Who Is Missing?

1. 1

   If your child enjoys pretending to be a police officer, turn cleanup into a bedtime patrol. Put on a pretend police hat and check whether every toy has returned to its resting place.

2. 2

   Leave one familiar toy from the day’s play somewhere else.

3. 3

   When your child notices the gap, follow their discovery: “You’re right—the fire truck usually parks here. Where could it be?”

4. 4

   If they do not notice, offer a clue: “Officer, a red vehicle is missing.” Let them think about its color, shape, or where they played with it earlier.

5. 5

   Search together and return the toy to its place. When every toy is home, the bedtime patrol is complete.

6. 6

   Repeat the patrol on other nights so your child becomes familiar with where toys belong and begins returning them after play.

What to notice

• Notices which toy is missing Memory
• Puts all the toys back after playing Initiative and Curiosity

Tips

• Choose toys your child knows and plays with often. Familiar objects make it easier to notice who is missing and keep the challenge at the right level.

Developmental benefits

• Cognitive: Noticing that a familiar toy is missing from its usual place encourages your child to remember where it was and search for what changed.