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

I think my kids have inherited a love of all things “hide and seek”. This is one of the best-est ever free fun games to play with your kids.

Sebastian and I are crouching behind a pile of logs, his pudgy little hand in mine.

“Oh look, a stick!” he says. We’re surrounded by sticks. We’re in stick heaven. Seriously. We’re in the middle of a pine wood.

“Shh!” I whisper “we’re hiding!”

I know that I told you our favourite family game is called Sardines but my kids have just discovered a new game that tops it. Rin Tin Tin (or 40-40) is now the new favourite game to play.

I used to play Rin Tin Tin at school. It is so much fun. There was a little field at the back of the school, surrounded by bushes which were perfect for hiding in.

Half an hour of Rin Tin Tin is a great way to connect with your kids and you can tick off a “little bit“ of exercise for the day. Who said that leading a healthy lifestyle wasn’t fun?

The best bit about Rin Tin Tin is that it is totally free.

It’s Spring here in Spain and we’ve been enjoying our weekends by driving to a wood and spending some time in the outdoors. As we’re so outnumbered by little legs, we don’t get very far on a walk. This game is perfect to stretch your legs without having to go very far.

How do you Play Rin Tin Tin?

It’s like hide and seek but with a twist. Start by picking a good place for “home” or “base”. Perhaps a tree, or pillar depending on where you are.

One person counts whilst the others run away and hide. (Perhaps they can count in 2s or 3s if you’re trying to instil a love of maths.)

The seeker is ready to go and find the hiders.

Except, when he sees them, he doesn’t just call out “I’ve seen you”, he or she has to run back to the base and say “Rin Tin Tin, I’ve seem you Mummy.” Or whoever he has seen.

But.

If goes off too far to look, the hiders may creep back to the base and shout “Rin Tin Tin, I’m in.”

Often it ends up being a race back to the finish line.

A wood is the perfect place to play as there are lots of little hiding place and you can do some creeping up quite easily.

Any open space, such as a park or the countryside will do but you do need some hiding places. We have played it at home, just because the kids love it, but it was a bit squashed. They still had fun.

“Oh look another stick!”

Fancy that! He waves it excitedly in the air.

“I wonder where mummy and Sebastian are?” says Daddy.

“We’re here!” shouts Sebastian. I think we need to practise “hiding quietly” a bit more.

Never mind, we all had a fantastic time playing our new favourite game of Rin Tin Tin.

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