<Tr> <Th> Random chance </Th> <Td> Very low </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Skill (s) required </Th> <Td> Running, tracking, hiding, observation, ability to stay silent </Td> </Tr> <P> Hide - and - seek, or hide - and - go - seek, is a popular children's game in which any number of players (ideally at least three) conceal themselves in the environment, to be found by one or more seekers . The game is played by one player chosen (designated as being "it") closing their eyes and counting to a predetermined number while the other players hide . For example, count to 100 in units of 5 or count to 20, one two three and keep counting up till it reaches twenty . After reaching this number, the player who is "it" calls "Ready or not, here I come!" and then attempts to locate all concealed players . </P> <P> The game can end in one of several ways . In the most common variation of the game, the player chosen as "it" locates all players as the players are not allowed to move; the player found last is the winner and is chosen to be "it" in the next game . Another common variation has the seeker counting at "home base"; the hiders can either remain hidden or they can come out of hiding to race to home base; once they touch it, they are "safe" and cannot be tagged . In Ohio, a hider must yell "free" when he touches base or he can still be tagged out . But if the seeker tags another player before reaching home base, that person becomes "it ." </P>

Where did the game hide and seek originate