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The future happiness of your baby starts with one baby game; do you know it?

Anat Furstenberg

By Anat Furstenberg

BabyPillars·3 min read

The future happiness of your baby starts with one baby game; do you know it?

ecoKey Takeaways

  • check_circlePeekaboo Teaches Object Permanence: This simple game teaches your baby one of their most important early lessons -- that people and things still exist even when they cannot be seen, which directly reduces separation anxiety as your baby grows.
  • check_circleStart from Birth: You can play peekaboo with even a 1-month-old who will enjoy the eye contact and parental engagement, and by around 4 months your baby will truly grasp the concept of object permanence that makes the game so valuable.
  • check_circleMultiple Skills in One Game: A game of peekaboo simultaneously improves your baby's visual tracking, gross motor abilities, social development, and sense of humor -- all while requiring zero equipment and costing nothing.
  • check_circleA Natural Mood Booster: Peekaboo works as a powerful distraction tool for newborns who are tired, grumpy, or fussy -- a cheerful voice and the surprise element of the game can quickly shift your baby from upset to engaged and smiling.
  • check_circleImitation and Motor Learning: As babies play along, they learn to raise their arms and cover their face, practicing the arm and hand movements that come with imitating the adult -- turning a fun moment into a motor skill lesson.

The Old Baby Game That Still Works!

The future happiness of your baby starts with one little game, do you know it? Sounds impossible, right? You don’t believe me, right? Well, this video from Ted Talks presented here will prove to you it’s true and possible:

Well, it’s Peekaboo!

From an early age, infants and young toddlers are drawn to games like Peekaboo. It allows them to socialize with adults while also learning about the permanence of objects. Children can also practice their sense of humor and gross motor abilities while playing this game.

A simple baby game of Peekaboo can be very beneficial to an infant. It gives children the fundamental skill of object permanence, which teaches them that even if they can't see your eyes, nose, or mouth, they are still present. This classic game also teaches infants how to use their arms and hands to emulate the adult in the game by bringing them up to their faces.

Peekaboo, an old favorite, is still one of the best baby games ever devised. Why? Peekaboo engages a baby's senses, improves gross motor abilities, improves visual tracking, promotes social development, and, most importantly, tickles her sense of humor. Peekaboo also teaches object permanence, or the idea that something exists even if she can't see it (like your smiling face).

When can a baby start playing Peekaboo? Peekaboo can be played with newborns and gets more complicated as your child gets older. At roughly 4 months of age, children grasp the notion of Object Permanence, but even a 1-month-old will enjoy the eye contact and parental engagement that a game of Peekaboo gives.

baby game - Peekaboo with a baby

This also allows adults to do something foolish and amusing with the infant, eliciting small bursts of laughter from the child. Although there are electronic toys on the market that play Peekaboo with youngsters, as well as books and puzzles that include the same principles, the classic game requires no resources.

The Advantages of a Peekaboo Baby Game: Peekaboo teaches Object Permanence in a BIG way. What is the definition of Object Permanence? Humans aren't born knowing that people, places, and things exist despite their inability to be seen, smelled, tasted, or touched. When a baby's caregiver leaves the room, it's one of the most common reasons for them to get unhappy or worried.

This game not only teaches skills, but it also functions as an excellent "distraction" tool for newborns who are weary, grumpy, or angry. Infants will become diverted from their unhappiness and participate in if you play this game with a cheerful voice, which will often cheer them up!

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