A PARENTING expert has revealed the hidden reason why a popular baby game is so important to play.
Speaking to Jamie Laing on his podcast, Great Company, Dr Aliza Pressman warns parents to never skip the game.
She explained why playing the Peek-a-boo game with your children is so important for their emotional development.
This is a simple game of hide-and-seek played with infants, where one player hides their face and then reveals it while saying “Peek-a-boo!” or a similar phrase.
The baby expert said: “If you show a six-month-old a pair of glasses on the table, and you cover them with a napkin, they like to move on.
“They don't realise that it's there anymore.”
Dr Aliza explained that babies don’t have object permanence.
“Object permanence is your cognitive capacity to understand that things and people, person permanence, exist even when they're not with you,” she explains.
“And so when you're nine months old, ten months old, and certainly by eleven months, you have object and person permanence.
“So now if I'm a baby looking at the glasses and my dad covers the glasses up with a napkin, I'm going to lift up the napkin and find the glasses.
“And when my mum or dad goes ‘Peek-a-boo’, they're saying, I'm gone. I'm back. I'm gone. I'm back.”
Dr Aliza emphasises how this means babies are exercising the muscle in the brain for them to note that “I always come back.”
She continues: “That's why it's such a really important game to play with kids. And that's why they love it.
“No one is tricking you or sneaking out on you.
“It makes you trust. It just teaches you, like you grow that muscle that people still exist even when they go away.”
The podcast video, which was shared on the @greatcompanypodcast TikTok page, received 1.3 million views, with over 340 people rushing to the comments section to share their thoughts.
One wrote: “It's incredibly important for any adult to interact with babies and toddlers.
“They learn more in those first two years than they'll ever learn in their life.”
A second added: “My baby absolutely loves peekaboo. Love this.”
A third commented: “As someone raising three children under two years old, she is absolutely right. It makes more sense now.”;
More parenting hacks
IF you want to make your life easier as a first-time mum, here's nine hacks you won't want to miss.
1. Routine Charts
Create visual charts for daily routines. Use pictures and stickers to make them engaging for younger children.
2. Meal Planning
Plan meals a week in advance to save time and reduce stress. Involve your children in meal prep to teach them cooking skills.
3. Toy Rotation
Keep a portion of toys stored away and rotate them periodically. This keeps playtime fresh and exciting without the need for constant new purchases.
4. DIY Cleaning Solutions
Make child-safe cleaning solutions using vinegar and baking soda. It’s effective and keeps harsh chemicals away from little hands.
5. Time-Out Jar
Create a time-out jar filled with calming activities written on slips of paper. When emotions run high, children can pick an activity to help them settle down.
6. Educational Apps
Utilise educational apps and websites to make screen time productive. Look for ones that offer interactive learning in subjects your child is interested in.
7. Command Centre
Set up a family command centre with a calendar, key hooks, and a bulletin board. It helps keep everyone organised and aware of daily schedules.
8. Emergency Kit
Keep a small emergency kit in the car with essentials like snacks, water, first aid supplies, and a change of clothes. It’s a lifesaver for unexpected situations.
9. Label Everything
Use labels for clothes, school supplies, and lunch boxes. It makes it easier to keep track of belongings, especially in shared spaces like schools.
