Hide and seek marvels

What you need

• A comfortable place to sit if playing with a younger baby.
• Indoor or outdoor space with simple hiding places (e.g. furniture, trees, shrubs) if playing with older children who are on the move!

Benefits

This activity helps your baby to develop gross motor control in their hands, as well as the ability to track movement with their eyes and read the environment spatially. With basic hide-and-seek, it introduces the task of problem-solving by analysing the environment.

The experience

Sit with your baby and play peek-a-boo by hiding your face behind your hands. Once your child knows the game, encourage them to use their hands and lead the play. Progress to hiding behind furniture (indoor) or trees and shrubs (outdoor) and moving in and out of hiding while saying “Peek-a-boo!”

With older babies who are walking confidently, progress to a simple version of hide-and-seek where you and your child take turns covering your eyes while the other hides. When you hide, be sure to make little noises so your little one can find you without much difficulty.