Peekaboo, Hello!
What you need
- a light scarf or a small blanket
How to do it
- Hide your face behind a scarf.
- Pull it away and say 'hello!' with a big smile.
- Hide again and say 'bye-bye!'
- Swap round and let them hide. Say 'hello!' every time they appear.
Why it matters
Peekaboo is a goodbye and a hello over and over again, which is why toddlers love it, and it gives the words a place in the game.
What they're learning
- Hello and bye
- Going away and coming back is the whole idea behind a greeting, played as a game.
- Taking turns
- Your hide, then theirs: the back and forth of a conversation.
- Things come back
- Knowing that someone who disappears will reappear is real, reassuring understanding.
What to look for
Watch for them pulling the scarf off and saying it before you do.
A tip
Use something light and see-through enough that they're never covered by anything heavy, and keep it in your hands, not theirs, when you're not playing.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: stick to the hello when you reappear
Harder: let them do the hiding and the hello themselves
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Quiet & calm activities · Activities for 1 year olds · Activities for 18 month olds · Toddler activities with a blanket