Toy Hide and Seek
Parent hides toys around the room and encourages child to find them, observing how child searches for hidden objects. The agent coaches the parent to notice object permanence development, problem-solving strategies, and early communication attempts — building cognitive flexibility and interactive play skills.
Opens a guided voice session in TogetherTime.
What you'll need
Child sitting or crawling in a safe play area. Parent with 3-5 small toys that child recognizes. Clear floor space where toys can be partially hidden under blankets, behind cushions, or under other objects. Child should be alert and engaged.
How it works
- 1~30s
Let's start with your child watching you. Take one toy and hide it partially under a blanket or behind a cushion — make sure part of it is still visible. Say 'Where did the toy go? Can you find it?' Watch how your child responds. Does they look toward the hiding spot? Does they try to retrieve it? Tell me what you notice.
Watch for: Child searches for partially hidden toy by looking toward hiding spot and attempting to retrieve it.
- 2~40s
Now let's make it a bit more challenging. While your child is watching, completely hide a toy under a blanket or inside a container. Make sure they sees where you put it. Ask again 'Where did it go? Can you find it?' Watch carefully — does your child remember where you hid it? Does they lift the blanket or open the container to retrieve it?
Watch for: Child remembers location of fully hidden toy and retrieves it by removing covering or opening container.
- 3~45s
Let's add a communication element. Each time your child finds a toy, make a fun sound like 'Ha!' or 'Ta-da!' and see if they tries to imitate you. You can also hide a toy without your child watching — turn away briefly or use a distraction. Then ask them to help you look. Notice if your child points to possible hiding spots or uses vocalizations to communicate during the search.
Watch for: Child attempts to imitate parent's sounds or gestures during the finding celebration.