Problem-solving, Object inquiry skills
A young infant watches a caregiver manipulate an appealing toy.
Be Prepared: This activity is for a nonmobile infant. Secure one bright, attractive toy the infant does not see daily. Young infants typically prefer to look at bold colors.
Place a nonmobile infant who can hold up his/her head on his/her tummy on the floor in front of you. Another possibility is for you to sit on the floor and place the infant in your lap, facing out, with one of your hands securely holding the infant and your other hand available for manipulating the toy and cloth. Talk with the infant to help him/her feel comfortable.
Hold the toy for the infant to see. Once the infant begins to focus on the toy, move it slowly to the left, then slowly to the right, and then return the toy to a midpoint in front of the infant’s chest. Use short, clear phrases to describe the toy and what the infant is doing. Example: “Jake, you are watching our toy. Our toy is moving.” Acknowledge the infant’s vocalizations and movements.
Put a cloth over the toy while the infant is looking. Tell the infant in your own words the toy still exists but cannot be seen. Example: “Jake, the little toy is under the cloth.” Wait one moment and uncover the toy. Explain that our toy is still here. Example: “Look, Jake. Here is our toy! We can see our toy again!”
Repeat the activity sequence, including slight movements of the toy, if the infant remains interested. Even though the infant does not understand your words, it is important for him/her to hear the language associated with his/her movements and reactions. Positively acknowledge the infant’s efforts to watch the toy move around.
Where you position the infant for the activity has obvious implications for the infant’s experience and your information. Big advantages of placing the infant on his/her tummy are the infant’s ease in seeing you and your face, and your ability to see the infant’s gaze and other reactions. This arrangement will not work for an infant who is just learning to hold up his/her head or an infant who prefers to be physically next to you for the activity.
Infants generally look at novel objects longer than familiar objects. The suggested covering and prompt uncovering of the toy is intended to provide visual interest by temporarily altering the infant’s visual access to the toy. Do not repeat the covering of the toy if it is distressing to the infant. At a later age, infants gradually develop an awareness that an object or person exists even when it cannot be seen (object permanence). This activity option is not designed to promote object permanence (see Options 2 and 3).
If you anticipate the infant may be hesitant to participate in this activity, show a familiar toy first, gently remove it from the infant’s line of vision, and then introduce the less familiar toy.
The infant may move his/her head to keep the toy in sight as you move it from side to side. Be mindful of the infant’s visual tracking as you move the toy. Also, the infant may shift visual focus from the toy to you and then back to the toy. As suggested in an Extra Support tip, jiggle the toy if the infant becomes distracted.
Extra support
Enrichment
Problem-solving
An older infant watches a caregiver cover a toy, with the opportunity to uncover the hidden toy.
Be Prepared: This activity is for an infant who can crawl or is learning to move independently on the floor. Secure a small toy that will be of strong interest to the infant. It can be a favorite toy. Offer the activity in an area of your room with few distractions.
[Sit on the floor facing the infant and invite him/her to play a little game with you. Hold the toy 12–18 inches from the infant and move it in a playful manner. Describe the toy’s movements and the infant’s reactions. Example: “Cici, you are smiling and watching our toy frog hop around. Hop, hop, hop! You are waving your hands.”]
[While the infant is looking, put the toy within reaching distance of the infant and then put the cloth over the toy. Explain what happened. Example: “Frog is under the cloth.” Point to the cloth.
Invite the infant to find the frog. Use gestures and facial expressions with your words. Example: “Where is our frog? Can you find our frog?”
If the infant seems uncertain about the toy’s location or does not remove the cloth, lift the edge of the cloth to show part of the toy. Wait a moment and ask, “Is our frog under the cloth?”
Show excitement at finding the hidden toy. Repeat the game if the infant shows interest.]
[Describe what happened. Example: “We played a game with a toy frog. Our frog found a place to hide. You knew frog was under the cloth and you found it!”]
The activity option supports development of the infant’s awareness of an object existing when it is out of sight (object permanence). There are prior activity plans related to this concept in Blocks 3, 8, 11, and 14. This concept generally begins to develop at about five months of age, but timing varies across infants. If an infant does not react when the toy is out of sight in this activity, you may wish to play a Peek-a-boo game with your face and the cloth. Because object permanence develops gradually, there is no reason to repeat the hiding and uncovering process multiple times in this activity unless the infant shows interest in repetitions. Uncovering the toy will be an exciting action for many infants and some may want to repeat the activity right away.
Extra support
Enrichment
Problem-solving
An older infant searches for a toy hidden in a tube.
Be Prepared: Cut the mailing tube to serve as a tunnel for the small toy car. As an alternative to a tube, use a narrow box with ends cut out.
Sit on the floor with a mobile infant and invite him/her to join you in playing with a pretend tunnel. Show the tube and explain it is a tunnel. Place the tube in front of the infant so the infant sees its long side. (Neither tube end is facing the infant.) Then show the toy car. Roll the car into the tube while the infant is watching. Pause for the infant to react. If the infant offers no nonverbal or verbal response to the car’s disappearance, ask “Where is our car?” with appropriate gestures and facial expression. If the infant does not begin to look for the toy car, tip the tube so part of the toy is exposed.
The infant may crawl to or pick up the tube in order to look into the opening. Picking up the tube may be especially exciting to the infant because lifting the tube will cause the car to roll out. Encourage the infant to roll the car into the tunnel and find it again. Describe the infant’s actions in watching you move the toy and in finding the toy inside the tunnel. Allow ample time for the infant to explore the tube and car.
Generally, infants will be pleased to see the car reappear! Many infants at this age will understand the toy is inside the tube, but it is important to provide extra supports if it seems the infant is uncertain about the toy’s location. Repeat the game if the infant remains interested, keeping in mind that infants enjoy finding hidden objects when they are in the same location each time. In addition to promoting object permanence, the activity’s use of a tube and toy with wheels supports an infant’s exploration of how physical events occur.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: toys, red or black shapes, white card stock, newspaper, small basket or dish, cloth, toy rubber ducks, 5–6 baskets
Make arrangements of 2–3 novel toys each day for infants to see from the floor during tummy time. Example: Three red toys side by side.
Fasten red or black paper shapes to white card stock and attach to the wall for all infants to see when held or carried by a caregiver.
Crinkle a sheet of newsprint paper into a dome shape and place it over a toy for infants to discover. On another day, cover a toy with a small basket or unbreakable dish for discovery.
To support the development of object permanence among infants who can move independently, make a game of finding hidden rubber ducks using five or six baskets, with one toy duck under each. Vary the game with different materials.
Materials Needed: variety of toys and household items: food cartons, small boxes and other containers, tubes, squares of felt, small cars and trucks, 3 colored gift bags, and like objects
In addition to supporting the development of object permanence with Options 2 and 3, provide a variety of toys and household items, such as food cartons, small boxes, and other containers. Demonstrate placing objects inside or under containers and taking them out again.
Offer a variation of Option 3 for toddlers and preschool-age children by placing tubes and squares of felt in the building area with small cars and trucks. Cut the ends from shoeboxes that children may use for tunnels. Also, place an interesting toy in one of three colored gift bags and encourage a toddler to find the toy. Repeat the game, each time hiding the toy in the middle bag.
Preschool-age children will enjoy finding a small object you hide under one of three containers. Consistently hide the toy under the same container and encourage a child to search. It will not take long for the children to discover the secret of the game!
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