In this study, we apply a relational-historical perspective to the study of the developmental transition from face-to-face to mother-infant-object play in early infancy. In this chapter, we review the literature on that transition. In the first part of this chapter we review the literature on infant's early relationships to objects. We focus on the changes in infant object manipulation skills before, during, and after the acquisition of visually directed reaching: the “individual” hallmark of this developmental transition. In the second part of this chapter, we review research on the development of social play with and without objects during this developmental period. In the final part of this chapter, we review evidence related to the development of individual differences in object-directed skills that emerge following this developmental transition.

The individual perspective

A great deal of research has been done using normative and experimental approaches and focusing on infants' acquisition of perception and action with objects. This section is a brief review of the findings from this perspective – on perception of objects, reaching, manual and oral exploration – especially as they regard changes during the period between two and seven months.

Perception of objects

A developmental transition occurs between three and four months, when infants begin to perceive moving objects as whole units (Baillargeon, 1987; Kellman & Spelke, 1983; von Hofsten & Spelke, 1985). If part of an object is blocked from the infants' view, for example, they recognize it when it is no longer obscured.