Object Concept During Infancy and Toddlerhood

The object concept, as Piaget described it, refers to the understanding that objects exist independently and have distinct features and locations.

One important aspect of this concept is object permanence—realizing something exists even when it cannot be seen.

Newborns lack object permanence.

It gradually develops between 5 and 8 months when infants show signs of object permanence by looking at the new location of a hidden object, although they do not reach for it.

At around 9 to 10 months, infants begin looking and reaching accurately for hidden objects.

Object permanence is fully developed by 18 to 24 months, allowing toddlers to search for an object even when they did not directly see it being hidden.

Infants’ growing understanding that hidden objects still exist explains why peekaboo is common across cultures.

At three months, infants enjoy their caregivers’ looming faces.

By 5 to 7 months, infants anticipate their play partner’s return by looking and smiling toward where they expect them to appear.

By around one year, infants initiate peekaboo, showing that they understand hidden people or objects still exist.