Flap books support baby’s understanding of object permanence, like a game of peekaboo. Stories that encourage anticipation support problem-solving and language learning while making reading fun.

Why do it?

  • It provides easy ways to repeat experiences, which will strengthen the brain pathways for hiding and finding (‘object permanence’) and for language.
  • Sharing hiding and finding fun with whānau strengthens the relationship between baby and their caregivers and baby and books.

How to do it

  • Sit with baby on your knee and hold the flap book where you both can see it.
  • Baby may be interested in turning the pages, and may want to go backwards and forwards in the book.
  • Try saying ‘Turn the page’ as they do this.
  • It’s important for baby to enjoy sharing books, so avoid struggling with baby over the ‘right’ page.
  • Just read the page that baby chooses and explore the flap on that page.

Using more te reo Māori

Te reo Māori English
Book
E noho Sit
Comfortable, cosy
Haramai, e te tau Come here, my darling
Enjoyable, fun
Repeat occurrence, repetition
Look for, search
Hunt, investigate
Kite(a) Find, discover
Hidden, out of sight
Backwards
Move forward
Hurihia te whārangi Turn the page
He aha kei raro nei? What's this under here?
Kei whea te....? Where is the .....?
Here
Here
He aha ēnei? What are these?
He aha tēnei kararehe? What is this animal?