Do other toddlers do this?

[Sterla]

My DS is 18 months, and in the past few weeks I have noticed a funny new thing he does. He hides all his toys/blocks/anything under things. I find things under his bed, under the fridge, under our couches. He spends quite a lot of time in the day doing this. Then at my parents place yesterday he was hiding all the duplo blocks under their buffet.

He is also very fond of the 'where is?' game too. He hides a toy somewhere, usually under a cushion or down someones clothes and shrugs as if to say "Where is it?", then he'll pull the toy out and say "Der is" (there it is). He can play this over and over and over again.

Does your toddler do this? I'm sure it has some developmental link, does anyone know what it is? Just curious .

[Calluna]

My 14 month old has just started hiding things under the couches. DVD's, wallets, anything skinny enough to slide under there. Usually only one or two items a day so far though.

It sounds like he's just playing a game to me.

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Do you clap for him when he finds it? My nephew does a similar thing, he'll run up and open a door, get told off for opening, then he'll close it and clap for himself, and say, 'Good boy!' We figure he's doing it because he's feeling neglected or wants some attention, so we continue the game with him for as long as he wants to play. Maybe your toddlers doing the same thing?

[rufalina]

yep... all the time. DS1 hides everything. I find stuff all over (or under things) the house. It is getting less, but he things it is so much fun. Normal I think?

[diva det]

lol my DD used to hide food for ages like this!!
we used to call her Anne Frank lol
the places we found food hidden was amazing!!
nothing like dried fruit down the ducted heating vents lol

[SugarDust]

Master M who is 3.5yrs has recently started doing this and it drives me nuts!

[Shanti]

DD doesn't so much hide things under couches etc but she does play 'hiding' games alot with me and will hide things in front of me and we have a song we sing together while we do it! so cute.

[onthefly]

Lots of stuff under his play mat, behind the fridge, shoved in the back of the cupboard... yep.

Our cat used to do this too....

[Heaven]

LOL, that's so cute. DD doesn't hide stuff much but she's into sorting stuff at the moment. Getting her blocks and toys and putting them in containers and then rearranging them, lol.

[rufalina]

We have a big urn in the lounge room, and if I am missing something on the larger side, like a shoe, or some tupperware, I just go look in it, and there it is...

Is it is small, it is generally under the dogbed...

[Miss.September]

Yep, happening here too. DD is 17 months old and her favourite "hidey" place is actually in the bath, when she is in it. She tries to stuff all of her toys under her legs and can't figure out why they all don't fit

[Lenny]

I'm sure it has some developmental link, does anyone know what it is? Just curious .

No idea, but i guess they all just get to a stage where they work out that when something is out of view, it isn't necessarily gone - just hiding. Isn't it funny when they try to hide huge things under small things. I guess it takes longer to learn how to understand sizes.

Not sure what it means when your cat does it though marcellus

Keep the remote out of reach though. It can be a real pain when that gets hidden