OBSA — Week 6 (Infants): Life on the Farm — Where Did It Go?
Our Big Summer Adventure · Week 6 · Infants (0–18 mo)

Week 6 — Where Did It Go?

A gentle farm week for the babies — a soft animal who hides behind a cloth and comes back, a warm fleece of soft fur to touch, and one cozy farm-song refrain that returns the same way every time. All built on the delighted question: where did the piggy go? Mon Jul 6 – Fri Jul 10.

Read this first

This guide pairs with the Infant Footings Framework and the teacher overview — that's where the four footings and the "menu, not a clock" approach live. This is the menu for the Life on the Farm week: a handful of gentle barnyard moments you reach for whenever a baby is calm, awake, and curious. This week leans on the Working-Memory Seeds footing — the held "where did it go?" of peek-a-boo, and the joy of a familiar song coming back the same way each time — to match the big kids' "hold it in mind" memory week. The games are fresh: a hiding farm animal, soft fur to touch, and a returning farm-song refrain — brand-new, not last week's flags or drum. And Thursday, our babies get a real animal moment too — a brief, caregiver-held soft-fur touch and a gentle "where did it go?" with a calm visiting animal (full safety below). No stars, beads, glitter, pom-poms, feathers, googly eyes, or small parts in this room — large, fabric, and taped pieces only (see safety). Offer a moment, follow the baby's lead, repeat the favorites.

Section 1 · The Overview

Week Snapshot

Theme
Life on the Farm — Where Did It Go?, scaled down to gentle barnyard hide-and-find play for babies.
Sensory throughline
A soft animal who disappears under a cloth and comes back, a warm fleece of soft fur to touch, and one familiar farm-song refrain that returns the same way every time — and the delighted "where did it go?" before each return.
Home footing
Working-Memory Seeds  the held "where did it go?" before the find, and anticipating a known refrain — with Attention & Connection (soft-fur touch) and Cause & Effect (tap the moo-drum) close behind.
Room
Infants · ages 0–18 months · two sub-bands (younger ~0–8 mo, mobile ~8–18 mo)
Dates
Mon Jul 6 – Fri Jul 10 · a full 5-day week. No closures. Thursday the babies get their own gentle farm-friend animal moment.
Family hook
"Our littlest farmers are learning that things still exist when they can't see them — peek under the cloth, and the piggy's still there! That delighted 'where did it go?' is the very first seed of memory."
Developmental value
Working-memory seeds (object permanence, anticipating a known refrain), attention & connection, cause-and-effect, grasping, sensory touch.
The connection
The big kids practice Working Memory this week (hold the animal, its sound, and its home in mind, then use it when the real animals arrive); the babies pour the matching footing — the held "where did it go?" — the same skill, several footings down.
Read every day · large & mouth-safe

Babies explore everything by mouth, so the farm in this room is all soft fabric and big pieces — none of the small parts the big kids use.

  • No small parts — none. Stars, beads, glitter, googly eyes, pom-poms, feathers, and tiny stickers are banned in this room — every one is a choking risk. Use only large fabric animal cloths, big soft-fur swatches, a peek-a-boo cloth, and a soft "moo/baa" drum. Choke-test anything you're unsure about.
  • Fabric, large, or taped only. Animal cloths are big and fabric (no buttons, no sewn-on eyes, no loose trim). Fur swatches are large fleece pieces with edges secured — nothing a baby can pull a thread from and mouth.
  • Washable & clean. Anything that goes in a mouth gets sanitized between babies; no shared mouthed cloth or swatch.
  • July heat: any outdoor moment happens in the cooler morning only, in shade, with water offered per our infant policy. No midday sun.
  • Thursday's visiting animal: babies get a brief, caregiver-held moment only — see the full Farm Friends safety rail below. Allergy-cleared, hands washed before and after, never set the baby down near an animal, no mouthing of fur, back off at any distress. The animal must be calm and vendor-handled; an adult holds the baby the entire time.
  • Arm's reach, always. Constant close supervision; store cloths, swatches, and the drum out of reach between sessions.
  • Licensing wins: match our California Community Care Licensing (Title 22) infant-care rules. Where anything differs, licensing wins — ask a lead if unsure.
Section 2 · The Heart

