Lift-the-Flap Books - Exploring hidden pictures at story time

What you need  

• A lift-the-flap book (Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell or Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill are great)  

The steps 

• Read a lift-the-flap book with your baby; watch how they react and enjoy their excitement.  
• Keep your baby’s interest by reacting with surprise to the things you discover.   

• Your baby will quickly learn what is behind each flap and won’t tire of doing this with you time and again.  
• Try using different voices and at different speeds, especially if you’re reading a favourite book over and over.  

Benefits for your baby 

• Your baby has grown to understand that things and people exist even when they can’t actually see them at a given moment; they’re learning to anticipate what is going to happen next, based on experience.   

Building on 

• Add a personal touch to a lift-the-flap book by using masking tape to secure photos of your family, friends, pets or other things your baby likes to look at under each flap. They will enjoy uncovering the familiar faces as they open each flap! (Always supervise your baby with this activity, as they may be able to peel the photosaway from the page. Ensure they do not put them in their mouths.)