TinyStepper

Peekaboo Face Parade

At a glance: Peek-a-boo with different expressions — surprised, happy, silly — building facial recognition and anticipation. A 5-minute, low-energy indoor activity for ages 12m–20m. No prep needed.

Built by a parent of toddlersBest for 12m-20m

Field-tested ideas shaped by direct parenting experience and advice from reputable sources, including NHS Best Start in Life and NSPCC child development research.

12m–20m5 minslow energyindoornone messNo prep

Play peek-a-boo but with a twist: each time you reveal your face, show a different expression. Surprised with wide eyes. Happy with a big smile. Silly with tongue out. Name each one: 'Surprised!' This combines the anticipation of peek-a-boo with vocabulary for emotions — and babies love the surprise of not knowing which face comes next.

Best for this moment

for calmer, lower-pressure moments, especially when you need an indoor option.

Parent tip

Start before you overthink it. No-prep activities work best when you begin while the moment is still recoverable.

What success looks like

A good outcome is a few minutes of engaged play, some back-and-forth with you, and a small sign of progress in emotional regulation.

More help for this situation

Instructions

Get ready
  • Sit face-to-face with baby
  • Cover your face with both hands
  1. Sit face-to-face with baby
  2. Cover your face with both hands
  3. Say 'Where's Mummy/Daddy?'
  4. Wait 2-3 seconds (build anticipation)
  5. Reveal with a BIG expression — 'SURPRISE!' or 'HAPPY!' or 'SILLY!'
  6. Name the expression: 'That was my surprised face!'
  7. Repeat with a different face each time

Why it helps

Peek-a-boo teaches object permanence and anticipation — key cognitive building blocks. Adding different expressions introduces emotion vocabulary early. The pause before the reveal creates a natural 'wait time' that encourages babies to vocalise in anticipation. Speech and Language UK highlight face-to-face interaction as foundational to early communication development.

Variations

  • Use a muslin or scarf instead of hands for a bigger reveal.
  • Let baby cover YOUR face and you make the expression when they pull the cloth away.
  • Add sounds to each face — gasp for surprised, giggle for happy, raspberry for silly.

Safety tips

  • Never cover baby's face with fabric — only your own.
  • Watch for overstimulation — if baby looks away, pause.
  • Keep the game gentle — sudden loud reveals can startle sensitive babies.

When to pause and seek extra support

Stop if your child becomes distressed, unsafe, or consistently frustrated by the activity. If play, behaviour, or development worries keep showing up across settings, check in with a qualified professional.

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