How to Develop Object Permanence in Infants: Top Books, Toys, & Games

Object permanence is a foundational concept in early cognitive development that plays a critical role in how children understand the world. It refers to a child’s ability to recognize that objects continue to exist even when they are not directly visible, audible, or otherwise detectable. This skill, first introduced by Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget in the 20th century, marks a significant shift in how babies perceive their environment, impacting everything from memory and problem-solving to emotional development.

What is Object Permanence?

At its core, object permanence is the understanding that objects persist in time and space, even when they are out of sight. Piaget, who coined the term, suggested that this cognitive skill begins to develop during the sensorimotor stage, between birth and two years of age. In this phase, babies transition from merely reacting to stimuli to forming mental representations of their environment.

Before achieving object permanence, infants operate under the notion of “out of sight, out of mind,” which is why young babies might not look for a toy that’s been covered by a blanket. Once object permanence starts to solidify, the child begins to realize that the toy still exists, even though it is hidden.

When Do Babies Develop Object Permanence?

The development of object permanence typically occurs between 6 and 12 months of age, although there is variation based on the individual child. Piaget described the process in terms of six sensorimotor sub-stages, each representing a gradual increase in the child’s understanding of their world.

Stages of Object Permanence Development According to Piaget:

1. Reflexive Actions (0-1 month):
   At this stage, newborns operate purely through reflexes (e.g., sucking, grasping). Babies have no understanding of object permanence. If an object leaves their line of sight, they do not search for it because they don’t realize it continues to exist.
2. Primary Circular Reactions (1-4 months):
   Infants start to coordinate their body movements with sensory input. For example, they may accidentally wiggle their fingers and become interested in the movement. They begin to track objects with their eyes but still do not search for objects that are out of view.
3. Secondary Circular Reactions (4-8 months):
   Babies begin to purposefully repeat actions that involve external objects (e.g., shaking a rattle to hear the noise). While they may look for partially hidden objects, they do not fully understand that hidden objects still exist.
4. Coordination of Secondary Schemas (8-12 months):
   This stage marks the true development of object permanence. Babies will now search for hidden objects and begin to understand cause and effect. For instance, if a toy is hidden under a blanket, they will lift the blanket to find it, showing that they understand the toy is still there, even if they cannot see it.
5. Tertiary Circular Reactions (12-18 months):
   Babies engage in trial-and-error experimentation, testing the limits of their understanding of the world. If an object is hidden and then moved, they may search in multiple places to find it, demonstrating more advanced object permanence and problem-solving skills.
6. Mental Representation (18-24 months):
   In this final sub-stage, toddlers can form mental images of objects and events. They begin to engage in pretend play, and even when something is out of sight, they can visualize it. This stage signifies the full development of object permanence, as toddlers now understand that objects and people exist independently of their immediate experiences.

How Object Permanence Affects Emotional Development

The development of object permanence has a profound effect on a child’s emotional world. As babies start to understand that their caregivers exist even when they leave the room, they may experience separation anxiety, a natural emotional response where the baby becomes distressed when apart from familiar people. This phase reflects the child’s growing understanding of permanence and attachment.

At the same time, object permanence fosters a sense of trust and security. Babies realize that their caregivers will return, which helps in building emotional resilience and confidence over time.

Early Signs of Object Permanence in Infants

Babies often display early signs of developing object permanence through various behaviors, such as:

• Reaching for a toy under a blanket: Even if they can’t see the object, they know it’s there.
• Searching for dropped items: If an object is dropped or rolls out of sight, the child may look around for it.
• Following a hidden toy: The baby’s eyes track the path of an object, even when it moves out of view.

Activities to Encourage Object Permanence in Infants

Simple, interactive activities can greatly encourage the development of object permanence. These games not only stimulate cognitive growth but also strengthen the child’s emotional bond with their caregiver.

Peek-a-Boo: One of the most common and effective games for fostering object permanence. The game demonstrates the principle that even though you disappear behind your hands, you haven’t gone away permanently. Babies enjoy the surprise element and begin to grasp the idea of existence beyond sight.

