Places to Hide
The children frequently associated special places with places to hide. They mentioned hiding from siblings, parents, friends, and cousins in closets, under beds, beneath tables, inside bushes, and in cars. During home visits, all of the children demonstrated their enjoyment of hiding in their places by appointing me seeker in a game of hide and seek.
Sara and Caleb were already hiding under their kitchen table when I arrived. Quickly, Sara ran into the living room and pointed to a little corner behind the couch where she hid. Caleb opened the door to a cabinet under a staircase, tossed out all of the blankets, and crawled inside. The game continued throughout the tour, with the children revealing 18 special hiding places.
When asked why they like to hide, Sara explained, “Because…when friends come, we hide!” Caleb added, smiling, “Because we want to.”
Sara and Caleb altered rules in order to gain access to their special places. Aware that their older brother’s room and the cabinet under the stairs were forbidden, the children challenged parental guidelines by including those places on their tour.
Additionally, Sara and Caleb’s hiding activities appeared to be influenced by environmental features. Specifically, the structure of their home consisted of several large built-in cabinets and the upstairs walls were angled, creating many nooks and crannies for tucking away. Rather than build their own hideouts, the children selected indoor and outdoor hiding places with elements that existed in their landscapes including under a tree and inside a plastic playhouse.
During his special place tour, John also became really involved in hiding, sneaking around from place to place and continuously checking to see if I followed his lead. He slid behind a curtain, under his brother’s crib, into several closets, behind a rocking chair, and under a table. At one point, he paused in the living room, appearing as if he was making up the rules as he went.