Week 44: Why tubes and containers are so essential to your baby

Also available in: Deutsch Nederlands

Your baby is beginning to understand that things fall out of a tube and stay put in a container, a concept they’ll be increasingly interested in well after they turn one.

A research study proved that babies who played with tubes, as well as containers, had a more advanced understanding of when something will stay inside of something else. In the study, 14-month-old babies were given a chance to explore the difference between blocks being dropped into a tube (the blocks fall out) and blocks dropped into a closed can (the blocks stay in). The 14-month-olds who were given tubes had the same understanding of containment as 21-month-olds who were given only containers.

Here are some fun ways to play with a clear tube:

• Tape the Clear Tube to the wall and have your baby reach while sitting (or stand with support) and drop the ball through the tube into the Treasure Basket below.
• Show your baby how a ball goes into and then falls out of the tube. Have them pick up the ball and do it again.
• Tilt the tube on a pillow and have your baby put the ball into it. Your baby will see it roll down the incline, like a slide, and fall out.
• The tube and floating ball are fun in the bathtub, too!

In this post

The Explorer Play Kit

A kit made to assist in the exploration of how objects work and what they can do.

Learn more