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Hot and Cold Hunt

One player hides an object and guides a seeker with 'hotter' and 'colder' clues.

Cartoon illustration of a parent and child at home: one player hides an object and guides a seeker with 'hotter' and 'colder' clues.
  • Age3 to 6 years
  • Time5 to 15 minutes
  • EnergyModerate
  • CostFree
  • WhereIndoors or out
  • PrepNone

A hiding-and-finding game where one player hides an object and helps a seeker close in by saying "hotter" as they get nearer and "colder" as they move away. Practises listening and using clues to find a target.

How to do it

  1. One player hides a chosen object somewhere in the room while the seeker covers their eyes.
  2. The seeker starts moving around looking for it.
  3. The hider calls "hotter" when the seeker moves closer to the object and "colder" when they move away.
  4. The seeker uses the clues to change direction and close in until they find it.
  5. Swap roles so the seeker gets a turn to hide and give clues.

What you need

  • Small object

Make it yours

Younger, 3-4 years: Hide the object in easy, open spots and use big obvious clues, or point in the general direction. Older, 5-6 years: Hide it more cleverly and add levels like warm, hot, and boiling for a more precise search. Group: Several seekers hunt together while one hider calls clues to the whole group.

Try this with your child.

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