hide for another exciting round of Sardines, our favourite family game.