28 Five Ways to Teach Object Permanence

Five Ways To Teach Object Permanence

By Speech Therapy Teacher

Object permanence refers to a child's understanding that an object continues to exist even when it is out of sight. This is an important cognitive milestone that typically develops in infants between the ages of 4-7 months.

Here are some strategies you can use to teach object permanence to infants:

Play Peek-a-boo: Peek-a-boo is a simple game that involves covering your face with your hands and then revealing it while saying "Peek-a-boo!" Infants are delighted by this game and it helps them understand that objects (in this case, your face) still exist even when they can't see them.

Hide and Seek: Another game that can help teach object permanence is hide and seek. Hide a toy or object under a blanket or pillow and then let your child search for it. When they find it, make sure to reinforce the idea that the object was still there even when they couldn't see it.

Play with nesting toys: Nesting toys are toys that fit inside each other, like Russian nesting dolls. These toys can help teach object permanence because the child can see that even though the smaller toy is hidden inside the larger one, it still exists.

Use object permanence toys: There are many toys specifically designed to help teach object permanence. These toys typically involve objects that disappear and reappear, like jack-in-the-boxes or pop-up toys.

Practice repetition: Repeating activities that reinforce object permanence, such as playing peek-a-boo or hide and seek, can help reinforce the concept in the child's mind.

Remember that teaching object permanence takes time and repetition. Be patient and have fun with your child as you help them develop this important cognitive skill.