This Week's Menu of Moments

Six gentle farm moments, each tagged to the footing it pours. These aren't steps to complete — they're a menu. Reach for one whenever a baby hits a calm-alert window, offer it, and let them tell you how long to stay. Repeat the favorites all week; the repetition is the learning. New games this week — a hiding animal, soft fur, a returning song, and a moo-drum — so the babies get fresh practice, not a repeat of last week. The last moment is Thursday's brief, caregiver-held visit with a real farm friend.

🐷
Where's the Piggy?
Working-Memory
Seeds · home

This is the week's home moment. Hide a soft farm animal (a plush piggy, lamb, or calf) under a cloth and build the gentle pause — "where did the piggy go? … peek!" — then reveal it together. The wait before the peek is the held question; the discovery that the piggy is still there is object permanence, the very seed of working memory. Make it harder only as a baby succeeds: hide it under the cloth, then move it while they watch, then move it a little out of view.

Younger (0–8 mo)

Use a face-to-face peek — your own face behind a soft animal cloth — "where's teacher? … peek!" The disappearing-and-returning face is the lesson at this age.

Mobile (8–18 mo)

Hide the plush piggy under a cloth and invite them to lift it and find it. When they've got it, slide it slowly to a new spot in view and see if they follow where it went.

Where did the piggy go? … Ready… PEEK! There's the piggy — it was there all along!
EF Research: hiding games build object permanence — "it still exists when I can't see it" — among the strongest infant predictors of later memory and language. Google "peekaboo object permanence working memory infants."
You'll see it when… a baby waits through the pause, then lifts the cloth looking for the piggy — or glances at where it was after you cover it. They remember it's still there.
🎵
Here Comes the Cow Song
Working-Memory
Seeds

The same "I remember what comes next" joy, in a song. Pick one simple farm refrain ("the cow on the farm goes moo, moo, moo…") and sing it the same way, with the same little pause before the animal sound, every single time. By midweek, watch a baby light up in the pause — they're anticipating the sound that's coming, which is the earliest flicker of holding a sequence in mind. Sameness is the whole point; don't vary it.

Younger (0–8 mo)

Sing softly face-to-face, pause before "moo," and let your voice and face cue the sound. They feel the rhythm and the return.

Mobile (8–18 mo)

Pause a beat longer before the "moo" and see if they fill it in — a sound, a bounce, a wide grin — anticipating the part they remember.

The cow on the farm goes… ready… MOO, MOO, MOO! You knew it was coming!
EF Research: anticipating the next part of a familiar, repeated song is an early form of holding a sequence in mind — a working-memory seed. Google "predictable songs anticipation memory infants."
You'll see it when… a baby brightens, bounces, or makes a sound in the pause before "moo" — anticipating the part they remember.
🐑
Soft, Soft Fur
Attention &
Connection

The quiet footing under all the rest. Sit close with a large, soft fleece "fur" swatch (lamb-soft, calf-smooth — edges secured, nothing to pull and mouth), follow the baby's gaze to it, and narrate softly as they feel it. You're joining their attention — which is how attention grows longer — and gently warming them up for Thursday's real soft-fur touch. The swatch is just the invitation; your warm back-and-forth is the real moment.

Younger (0–8 mo)

Brush the soft swatch slowly across their hand or cheek; name what they feel — "so soft… you're feeling the soft fur…"

Mobile (8–18 mo)

Offer the swatch to hold and pat; follow their lead, name the softness, and pause to let them "answer" with a look or a sound.

Feel how soft… you're touching the soft, soft fur… softer than soft.
EF Research: following a baby's focus and naming it (serve-and-return) lengthens sustained attention — the documented foundation every other footing rides on. Google "serve and return interaction attention infants."
You'll see it when… a baby holds their gaze on the swatch a beat longer, strokes it, or looks from the fur to your face and back.
🥁
Tap & Moo
Cause &
Effect

The "I did that!" moment, with a barnyard sound. Offer a soft drum or padded surface — when baby taps, you make the animal sound: moo! … baa! — and they tap again on purpose to make it happen. The repeat-with-intent is the milestone, not the sound. (Pair it with the song: tap, and the cow says moo.)

