Connection & feelings

Rolling turns

Roll a soft ball back and forth with a clear pause for each turn.

5 minutes

What you'll need

One-piece soft ball labelled suitable for children under 3

Before you start

Comfortable interacting with a familiar caregiver

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

How to play

  1. Sit facing each other.
  2. Roll the ball and say your child's name.
  3. Hold out your hands and wait.
Make it easier

Sit very close and guide the ball together.

Standard

Roll a soft ball back and forth with a clear pause for each turn.

Extend it

Add a third person or choose who receives the ball.

What you might notice

Anticipation, shared looks and understanding of turn structure.

Keep it safe

Use an intact under-3 ball with no removable valve, foam that can be bitten off, magnets or batteries. Roll on a clear level floor within arm's reach, stop mouthing or throwing, and store the ball afterward.

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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