Connection & feelings

Together tidy

Turn packing away into a shared, predictable closing ritual.

5 minutes

What you'll need

Wide rigid open basket with no lid or handle · Three large one-piece toys 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. Choose a short tidy-up song.
  2. Put away one item each.
  3. Finish together before interest disappears.
Make it easier

Pack away only three objects.

Standard

Turn packing away into a shared, predictable closing ritual.

Extend it

Let your child decide where two categories belong.

What you might notice

Whether rhythm, imitation or ownership helps cooperation.

Keep it safe

Stay within arm's reach and hold the open basket at floor level. Inspect the three under-3 toys, exclude small or damaged pieces, stop mouthing or throwing, then count and store every item and the basket.

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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