Younger (0–8 mo)

Guide a hand to bat the soft drum and "moo" together; pause and see if they reach to do it again.

Mobile (8–18 mo)

Set the drum within reach and let them tap, pat, and "moo" it over and over, looking to you, delighted.

You tapped it… MOO! You made the cow talk! Again?
EF Research: discovering that your own action reliably makes something happen is the seed of goal-directed behavior — the root under all of executive function. Google "contingency learning infant agency."
You'll see it when… a baby taps the drum on purpose to make the "moo," and looks to you, delighted.
🏠
Find the Animal at Home
Working-Memory
Seeds

A bigger hide-and-find for the mobile babies. Tuck a soft farm animal into a large fabric "barn" pocket or under a flap and wonder aloud — "where does the lamb live? … is it in the barn? … there it is!" The baby holds in mind that the lamb is hidden, then finds it. (A gentle nod to the big kids matching each animal to its home this week.)

Younger (0–8 mo)

Keep it simple — a slow cover-and-reveal of the animal with a soft cloth, face-to-face, naming it each time.

Mobile (8–18 mo)

Hide the animal in the fabric barn pocket and invite them to lift the flap and find it — they remember where it went.

Where does the lamb live? … In the barn? … Lift the flap… THERE it is!
EF Research: finding a hidden object after a short delay is the earliest behavioral window into working memory — holding "where it went" in mind. Google "A-not-B task hidden object working memory infants."
You'll see it when… a baby lifts the flap looking for the animal where they last saw it go — holding the spot in mind.
🐐
A Real Farm Friend (Thursday only)
Working-Memory
Seeds · live

Thursday's gentle highlight. When the petting zoo visits, our babies get a real animal moment too — brief and caregiver-held. With the baby in an adult's arms, let them feel a calm, vendor-handled animal's soft fur for a few seconds, then play one round of "where did it go?" — the keeper or a teacher slips a soft cloth over the animal and lifts it: "where's the bunny? … peek!" This is the week's whole footing made real — soft fur to feel, and a live "now you see it, now you don't." Frame it honestly for yourself: we're pouring a footing with a real animal, not claiming the baby now "has" a memory skill. Keep it short, calm, and joyful, and read every full safety rule below before this runs.

Younger (0–8 mo)

Held close, let them watch and feel the soft fur for a moment; narrate gently. The calm watching is plenty — no need for the hiding game.

Mobile (8–18 mo)

Held in arms, a brief soft touch, then one calm "where did it go? … peek!" with a cloth over the animal — if the baby is settled and interested.

Soft, soft… that's a real farm friend. Where did it go? … PEEK! There it is!
EF Research: object permanence — the find after the hide — is among the strongest infant predictors of later memory; a calm, real "now you see it" moment is that seed, made vivid. Google "object permanence infant memory development."
Hard safety — every rule, every baby: allergy-cleared first (check the roster); hands washed before AND after; the baby is always held by an adult — never set down near an animal; no mouthing of fur; the animal must be calm and handled by the vendor/keeper; back off immediately at any distress — baby's or animal's. No baby is required to touch. Hold infant-room ratio throughout.
⭐ Teacher Move · one this week

Show it, then hand it over. On the home moment (Where's the Piggy?), do it the master-teacher way — first you hide the piggy and lift the cloth a few times so the baby feels the rhythm of "gone… and back!"; then do it together, your hand guiding theirs to the cloth; then, with a mobile baby, let go and let them lift the cloth and find the piggy. That hand-off — from you, to together, to them — is how the find becomes their discovery, not just a trick you run at them. The same step-back works on the barn-pocket find.

Section 3 · The Week, Loosely

How the Week Drifts Along

Not a schedule — just a gentle drift as babies grow familiar with the hiding animal and the song. The week runs Monday through Friday, with a real farm friend visiting Thursday. Every moment is fair game any day; this is only a soft suggestion. Keep following each baby's body clock first.

