Taguan
The Filipino version of hide and seek, often played at dusk or night.
Players
• Minimum of 3 players, but it’s more exciting with 5 or more.
• One player starts as the Taya (tah-YAH) — the seeker.
• The others are hiders who must avoid being found.
Play Area
• A safe outdoor space with plenty of hiding spots — behind trees, walls, or furniture.
• Choose a designated base where the Taya counts and where all rounds begin and end.
No Equipment Needed!
• Taguan needs nothing but people, space, and imagination — a perfect example of how Filipino kids create fun from simplicity.
Optional:
• Set boundaries before starting, especially if playing in a large area or at night.
• Use flashlights if playing outdoors in the dark for added safety.
Choose the Taya (It)
• Decide who will be the first Taya (seeker) using:
-Jack-en-Poy (rock–paper–scissors),
-drawing straws, or
-the traditional Tagalog chant:
“Tagu-taguan, maliwanag ang buwan,
masarap maglaro sa dilim-diliman,
pag bilang kong sampu,
nakatago na kayo!”
(Hide and seek, the moon is bright,
it’s fun to play in the dark of night,
when I count to ten — you must hide right then!)
2. Define Boundaries
• Set clear limits for where players can hide — like staying within the yard or playground area.
• Choose a base (like a wall, tree, or pole) where players must return to be “safe.”
3. Prepare to Play
• The Taya closes their eyes, faces the base, and starts counting to 10 (or more) while the others scatter and hide.
Start Counting
• The Taya closes their eyes and counts aloud to ten (or a chosen number):
“Isa, dalawa, tatlo, apat, lima, anim, pito, walo, siyam, sampu” (one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten)
• Meanwhile, the other players run and find hiding spots.
The Search Begins
• When the Taya finishes counting, they shout:
“Handa na ba kayo? Heto na ako!” (hahn-DAH nah bah kah-YOH? HEH-toh nah ah-KOH!) — “Are you ready? Here I come!”
• Then, the Taya starts looking around the play area for the hidden players.
Tagging the Hiders
• When the Taya spots someone, they must run back to the base, touch it, and call out:
“Taguan, si [player’s name] nakita ko!” (tah-goo-AHN, see [player’s name] nah-KEE-tah koh!) — “Hide-and-seek, I saw [name]!”
• If the Taya tags the base before the hider reaches it, that player is caught.
Escaping to Safety
• Hiders can try to sneak back to the base when the Taya isn’t looking.
• If a hider reaches the base first and touches it, they’re safe for the round.
Switching Roles
• If a hider is caught, they become the new Taya in the next round.
• If everyone makes it to base safely, the same Taya may continue or a new one can be chosen.
Winning and Continuing
• There’s no fixed ending — play continues as long as the group wants!
• The fun is in the laughter, running, and clever hiding — not just winning.
- Time Limit: Add a timer to each round (e.g., 2 minutes) to make hiding more challenging.
- Multiple Seekers: For larger groups, have 2 or 3 Tayas searching at once.
- Night Mode: Traditionally played after sunset, adding thrill and suspense under moonlight.
The word Taguan (tah-goo-AHN) comes from the Tagalog verb “Tago” (tah-GOH), meaning “to hide.”
It’s the noun form, literally meaning “the hiding game.”
Key Tagalog words and phrases used in the game include:
Taya (tah-YAH) → “It” or the seeker.
Bilang (bee-LAHNG) → “to count.”
Tago ka na! (tah-GOH kah nah) → “Go hide now!”
Nahuli ka! (nah-HOO-lee kah) → “You’re caught!”
Safe ako! (sayf ah-KOH) → “I’m safe!”