Connection & feelings

High-five chain

Pass a greeting around the family and wait for each person's response.

5 minutes

What you'll need

Two or more familiar people

Before you start

Comfortable interacting with a familiar caregiver

Best fit: either · calm energy · low caregiver effort · low mess

How to play

  1. Offer a high-five, wave or gentle touch.
  2. Let your child choose the gesture.
  3. Pass it to the next person.
Make it easier

Play with one caregiver only.

Standard

Pass a greeting around the family and wait for each person's response.

Extend it

Let your child decide the greeting for each person.

What you might notice

Preferred ways of greeting and inviting others into play.

Keep it safe

Use only gentle, child-chosen contact while everyone is securely seated or standing on a clear level floor. Never pull arms or require touch; stop immediately if your child turns away, loses balance or becomes distressed.

Why it may be useful

Following your child's lead and responding to their signals may support warm, reciprocal interaction.

strong

Supports responsive interaction as a broad mechanism, not a claim that a single activity changes development.

Jeong et al. (2021) — Parenting interventions to promote early child development in the first three years of life: A global systematic review and meta-analysis

Pitchik et al. (2024) — A meta-analytic review of the implementation characteristics in parenting interventions to promote early child development

Leijten et al. (2021) — Teaching Parents to Be Responsive: A Network Meta-analysis

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