Mon · 7/6
Meet the soft farm

Gentle first exploring. Let babies discover the soft animals, the fur swatches, and the moo-drum — grasp, mouth-safe, watch. Your job is warmth, narration, and being close.

Lean on
🐑 Soft, Soft Fur🥁 Tap & Moo
Tue · 7/7
Where did it go?

The animals are familiar — bring in the hiding game. Gentle "where's the piggy? … peek!" Repeat the early favorites too.

Lean on
🐷 Where's the Piggy?🐑 Soft, Soft Fur
Wed · 7/8
The song that comes back

Add the one farm-song refrain, sung the same way each time, and the barn-pocket find. Stretch the pause before "moo" a beat as babies start to anticipate it.

Lean on
🎵 Here Comes the Cow Song🏠 Find the Animal at Home
Thu · 7/9
Farm Friends Day

A real farm friend visits! In a calm, held moment, babies feel soft fur and play one gentle "where did it go?" — the week made real. Keep the favorites close and soothing (see below).

Lean on
🐐 A Real Farm Friend🐷 Where's the Piggy?
Fri · 7/10
Our farm friends, again

A cozy wind-down. Return to the soft animals, the fur, and the cow song — the familiar friends from all week. Repetition is the comfort and the learning.

Lean on
the favorites🎵 Here Comes the Cow Song
🐐 Thursday · Farm Friends Day

The Infant Farm-Friend Moment

The petting zoo visits Thursday morning (the cool window, ~9:30–11:30), and every room rotates through one at a time — including the babies. Our slot is brief and calm, separate from the busier rotations: a settled spot where one or two babies at a time, held in an adult's arms, meet a single calm, vendor-handled animal. The goal is a few soft, joyful seconds — feel the fur, one gentle "where did it go?" — not a crowd or a long visit.

One shared moment to offer: with the baby held close, let them feel the soft fur for a moment, then play one round of the week's home game — a keeper slips a cloth over the animal and lifts it: "where did the bunny go? … peek!" The same "where did it go?" from all week, now with a real farm friend as the payoff. If families stop by, invite a parent to hold their baby for the moment. Frame it honestly: this is the footing made real, not a claimed memory skill.

Hard safety rail — non-negotiable, read before it runs

  • Allergy-cleared first. Check the roster; any baby with an animal/fur allergy stays out of the animal moment entirely — offer the soft-fur swatch and the plush piggy instead.
  • Hands washed before AND after any animal contact — baby's and adult's. Stations stocked and staffed; build it into the flow, not as an afterthought.
  • Always held — never set down near an animal. An adult holds the baby for the entire moment. No baby on the floor, in a seat, or set down anywhere near the animal.
  • No mouthing of fur. Watch hands and mouth closely; gently redirect before fur reaches a mouth.
  • Calm, vendor-handled animal only. The keeper handles the animal throughout; teachers hold babies, not animals. The animal must be calm and settled.
  • Back off at any distress — the baby's or the animal's. End the moment instantly; no baby is required to touch.
  • Hold ratio, arm's reach always. Confirm extra hands so the infant-room ratio holds during the rotation; a lead and the vendor escort are present.
  • Heat & weather: the moment is in the cool morning window, shaded; water per infant policy. If the visit can't run Thursday, it shifts — keep babies comfortable and unhurried either way.
Section 4 · For Families

Brightwheel This Week

A warm post for each phase of the week, with the photo to grab and a ready-to-post caption — share the footing behind the cuteness, gently, so families see the developmental value in the play.

