Guess Who It Is
Knock, peek, and ask who is hiding. Each turn of the page brings a playful reveal.
- 6 months
- Quick prep
- At home
- About 5 minutes
Developmental benefits
- Language：Interactive book features and your playful performance invite your baby to respond to the pictures and experience reading as an enjoyable exchange.
- Social/Emotional：Playing peekaboo and reading together creates a warm, predictable interaction with a familiar adult.
Preparation
What You’ll Need
- 1
Hide-and-seek book
Step 1
Start with Peekaboo
Peek-through board books are especially engaging for young babies. Before reading, hide your face behind the book and peek out again. This playful introduction helps your baby discover that books can be fun.
What to notice
- Pats the page and explores the book
Emergent Literacy - Looks for Dad after seeing him hide behind the book
Memory
Tips
- Let your baby pat the page, touch the opening, or explore the sturdy book with their mouth.
- Choose a sturdy board book with smooth corners that can withstand grabbing, rubbing, and mouthing.
Step 2
Who Is Behind the Opening?
Once the interactive book has caught your baby’s attention, begin reading together. Each time an animal or character appears, bring it to life with an expressive face or sound. Follow your baby’s smiles, looks, and sounds so reading becomes a back-and-forth game.
What to notice
- Turns the page and looks for what comes next Emergent Literacy
- Watches Dad perform and giggles
Relationships with Adults
Tips
- Use a lively face and voice: “Wow—who could it be?”
- Covering and revealing a character through the opening works like a small game of peekaboo.
Step 3
The Baby in the Mirror
If the final page has a mirror, look into it together and let your baby become the last surprise in the book. When you are finished, close the book gently and use a simple ending phrase or gesture.
What to notice
- Shows strong interest in their reflection
Sense of Identity and Belonging - Waves at their reflection with your help
Exploration and Discovery
Tips
- Seeing you read regularly helps make books a familiar part of family life.
- If one page interests your baby, stay there and revisit it. Following their attention matters more than reading every page in order.
- A young baby may engage only briefly and then pause. Let the reading follow their attention.
- Use the same ending each time, such as, “All done,” or a small wave.
Better Parenting Content Team · Updated September 11, 2026