Disappearing Bottle Object Permanence Play

STEM Lesson Plans

Sensory Lesson Plans

Toddler Lesson Plans

Activity:  

Disappearing Bottle Object Permanence Play

Lesson plan developed by Aurora Tollestrup, BS Ed

Age Group:

• Mobile Infant

Objectives:  

Children will:

• explore object permanence.

Disappearing Bottle Object Permanence Play

CDA Competency Standard:

II.5.1a

• Activities encourage curiosity, exploration and discovery

a) Activities involve developmentally appropriate, hands-on experiences

Materials: 

• empty clear plastic bottle with a lid
• duct tape
• three small balls

** Supervise the children closely as they play. Always use caution with anything that young children might put in their mouths.**

Procedure: 

To prepare materials:

• Wrap one third to one half of the bottle in duct tape, leaving the rest of the bottle unwrapped.
  
• Place the balls in the container and secure the lid.
  
• Depending upon the container that was used, you may need to glue the lid closed for safety.

For the activity:

• Invite the children to hold the bottle and roll the balls from one side of the bottle to the other to explore object permanence.
  
• This exploration shows the children that the balls disappear behind the tape but they always come back.
  
• This is an exploration in object permanence.

Assessment: 

• How did the children react when they couldn’t see the balls? Observe and record their experiences.

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STEM Exploration for Infants and Toddlers

The goal of STEM is to create a way of thinking about the world that encompasses problem-solving, discovery and analyzation. Infants and toddlers are natural scientists who are exploring their environment and everything in it. People, toys, objects, and surroundings  are touched, tasted, and listened to. Infants begin their environmental exploration from birth by observing and creating knowledge about everything in their lives. As part of the scientific exploration in an infant’s life, they observe, experiment, analyze and communicate their findings. These scientific experiments will continue into the toddler years and become more intricate. 
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Caregivers and child care professionals should be aware of the importance of STEM as well as the support that they provide both directly and indirectly. A typical infant or toddler classroom should be designed and maintained with STEM concepts in mind, as well as the interactions between teacher and peers. ​