As your baby begins to understand what experts call "object permanence" (just because your baby can't see something anymore doesn't mean it's not there), you can have fun by playing a simple hiding game.
Appropriate for:
4 months to 1 year
Skills developed:
Concept of object permanence
What you'll need:
A rattle or other small toy; boxes of different sizes
Put one of your baby's rattles or small toys inside a small box. Put the box into a larger box, and so on, until the toy is encased in at least five layers. Set the box-within-a-box-within-a-box in front of your baby and ask, "Where's your toy?"
While your baby is watching, open the first box, take out the next, and ask "Is your toy in here?" as you open that one. Keep going until you open the last one in front of your baby, exclaiming, "Here's your toy!" Then let him or her make a grab for it. Your baby may not understand the layers just yet, but he or she will be mesmerized by the movement and the mystery.