An activity you can start today

Photo Flap Book

A homemade book of familiar faces hidden under sticky-note flaps — peekaboo meets first words.

👶 Ages 1–2 ⏱ 10 min 🏠 Paper & pencils 👪 Play together
A toddler lifts a paper flap in a homemade family photo book while cuddled beside a parent

Know before you start

At a glance

Setup
10 min
Cleanup
1 min
Mess
low
Energy
calm
Adult help
hands-on

Before you start

  • Choose photos of people and objects your child already knows and cares about.
  • Use one clear picture per page at first so there is an obvious subject to point to and name.
  • Let the child help glue if they're able; a crooked photo is a feature.

Step by step

Let’s play

  1. Choose the photos. Pick 5–10 family members, pets, or objects the child recognizes easily.
  2. Build the book. Glue one photo per page of folded construction paper or slot them into a small album.
  3. Add the flaps. One sticky note over each photo.
  4. Read it together. “Who’s hiding here?” — lift, reveal, name, react. Repeat every page.
  5. Hand over the flaps. Soon the child runs the reveals and you do the guessing — deliberately, hilariously wrong.

See it in action

Watch this activity

Video: “Fun & Easy Activities for 18-24 Months” by Pocketful of Parenting on YouTube — cued to the moment this activity is shown.

The child’s-eye view

Why kids love it

Every page shows someone or something from the child's own life: a grandparent, the dog, or a favorite cup. The flap turns each familiar photo into a small, predictable game of peekaboo.

Built into the fun

What they’re learning

Vocabulary anchoring

Familiar people and objects give new speakers a clear reason to point, name, and repeat words they hear often.

Object permanence and anticipation

Remembering who is under a familiar flap adds a small prediction to every page turn.

Fine motor page work

Turning one page and lifting a flap both ask for a careful finger-and-thumb movement.

Make it fit your child

Ways to change the game

Question rounds

Before lifting: 'Who is hiding here? Is it... the CAT?' Wrong guesses from you produce delighted corrections.

Words that grow

As speech develops, ask about details: what color is the cup, what does the dog say — the same book keeps teaching for a year.

Travel edition

Keep a small, soft photo album in the diaper bag for waiting rooms or travel, where familiar faces can prompt an easy conversation.

Real-life fixes

If it’s not going to plan

The child rips the sticky notes off entirely

Expected and fine — peeling is the fine motor exercise. Keep the pad handy and re-stick between reads, or tape flaps on one edge for durability.

They flip through without stopping to name anything

Let the child control the pace. Name each picture briefly as it passes, and pause longer only when they point or look back.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What age is a photo flap book for?

Peak use is 12–30 months: first for pointing and peekaboo, then naming, then answering questions. Many children keep 'reading' their own book long after.

Do I need to print photos or laminate anything?

No. Post-its over any existing picture book work immediately, and phone-printed photos glued to folded construction paper survive plenty of reads. Fancy versions can come later if the book becomes a favorite.

Kidtivity Lab activity guide · Last updated

Try next