Mon–Tue
📸 The shot: a baby mid-lift of the cloth finding the hidden piggy, eyes wide — or a little hand resting on the soft fleece, your hand close by.
Our littlest farmers met the soft farm this week! 🐷 We've been playing "where did the piggy go?" — hide it under a cloth, then peek… still there! That delighted discovery is object permanence: the very first seed of memory. 🐑💛
Wed
📸 The shot: a baby bright-eyed and bouncing in the little pause just before the "moo" in our farm song — that anticipating, "I know what's next" moment.
"The cow on the farm goes… ready… MOO!" 🎵 We sing the same little farm song the same way every day — and now the babies light up right before the moo, because they remember what's coming. That's a working-memory seed, and the big kids are practicing the very same "hold it in mind" all week. 🐄
Thu
📸 The shot: a baby held snugly in a teacher's or parent's arms, a gentle hand on a calm farm friend's soft fur — calm faces, close hold.
🐐 Our babies met a real farm friend today! Held close and safe, they felt soft, soft fur and played one gentle "where did it go?" — the same game from all week, now with a live visitor. Brief, calm, and full of wonder. The happiest little farm corner. 🤍
Section 5 · Prep

Before the Week

A calm, ready room makes a gentle week. Set these over the weekend or Monday morning — and confirm the allergy clearances before Thursday.

Soft plush farm animals
Large, soft plush piggy, lamb, calf — no buttons, no sewn-on eyes, no loose trim. Choke-test and check seams.
Peek-a-boo & barn-pocket cloths
Big fabric cloths for hiding, plus a large fabric "barn" with a flap or pocket to tuck an animal into. All fabric, all large.
Large soft-fur swatches
Big fleece "fur" pieces, lamb-soft, with edges fully secured — no threads to pull and mouth. No glitter, beads, pom-poms, or feathers.
A soft "moo/baa" drum
A soft-headed drum or padded board that makes a gentle sound when tapped — nothing hard or loud.
Pick the one farm-song refrain
Choose a single simple refrain and agree to sing it the same way all week — the sameness is what pours the footing.
Confirm Thursday allergy clearances
Check the roster for any animal/fur allergy before the visit; plan the soft-swatch indoor alternative for any baby who's out.
Plan the Thursday farm-friend slot
Confirm the room's rotation window, a calm separate spot, the vendor/keeper escort, hand-washing stations, and extra hands for arm's-reach ratio.
Sanitizing supplies
Wash and sanitize cloths, swatches, plush animals, and the drum between babies — plan the clean-between-children routine.
Confirm Title 22 + heat plan
Check infant supervision and material rules with a lead; any outdoor time is cooler-morning only, shade and water per policy. Licensing wins.
Section 6 · Supplies

Supplies — Check & Request

Scan against what's in the room; send shortfalls to Amy early. on hand means it's already here. Everything in this room must be large, fabric, or taped — and mouth-safe — no stars, beads, glitter, googly eyes, pom-poms, feathers, or small parts.

Furniture & Equipment · order early

  • Soft floor mat / play spaceon hand
  • Low basket for animals & cloths2
  • Lidded storage bin (out of reach between sessions)1

Farm & Moment Materials · all large, fabric, or taped

  • Soft plush farm animals (piggy, lamb, calf — no small/loose parts)3–4
  • Large soft-fur fleece swatches (edges secured)several
  • Big peek-a-boo / hiding clothsseveral
  • Large fabric "barn" with flap/pocket1–2
  • Soft-headed "moo/baa" drum / padded surface2

Per-Child & Consumables

  • Dry change of clothes (parent)1/child
  • Towels / burp clothsplenty
  • Dry wipeslots
  • Water for warm-morning outdoor time (per infant policy)as needed

Thursday Farm-Friend & Safety

  • Hand-washing / hand soap refill (before & after animal contact)stocked
  • Allergy roster check (confirm before Thursday)1
  • Toy & cloth sanitizer (wash between babies)1
  • Choke-test tube1
  • First-aid kit (check / restock)1
  • Shade & sun setup (cooler-morning only)1
How to use this guide. It's a menu, not a schedule — offer moments when babies are calm and curious, follow their lead, and repeat the favorites. Pairs with the Infant Footings Framework and the teacher overview (kept in the room). Full week: Monday through Friday, with a calm, caregiver-held farm-friend moment Thursday. Prints cleanly: use your browser's Print. Questions or a moment that isn't landing? Tell a lead and we'll improve it. 💙