Flap Door Peekaboo

What you need

• delivery box
• chunky toys

How to do it

1. Cut a flap into the side of a small delivery box, hinged along one edge, so it swings open and shut.
2. Hide a chunky toy behind the flap and knock before opening it to reveal the toy. Anything that fits through a toilet roll tube is too small.
3. Let your toddler close the flap themselves and open it again to find the toy.
4. Swap in a different chunky toy each time they close the flap.

Why it matters

Opening a flap to find a toy waiting behind it is a gentle peekaboo that toddlers can control themselves, unlike a game where the surprise is out of their hands. The delivery box gets one more game before it flattens into the recycling.

What they're learning

Cause and effect

Opening the flap and finding the toy waiting there is a clear, repeatable result.

Listening

Waiting for the knock before the flap opens practises attentive listening.

Focus & persistence

Opening and closing the flap again and again keeps them on the same small task.

What to look for

Watch for them pausing before opening the flap, as if guessing what might be behind it.

A tip

Cut the flap's edges smooth and check the hinge does not pinch little fingers as it swings.

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