Where Is It?

Your Child Will Learn

Persistence (using problem-solving to master a new skill)

While I’m watching, hide a small toy or piece of food in your fist. Move your fist under a cloth, and leave the item under the cloth. Try to hide the item in a way that I can’t see or hear you leaving it under the cloth.
Place your empty fist next to the cloth. Ask, “Where is it?”
I’ll probably look in your hand first. When I realize the object isn’t there anymore, I should look under the cloth. If not, help me find the object. Cheer when I find it!
Repeat. Try hiding different objects, hiding objects in something other than your hand (like a small box or empty toilet paper tube), and covering objects with something besides a cloth (a large box, a blanket, in the sand, in a pocket, etc.).

PAUSE

Make sure I’m making eye contact and looking at the object you’re going to hide.

ENGAGE

“Do you see the cracker? I’m going to put it in my hand right here. Watch my hand.”
“Where is it? Can you find the cracker?”

ENCOURAGE

Give me plenty of searching time. Open your fist when I look toward it or touch it, and give me time to explore the cloth.
Give me hints if needed. Lift up the cloth slightly to let me take a peek, or say, “Look under your napkin” or “Where did I hide my hand?”

REFLECT

After I realized the object wasn’t in your hand, did I figure out the mystery right away? Or did I need some help? Did I keep trying until I understood?

Hide an object under a cover and see if I will lift the cover to find the object.

If I always find the hidden object, make the game harder with these steps:

Step 1: Add an extra cloth lying next to the first cloth. Don’t do anything with this cloth, continue to hide the toy under the same cloth as in the past. Try Step 2 when I consistently go directly to the correct cloth.
Step 2: Play the game with two cloths, but this time alternate which cloth you hide the toy under. As I get more practice with this game, I should always look under the correct cloth first.
Step 3: Play the game using three cloths, and always hide the toy under the same cloth.

They will always be able to find the object after searching your empty hand. If you increase the difficulty, they keep trying to find the object.

10 minutes

Small toy or piece of food; a cloth big enough to cover your hand