FM.C.24 FINDS A PARTLY HIDDEN TOY

A very young baby cannot recognise an object when its shape is changed by an obstacle partly shielding it from view. The baby responds as if the original object no longer exists. This activity helps the child to learn that the object is still there – still the same – even when he can’t see it all.

How to Assess

Materials: A favourite toy and a plain cloth – preferably a familiar cloth in which your child shows little interest.

Method: After playing with the toy, cover half of it with the cloth.

Score plus if your child retrieves the toy from under the cloth, and looks at the toy, rather than the cloth.

How to Teach

Materials are important here. You will need interesting, favoured toys and uninteresting cloths. You may have to experiment to find the right cloth. Some babies have found every sort of cloth fascinating and we have used cardboard or sections of ice-cream containers instead. The latter can be held firmly and the child taught to reach behind them.

Teach by repeated demonstration and physical assistance, withdrawing your help gradually. You can start by hiding only a small fraction of the toy, building up until half of it is hidden. Take time to get a game going with the toy first, so that your child will want to find it.

Playtime and Round-the-house Activities

This can be practised with all sorts of things all around the house. Try putting Teddy halfway under the blankets in bed or half-burying something in the sandpit or pushing a toy car halfway under the living-room rug.

Remembering and Extending

When your child has mastered this skill, you can move on to the next activity in this sequence, and look as well at FM.C.26. You can work on these 2 activities at the same time if you wish.