Hide-and-Seek with Toys: Hiding toys under blankets or behind furniture can challenge babies to find them, reinforcing the idea that hidden objects can be sought out and retrieved.

Using Transparent Covers: Clear or semi-transparent covers for toys help children understand the concept that the object is still there, even if slightly obscured, promoting gradual cognitive development.

Age-Appropriate Toys to Build Object Permanence

Introducing toys that are designed to promote object permanence can significantly help babies practice this skill. Below are some excellent choices:

1. Melissa & Doug Deluxe Pounding Bench
   This toy helps children develop object permanence as they hammer colorful pegs that pop up and down. Even when a peg disappears, children can hit it again to make it reappear, reinforcing the concept of continuity.
2. Tolo Toys Rolling Ball Shape Sorter
   This rolling ball allows children to insert shapes, which then reappear as the ball is rolled. The disappearing and reappearing shapes help toddlers understand object permanence, while also working on fine motor skills.
3. Fisher-Price Baby’s First Blocks
   This classic shape sorter has colorful blocks that babies can drop into the box and retrieve by removing the lid. The process of hiding and retrieving helps develop object permanence and problem-solving skills.
4. Hape Pound & Tap Bench with Xylophone
   Children pound balls through holes, which then roll down a xylophone to make sounds. The toy teaches cause and effect as well as object permanence, as the ball appears after being hit through the hole.
5. Lamaze Peek-A-Boo Forest Soft Book
   This soft, interactive book has peek-a-boo flaps on every page, featuring forest animals hiding and reappearing. The tactile nature of the flaps helps babies practice object permanence while engaging with soft textures.
6. Melissa & Doug Hide & Seek Wooden Activity Board
   This wooden board features different doors that open to reveal hidden surprises. Babies and toddlers practice object permanence by opening the doors and finding the objects underneath, engaging their curiosity and memory.
7. O Ball Rattle & Roll Car
   The open design of this toy car makes it easy for babies to grasp, and the rattling beads inside make noise as it moves. Rolling the car away and watching it disappear from sight helps babies understand object permanence as they seek it out again.
8. Pop-Up Toys (e.g., Playskool Poppin’ Pals)
   These toys feature buttons, levers, and switches that babies can press to make animals pop up. The repetitive action of the animals appearing and disappearing helps reinforce the idea that objects continue to exist even when they’re hidden.
9. Nuby Octopus Hoopla Bathtime Fun
   This floating octopus and ring-toss game is perfect for bath time. The octopus may disappear under water or behind bubbles, only to reappear when the water moves, helping children practice object permanence in a different setting.
10. Montessori Object Permanence Box with Drawer
    This wooden box is a Montessori toy designed specifically to help children develop object permanence. Babies drop a ball into the top of the box, and it rolls into a drawer, which they can then open to retrieve the ball.
11. Manhattan Toy Tree Top Adventure Activity Center
    This multi-functional toy has sliding beads and doors to open and close, encouraging babies to explore and understand that objects can move out of sight but still exist.
12. Playskool Busy Ball Popper
    This toy launches balls into the air, and babies can chase after them as they disappear and reappear. The repetitive action teaches object permanence while keeping babies engaged with active play.
13. Fat Brain Toys Dimpl
    This simple but engaging toy has silicone bubbles that children can pop in and out. The bubbles disappear as they’re pressed in and reappear when flipped, teaching cause and effect alongside object permanence.
14. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Piggy Bank
    Toddlers drop coins into the piggy bank and hear songs or phrases as the coins disappear inside. When the piggy bank is opened, the coins reappear, reinforcing object permanence and introducing early counting skills.
15. Melissa & Doug Animal Rescue Shape Sorting Truck
    This wooden truck comes with animal figures that children can fit into matching shape slots. As they load and unload the truck, they practice object permanence while developing their hand-eye coordination.

