Beginner family conversation about first day at school

What does “hide and seek” mean in English?

Hide and seek is a children’s game that many countries share. One player closes their eyes and counts to a number, for example twenty, while the others hide. Then the player says “Ready or not, here I come!” and looks for them. The first person found usually becomes the next seeker. In English, you play hide and seek.

A child in the clip says “We played hide and seek” about the first day at school. Notice the verb: English uses play for games (play hide and seek, play tag, play cards), not “do.” Also notice the three-word name always stays together, and you often see it written with hyphens when it comes before a noun: a hide-and-seek game.