Problem-solving
A young infant watches a toy briefly disappear, with follow-up opportunities to explore the toy.
Carry a nonmobile infant to an activity area and lay him/her on the floor facing up. Use your voice and facial expressions to put the infant at ease. Infants enjoy hearing their name and looking at the face of a familiar caregiver. Speak clearly and allow time between phrases for the infant to respond. Example: “Good morning, Tamara.” (The infant may look toward you.) “I am glad to see you today.” (The infant may move his/her hands, arms, or legs.) “Tamara, you have a nice smile.” (The infant may look again, increasing the length of his/her gaze.) “Would you like to play with a soft rattle?”
Show the rattle to the infant by holding it near the center of his/her chest. Slightly move and/or jiggle the rattle while holding it in front of the infant. Describe what you are doing with the rattle. While the infant is watching the toy, cover it with the scarf for a moment. Remove the scarf and announce “Here is our toy! Now we can see our rattle!” Explain to the infant “Our toy was under the scarf. Now you see it!” If the infant looks away, draw his/her attention back to the covered toy by jiggling it.
Hold the toy for the infant to grasp. Allow time for the infant’s further exploration through looking, touching, and/or mouthing. If the infant shakes the rattle and produces a sound, comment on his/her actions. If the infant releases the rattle, show it to him/her again.
If the infant has not yet learned to grasp, move the rattle close to his/her hand. Wait for the infant to react to the rattle. Describe the infant’s actions. Example: “Yes, you can see our rattle. I think you are interested in the pretty color and the little face. Your arms and legs are moving.” (Pause) ”I am going to move the rattle to your hand.” The infant may swipe at the rattle or close his/her fingers around it.
Some infants may not react to the brief covering of the toy. It is not necessary to repeat the brief disappearance of the rattle. Object permanence develops gradually, and there are opportunities to support object permanence with other activity plans. You also may wish to offer this activity again in several weeks.
If an infant does not respond to the rattle, try a different toy. You also may wish to alter your voice in describing the rattle. Infants generally respond to adult voices when pitched just a little higher than normal. Pronounced “baby talk” is not necessary.
Extra support
Enrichment
Problem-solving
An older infant watches a toy hop toward him/her and then disappear, with an opportunity to find the toy.
Be Prepared: Select a small toy that will appeal to the infant involved in this activity. Many infants enjoy a toy with a smiling face. Secure a small box, about 4 x 4 inches, that has all but one side closed. The open side is used for briefly hiding the small toy during the activity.
Sit on the floor with an early mobile infant and show him/her the small toy. Place the box between you and the infant with the opening facing away from the infant.
Move the toy toward the infant with a hopping motion. Use a cheerful voice as you say, “Here comes the little (name of toy). Closer and closer and closer to your toes!” Touch the infant’s foot with the toy. Repeat the hopping action, along with your words, if the infant enjoyed the action.
The infant will now be interested in watching the toy move closer to his/her foot.
Next, again hop the toy closer to the infant but this time put the toy inside the box while the infant watches. Ask the infant “Where did (name of toy) go?” Pause for the infant’s response.
Some infants will eagerly look for and find the toy in the box. Enthusiastically acknowledge the infant’s efforts to find the toy.
Talk with the infant about the toy hiding in the box. Example: “The toy was hopping toward your toes and went inside the box. You found our toy in the box!” Some infants may want you to repeat the toy hopping and hiding actions. Others may want to hold and explore the toy.
The infant is likely to get excited during the toy hopping action because he/she knows or anticipates the toy will “get” his/her toes. Waiting for the toy to touch his/her toes involves anticipation and self-control. Support self-regulation by laughing with the infant when the toy reaches his/her toes to create a little excitement. At this age, infants often enjoy games involving anticipation. Pace the hopping so the infant can manage the excitement. Avoid tickling the infant.
Some infants may think the toy is gone and turn their attention away from the game. If the infant does not attempt to find the toy, rotate the box so the infant sees the opening with the toy inside. Encourage the infant to get the toy.
Extra support
Enrichment
Problem-solving
An older infant searches for a hidden toy.
Be Prepared: Secure a small box, about 4 x 4 inches, that has all but one side closed. The open side is used for briefly hiding the small toy during the activity.
[Invite a mobile infant to play a game with the little toy pig. Place the box and toy pig on the floor.]
Here is piggy. Piggy is a fun toy!
[Provide time for the infant to explore and become comfortable with the novel toy. Support the infant’s interest in the toy. Example: If the infant points to the eyes, talk about the pig’s eyes. Point to your eyes and ask the infant to point to his/her eyes. The infant may be interested in pointing to the feet, tail, and ears of the toy pig.
After a minute or two, ask the infant if he/she wants to play a piggy game.
Say and move the toy as follows:
Here comes a little piggy.
[Move pig toward the infant in a playful manner.]
Feeling very jiggy.
[Hop the toy pig toward the infant.]
This little piggy goes to market.
[Tap the infant’s foot with the toy.]
This little piggy goes wee, wee, wee all the way home!
[Cover the toy pig with the box.]
Encourage the infant to find the toy pig. Share the infant’s delight at finding the toy pig. Example: “Hooray! You found piggy!”
Move the box slightly to a new position. Repeat the sequence. Pace the game to align with the infant’s interest in the game.]
Little piggy was hiding under the box. You found our little pig.
Anticipation of the pig reaching his/her foot will be fun and exciting for most mobile infants when presented in a playful manner. Generally, infants will be very interested in finding the pig. If an infant does not search for the pig, repeat the sequence and encourage the infant to look for the pig. Ask the infant “Did piggy go under the box?”
If an infant does not respond to the first sequence, use your own words with a different scenario. Some infants may be more interested in a simple story, such as “Piggy is looking for a home.” Move the toy around and then place it into the box. Encourage the infant to search for the toy pig.
Another day, when an infant has become familiar with the game, encourage the infant to hide or cover himself/herself. Pretend to look for the infant in one place before you find him/her. Example: (Searching.) “Is piggy under our chair?” (Pause.) “Here you are, piggy!” For infants, closing their eyes or covering their eyes is the same as hiding.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: familiar and novel toys, small balls, shallow bowls, animal and people figures, small boxes, peek-a-boo books (such as Baby Faces Peekaboo and books with flaps)
Provide both familiar toys and novel items for infants to explore, such as small balls in shallow bowls. Sit next to an infant and partially cover a toy that is within sight. Uncover the toy as you say “Here it is” or “Peek-a-boo!” Place several small toys under lightweight containers for infants to discover as they move around the room. Place animal figures and people figures in small boxes or enclosures that serve as houses. Share peek-a-boo books with infants.
Materials Needed: animal figures in a toy barn, toy, felt square, heavy paper
Toddlers are likely to enjoy the materials and activities suggested in the Interest Area. Offer a theme-based approach to hiding toys for toddlers, such as covering animal figures with felt squares.
Preschool-age children will enjoy finding items hidden in your setting. If preschool children recognize the first letter of their names, cut capital letters from heavy paper and hide them in the indoor play space.
Toddlers and preschool-age children often enjoy the “Paw Paw Patch” game and song. Two children from the gathering hide and another pair of children search for them. The song asks “Where oh, where are (child) and (child). Way down yonder in the paw paw patch.” The song can be found on the Internet. Pair each toddler with a preschool-age child. Older children may be interested to know a paw-paw is a large native fruit of North America. It grows throughout Appalachia.
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