Have you ever played peek-a-boo with your child? They think you’re a magician when you reappear from behind your hands and want to keep seeing it happen over and over again. While it’s all fun and games, you are also teaching your child an important concept, called “object permanence.”

What is Object Permanence?

Put simply, object permanence is the idea of knowing that objects still exist even if you can’t see or hear them. Object permanence was originally developed by Jean Piaget, a psychologist who specialized in the theory of cognitive development and intellectual development of children.

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• • Object Permanence Examples
  • How to Teach Object Permanence

When Does Object Permanence Develop?

Object permanence is an important developmental milestone that your infant will learn by age one. Most babies begin to understand object permanence between 4 to 7 months, and by around 8 to 12 months, many will start actively looking for hidden objects. For example, if you hide their favorite toy under a blanket and they try to uncover it—that’s object permanence in action!

Object permanence is the first step to other types of understanding and reasoning, such as pretend play, language development, and memory development, which will advance later in life.

Recognizing Object Permanence: Real-Life Examples by Age

Object permanence may sound abstract, but it shows up in everyday moments. Here’s how it can look at different developmental stages:

Infants (4–12 months):

• A baby drops a toy off the high chair and looks down, expecting it to still be there.
• They cry when a parent leaves the room, because they understand the parent still exists, even if not visible.

Toddlers (1–2 years):

• A toddler walks to another room to find a toy they played with earlier.
• They open a drawer or cupboard, remembering that something was stored there.

Preschoolers and Young Children (2–5 years):

• A child asks where a sibling or friend is if they’re not in the room.
• They express frustration when something is misplaced, showing they expect it to still exist and be accessible.

These examples demonstrate how object permanence evolves from basic recognition to more complex memory and reasoning. It also lays the groundwork for emotional development, such as managing separation and understanding cause and effect.

Object Permanence Activities to Try at Home

Some classic ways to teach and help your child understand object permanence:

• Peek-a-boo
• Cover your head with a blanket or pillow and move closer to your child. See if they attempt to remove the blanket or obstruction to find you again!
• Hiding some of their favorite toys under a blanket: See if your child attempts to remove the blanket on their own to uncover the toy.
• Books with pop-ups or flaps: These objects are not apparent when the page opens; encourage the child to uncover the hidden secrets!

• Related reading: 5 Must-Have Toddler Books Recommended by an SLP

Tips for Supporting Children

If your child has trouble remembering where things are or becomes upset when something or someone is out of sight, they may need extra help developing object permanence. Here are a few simple strategies you can try at home:

• Use Visual Reminders: Keep important items like toys, toothbrushes, or clothes in the same visible spot so your child knows where to find them.
• Try a Visual Schedule: A visual schedule shows your child what to expect during the day using pictures and symbols. It helps build memory and reduces anxiety by making routines more predictable.
• Keep a Consistent Routine: Doing the same activities at the same time each day, like bedtime, snack time, or cleanup, can help your child feel more secure and build memory skills.
• Play Games That Reinforce Object Permanence: Games like peek-a-boo, hide-and-seek, or hiding toys under a blanket encourage your child to look for things they can’t see right away.
• Practice Clean-Up Together: Help your child put things back in the same place every time. This can reduce frustration when something is “missing” and help them learn that it still exists even if they can’t see it.
• Offer Gentle Reassurance: If your child gets upset when you leave the room, let them know you’ll come back. Say things like, “I’m just in the kitchen—I’ll be right back!”
• Exercise: Regular mobility has great effects on memory and cognitive abilities. Remember, you can always improve your memory!

Find Additional Resources in the NAPA Blog:

• 35 Fine Motor Activities: Our Therapists’ Ultimate List
• 5 Ways Parallel Play Can Benefit Your Child
• Pre-Intentional and Prelinguistic Communication
• 18-Month Speech Milestones & 5 Strategies to Help
• 5 Core Exercises for Kids to Improve Strength & Stability
• Encourage Your Baby or Toddler to Squat With These 5 Exercises
• Gross Motor Development for Infants and Toddlers
• Object Permanence and ADHD: Is There a Connection?

About NAPA Center

At NAPA Center, we take an individualized approach to pediatric therapy because we understand that each child is unique with very specific needs. We embrace differences with an understanding that individualized programs work better. For this reason, no two therapeutic programs are alike. If your child needs our services, we will work closely with you to select the best therapies for them, creating a customized program specific to your child’s needs and your family’s goals. Let your child’s journey begin today by contacting us to learn more.

About the Author

Serena Patel is a pediatric physical therapist at NAPA Center Los Angeles who received her DPT from Duke University. Outside of her love for kiddos, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her friends and family, reading or baking delicious goodies. Having been trained in dance, she also appreciates sharing her passion with other kids through teaching occasional classes at her old studio!