Peek-a-boo with smiles
6–12 monthsEmotional WellbeingMaterials: Soft cloth or your hands
Play peek-a-boo using your hands or a soft cloth. Each time you reveal your face, smile warmly and use an upbeat tone to say "I see you" or "There you are." This teaches object permanence while creating joyful anticipation that good things happen even after brief absences.
Part of the Imprint developmental journey — personalized to your child.
How to Do This Activity
Play peek-a-boo using your hands or a soft cloth. Each time you reveal your face, smile warmly and use an upbeat tone to say "I see you" or "There you are." This teaches object permanence while creating joyful anticipation that good things happen even after brief absences.
Why It Works
Repeated positive experiences during peek-a-boo help infants develop expectations that good outcomes follow uncertainty. This pattern-building through repetition creates neural pathways associated with positive anticipation. Research shows that optimistic expectations formed early through reliable positive experiences contribute to resilience and better health outcomes throughout life (Rasmussen, H. N., Scheier, M. F., & Greenhouse, J. B. (2009). Optimism and physical health: A meta-analytic review. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 37(3), 239-256.).
Tips for Parents
Start with brief hiding periods of just one or two seconds. Your child's attention span is still developing.
Keep your expression positive and reassuring when you reappear. This reinforces that separations end happily.
Let your child initiate the game sometimes by covering their own face. Respond with delight when they do.
Materials Needed
Soft cloth or your hands
Learning Methods
Responsive InteractionRepetition and Routine
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