# What is one Everyday Therapy activity to help my child with working memory?

Canonical: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-one-everyday-therapy-activity-to-help-my-child-with-working-memory
Publisher: Pinnacle Blooms Network / Bharath Healthcare Laboratories Private Limited

One simple everyday working-memory activity for toddlers is a "find the hidden object" game: hide a toy under a cup while your child watches, pause, then ask them to find it. The brief pause trains the brain to hold information in mind, and you can grow it with more cups, longer pauses and gentle distractions.

*Working memory in a toddler isn't built at a desk — it grows in giggles, hide-and-seek, and the small games you already half-play every day.*

## In short
A wonderful everyday activity for your toddler's working memory is the **"Find the Hidden Object"** game: show your child a favourite toy, hide it under one of two cups while they watch, pause for a moment, then ask them to find it. That tiny pause is the magic — your child must *hold the toy in mind* while it's out of sight. It's playful, needs nothing you don't already have, and grows with your child.

## How to play it
- **Start simple:** With your child watching, hide the toy under one cup. Wait two or three seconds, then say, "Where's teddy?" Celebrate every find — clapping and joy are part of the learning.
- **Stretch gently:** As they succeed, add a second cup, then a longer pause, then a little distraction ("Look, a bird!") before they reach. Each step asks the brain to hold on a bit longer.
- **Add words:** "First we hide, *then* we find" introduces sequence — another working-memory muscle.
- **Keep it short and warm:** Two or three rounds is plenty for a toddler. Stop while it's still fun.

## The science, simply
[Working memory](/working-memory) is the brain's "sticky note" — the ability to hold a little information in mind and use it moments later. In children aged 1–3, peek-a-boo and hide-and-find games strengthen exactly this skill, building the foundation for following instructions, early language and later learning. Short, joyful, repeated play matters far more than long sessions; the repetition is what wires the pathway.

## The Pinnacle way
At Pinnacle, everyday play like this is woven into our Everyday Therapy approach — therapy that lives in your home, not just a therapy room. A clinical [AbilityScore®](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated) and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under the care of a qualified clinician — this activity is gentle support, never a test. If you'd like tailored ideas, our [occupational therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/best-occupational-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) team can match games to your child's stage.

## Trusted sources
Guided by CDC "Learn the Signs. Act Early." developmental milestones and American Academy of Pediatrics guidance on play as a driver of early brain development.

**Next step —** try the hidden-object game today, and message our team on WhatsApp at +91 91001 81181 for more Everyday Therapy ideas matched to your child.

This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

## Sources
- ICF d1: https://icd.who.int/browse11
- CDC – Learn the Signs. Act Early.: https://www.cdc.gov/child-development
- AAP – HealthyChildren.org on play and brain development: https://www.healthychildren.org

## Connected topics and perspectives
- Skills: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/skills
- Parent / Family: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/parent
- Toddler: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/age/toddler
- Cognitive: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/domain/cognitive
- Home Support: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/intent/home_support
- Act: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/lifecycle/act
- Book Assessment: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/route/book-assessment
- Family Empowerment: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/empowerment/family_empowerment
- Memory: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/ability/memory
- Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, 2nd Ed: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/assessment/brief2
- English: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/language/en
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/sdg/3
- working memory: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/skill/working-memory
- Caregiver: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/caregiver
- Therapist / Clinician: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/therapist

## Related question paths

### Recognise signs & concerns
- Could working memory difficulty be a sign of developmental delay?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/could-difficulty-with-working-memory-be-a-sign-of-a-developmental-delay
- Is it normal that my toddler is not yet showing working memory?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/is-it-normal-that-my-toddler-is-not-yet-showing-working-memory
- What does it mean if my child is not yet showing working memory?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-does-it-mean-if-my-child-is-not-yet-showing-working-memory
- What signs suggest my child may need support with working memory?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-signs-suggest-my-child-may-need-support-with-working-memory
- When does working memory develop in toddlers?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/when-do-children-usually-working-memory
- At What Age Does a Child Develop Working Memory?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/at-what-age-should-a-child-working-memory
- Is it normal that my child is not yet showing working memory?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/is-it-normal-that-my-child-is-not-yet-showing-working-memory
- If a child isn't yet showing working memory: a caregiver's guide: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/as-a-caregiver-what-should-i-do-if-a-child-in-my-care-is-not-yet-showing-working-memory
- Working Memory by Age: What Teachers Can Expect: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/by-what-age-is-a-child-usually-expected-to-working-memory-and-what-should-a-teacher-expect-in-class
- Observing working memory on a home visit: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/during-a-home-visit-what-should-a-frontline-worker-observe-about-a-child-learning-to-working-memory
- Working memory concerns: when to escalate: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/if-a-child-cannot-working-memory-at-the-expected-age-when-should-a-frontline-health-worker-escalate
- Is Working Memory Difficulty a Developmental Referral Red Flag?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/is-difficulty-learning-to-working-memory-a-clinical-red-flag-that-warrants-a-developmental-referral

### Understand assessment
- Working Memory in the Amber Zone — What It Means for Your Child: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-amber-zone-for-working-memory-what-does-that-mean
- What a Green Zone for Working Memory Means: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-green-zone-for-working-memory-what-does-that-mean
- My child is in the red zone for working memory — what does that mean?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-red-zone-for-working-memory-what-does-that-mean
- How can a clinician assess and track a child's progress in working memory?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-a-clinician-assess-and-track-a-child-s-progress-in-learning-to-working-memory

### Explore therapy & support
- How can a teacher support a child working on working memory?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-a-teacher-support-a-child-working-on-working-memory
- What therapy helps a child build working memory?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-therapy-helps-a-child-learn-to-working-memory
- Working memory amber zone — your next steps: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-amber-zone-for-working-memory-what-should-we-do-next
- My child is in the green zone for working memory — what should we do next?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-green-zone-for-working-memory-what-should-we-do-next
- Working memory red zone — what to do next: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-red-zone-for-working-memory-what-should-we-do-next
- As a therapist, what techniques help a child develop working memory?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/as-a-therapist-what-techniques-help-a-child-develop-the-ability-to-working-memory
- How a Teacher Can Support Working Memory: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-a-teacher-support-a-student-who-is-still-learning-to-working-memory
- How should a therapist prioritise a child in the amber zone for working memory?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-should-a-therapist-prioritise-a-child-who-is-in-the-amber-zone-for-working-memory
- How should a therapist prioritise a child in the green zone for working memory?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-should-a-therapist-prioritise-a-child-who-is-in-the-green-zone-for-working-memory
- How should a therapist prioritise a child in the red zone for working memory?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-should-a-therapist-prioritise-a-child-who-is-in-the-red-zone-for-working-memory

### At home & in everyday life
- How can I help my child build working memory at home?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-help-my-child-with-learn-to-working-memory-at-home
- What is one Everyday Therapy activity for short term memory?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-one-everyday-therapy-activity-to-help-my-child-with-short-term-memory
- Helping Your Child Build Working Memory at Home: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/as-a-caregiver-how-can-i-gently-help-a-child-practise-learning-to-working-memory-during-everyday-routines