Parent tip
Start before you overthink it. No-prep activities work best when you begin while the moment is still recoverable.
Peekaboo Corners
Peep around door frames and furniture, taking turns to surprise each other.
Activity details
Instructions
- Position yourself behind a door frame or piece of furniture
- Peep your head out and say 'Boo!' with a big smile
- Duck back and wait — listen for approaching footsteps
- Peep from a different side: 'Where did I go? Over HERE!'
- When they find you, scoop them up or give a big tickle
- Say 'Your turn to hide!' and cover your eyes dramatically
- Search with exaggerated looking: 'Where could they be?'
- Find them with delighted surprise, even if they're in plain sight
What success looks like
Intense focus, even briefly. Watch for the small ‘aha’ moment when they figure out how something works.
Hide behind a door frame or armchair and peep out at your toddler, then disappear again. They'll toddle over to find you — or hide themselves for you to discover. This extended peek-a-boo uses the home environment itself as the hiding tool, building spatial awareness and strengthening the secure attachment bond through playful separation and reunion cycles.
Why it helps
The EYFS framework highlights spatial awareness and positional understanding as key areas of mathematical and physical development in the early years. Extended peek-a-boo practises separation and reunion in a safe, playful context — directly supporting secure attachment. For toddlers experiencing separation anxiety, these repeated cycles of 'gone and back' reinforce the understanding that people return. The spatial element adds a cognitive layer as children learn to predict where you might appear and track movement around obstacles.
Variations
- Peep around outdoor objects — trees, fences, parked cars — on a walk.
- Use a large cardboard box as a pop-up peeping station.
- For two toddlers, have them both hide and take turns jumping out to surprise you.
Safety tips
- Check behind doors for finger-trap risks — use door stops if needed.
- Ensure furniture used for hiding is stable and won't topple if leaned on.
- Keep the game light — if your toddler becomes genuinely distressed at not finding you, reveal yourself immediately.
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