Books That Help Strengthen Object Permanence

Books that involve flaps, hidden objects, or repetitive actions are excellent tools to help children build object permanence. Some recommended titles include:

1. “Where’s Spot?” by Eric Hill: A classic lift-the-flap book that encourages children to search for the dog Spot, reinforcing the idea of hidden objects. (Buy Where’s Spot on Amazon using this link)
2. “Peek-a-Who?” by Nina Laden: This book combines colorful illustrations with peek-through holes, creating opportunities for the baby to anticipate what’s coming next.
3. “Dear Zoo” by Rod Campbell: A story with flaps that reveal animals hidden behind crates, encouraging children to interact and learn about hidden objects.
4. “Peekaboo Morning” by Rachel Isadora: This delightful board book shows a child playing peekaboo throughout their morning routine, with various family members. The repetitive nature of the game makes it fun for babies while reinforcing object permanence.
5. “Where Is Baby’s Belly Button?” by Karen Katz: This lift-the-flap book is perfect for young children, as it combines body parts with object permanence, encouraging babies to lift flaps and find the hidden items. The simple, colorful illustrations appeal to infants.
6. “Hug” by Jez Alborough: This nearly wordless book features a baby chimp searching for a hug from its mother. The narrative encourages babies to follow the character’s journey, practicing object permanence as the mother appears after being out of sight.
7. “Guess How Much I Love You” by Sam McBratney: Although not an interactive book, this story about Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare promotes emotional security, reinforcing the idea that love and relationships persist even when people aren’t immediately visible.
8. “Pip and Posy: The Little Puddle” by Axel Scheffler: Part of a series, this book presents simple stories about toddler life and experiences, helping children learn that familiar objects and people continue to exist when they’re out of sight.
9. “The Very Busy Spider” by Eric Carle: While not a traditional peekaboo book, this tactile book allows children to feel the web the spider spins as she works. The repetitive images and the spider’s constant presence help reinforce concepts of continuity and object permanence.
10. “Spot Goes to the Farm” by Eric Hill: Another great lift-the-flap book, this story follows Spot as he explores the farm and looks for animals. The interactive flaps help build object permanence as children repeatedly lift and find hidden animals.
11. “What’s in My Truck?” by Roger Priddy: This board book features big, bright trucks and hidden surprises. Children love lifting the flaps to find out what each truck carries, practicing object permanence in a fun and engaging way.
12. “Who’s Hiding?” by Satoru Onishi: In this highly visual book, animals hide and reappear, helping children practice recognition and tracking skills, key to developing object permanence.
13. “Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown: This classic bedtime story helps children understand that even though the objects in the room (and eventually the moon) “disappear” when it’s time for bed, they will return the next day.

Games and Interactive Play to Foster Object Permanence

Interactive play is essential for developing object permanence. Some effective games include:

1. “Where’s the Toy?”: Hiding a toy under a cloth and encouraging the child to find it can engage their cognitive skills in locating hidden items.
2. Box Hiding Games: Using boxes or containers to hide objects encourages children to remember where they placed things, reinforcing memory and object permanence.

The Role of Caregivers in Strengthening Object Permanence

Caregivers play a pivotal role in helping children develop object permanence. Responsive caregiving, such as consistently engaging with your child in games like peek-a-boo or providing toys that challenge their understanding of hidden objects, fosters a sense of security and trust. Additionally, maintaining consistent routines helps reinforce the permanence of people and objects, helping babies understand that they can rely on familiar faces and surroundings.

Challenges and Delays in Developing Object Permanence

While most babies develop object permanence naturally between 6 to 12 months, some may experience delays. Signs of developmental delays include a lack of interest in searching for hidden objects or difficulty understanding that people and things continue to exist when not visible. If a child isn’t showing progress by 12 to 18 months, it may be useful to consult a pediatrician or child development specialist to assess for potential cognitive or sensory issues.

How Object Permanence Links to Later Skills

The mastery of object permanence sets the stage for several advanced skills. Once babies understand that things exist even when unseen, they begin to develop language skills, as words and concepts take on meaning even when the object isn’t present. Additionally, problem-solving skills emerge as children learn to retrieve objects, while early memory skills grow through repeated games and interactions.