9 2-Minute Ways To Reconnect With Your Kiddo
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***0-2 version written was more applicable to 0-18mo — I wrote a mostly new version for 18-36mo, since that’s what we need for onboarding (along with 3-5), but the original is pasted at the end of the doc if we need it --- ADDITIONAL INTROS ALSO AT END OF DOC
Broadcast language:
Hi, it’s Nani! Sometimes at bedtime, I realize the whole day went by without having a chance to really talk to my kiddo or play together.
I feel like my best self as a parent when I’ve connected with my boys in some way—but a lot of times, the day gets so hectic it just doesn’t happen. Does that ever happen to you?
[For sure] [Not really] ---> both buttons lead to content
18-36 mos
As parents, we have so many responsibilities, it’s easy to get in a rut—and forget to have any FUN!
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But little moments of bonding are important for emotional well-being (theirs *and* ours), plus when my boys get my focused attention, even for just a few minutes, they’re always better behaved!
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Here are nine 2-minute ways to connect that I loved when my kids were younger (I’ll put a handy graphic you can screenshot at the end!):
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rut—and
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Let your little one draw a scribble on a piece of paper—the more swirls and loops the better. Your challenge: To turn the scribble into a picture of something that’s (at least *sort of*) recognizable, by coloring parts in or drawing details like eyes or wheels.
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My boys always get a huge kick out of making it tough for me—you should’ve heard them laugh last weekend when I turned their scribble into an elephant-shaped car with a mohawk! 😄
[Ha! What else?]
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Even just making eye contact & being close helps you and your little one feel connected. Point out the features you share as well as the ones that make each of you unique.
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Then, use a dry erase marker to take turns drawing silly hats, glasses, and other decorations on each other’s reflections in the mirror—it gets me and my boys giggling every time!
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Pretend your kiddo’s cupid, and they have to shoot a love arrow at you (or you can play “Cupid Tag,” if you’re not wild about the idea of pretend shooting).
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Once your little love bug “gets” you, you have to chase them to give them tons of kisses and hugs. 💕
[Love it! Next 3?]
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Wrap them up in your arms—at about six secs, the brain begins releasing the feel-good hormones serotonin and oxytocin, which promote bonding and boost mood.
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If your kiddo isn’t much of a hugger or they have sensory issues, try a long high-5 or holding their hands for six seconds instead.
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Take your couch apart and lean the cushions together to make walls—drape a blanket over the top for a ceiling, and the extra that hangs over is perfect for a “door.” It’s a great place read or tell stories!
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(Of course, when my boys were toddlers, their favorite part was destroying the fort when we were finished playing 😊)
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Kids love making faces, so follow their lead—sit face-to-face and imitate each other as you make the silliest expressions you can. The one who can go the longest without laughing wins! (SPOILER ALERT: *everyone* ends up laughing)
[Awesome! Last 3?]
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Create a new tradition—teach them that any time one of you says, “let’s dance,” you’ll play or sing a fun tune and shake your groove together.
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Try choosing the same music every time, so they come to recognize it as your special song!
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Story time prompts cuddling and shared emotion, all of which help to you and your kiddo bond.
Have a couple of short, easy faves you can grab in a pinch any time you want to take a moment to connect with your cutie.
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Go outside or look through the window together and talk about the weather. Is it windy out? How can you tell? If it’s stormy, you can each pick a raindrop on the glass and see whose races to the bottom of the window first.
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Hey, here’s that handy graphic I told you about—take a screenshot and keep it in your phone for an easy reminder next time you want to connect with your little one!
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3-5
As parents, we have so many responsibilities, it’s easy to get in a rut—and forget to have any FUN!
[...]
But little moments of bonding are important for emotional well-being (theirs *and* ours), plus when my boys get my focused attention, even for just a few minutes, they’re always better behaved!
[...]
Here are nine 2-minute ways to connect that I love to use with my kids (I’ll put a handy graphic you can screenshot at the end!):
[...]
[...]
Each of you draws a scribble on a piece of paper—the more swirls and loops the better—then swap. Your challenge: To turn the other person’s scribble into a picture of something that’s (at least *sort of*) recognizable, by coloring parts in or drawing details like eyes or wheels.
[...]
My boys always get a huge kick out of making it tough for me—you should’ve heard them laugh last weekend when I turned one of their scribbles into an elephant-shaped car with a mohawk! 😄
[Ha! What else?]
[...]
Even just making eye contact & being close helps you and your little one feel connected. Point out the features you share as well as the ones that make each of you unique.
[...]
Then, use a dry erase marker to take turns drawing silly hats, glasses, and other decorations on each other’s reflections in the mirror—it gets me and my boys giggling every time!
[...]
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This is a great one to do in the car, and works just as well with multiple kids or just one—first, start a story with a simple sentence like, “One day, a little girl was on her way to the moon.”
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Then everyone takes turns adding to the story, one line at a time. It’s SO much fun to hear your kid’s imagination at work! I’m always surprised where our stories end up after my boys add their silly or wild twists and turns.
[Cool! Next 3?]
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This is a HUGE favorite for my boys—wrap your arms and legs *gently* around your kiddo and announce they’re in a hug trap and they have to wiggle their way out!
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Let them out pretty easily the first few times, and once you’re sure they’re having fun you can start making it tougher.
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Keep it in your bag and anytime you have a moment, jot down or draw what you’re both doing or how you’re feeling today (be sure to date each entry). Take a minute to talk about the best/toughest part of that day, or what might have happened to put you in the mood you’re in.
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Every once in a while, look back together at what you’ve written—it’ll remind you both of all the moments you’ve shared. 💕
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You don’t need actual puppets, just a couple of stuffed toys will do the trick! Having them act out a short skit you think up on the flyis a great way to weave in a lesson of the day from time to time, too.
[Love it! Last 3?]
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Choose a favorite song together ahead of time & make that your go-to tune, or mix it up every time you decide to “drop everything and dance.” Like an inside joke between you, anytime one of you utters the words, you play or sing your tune and shake your groove.
(Can I just say I wish my mom had done this with me when I was little!!!)
[...]
Take your couch apart and lean the cushions together to make walls—drape a blanket over the top for a ceiling, and the extra that hangs over is perfect for a “door.” It’s a great place to read or tell stories!
[...]
(Of course, my boys’ favorite part is always destroying the fort when we’re finished playing 😊)
[...]
It’s easy to play, it doesn’t require any objects, and it can be done anywhere on a moment’s notice. Older kids can play rhyming I Spy (which I sometimes use to move on to the next activity)—”I spy something that rhymes with hook…” “It’s a book—let’s read it together!”
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Hey, here’s that handy graphic I told you about—take a screenshot and keep it in your phone for an easy reminder next time you want to connect with your little one!
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Share Ask:
Every parent could stand to take a break from the daily grind *and* feel better about their day with their kiddo. Want to share these ideas with some friends?
[Sure!]
{{first name}} wants to share: 9 Fun 2-Minute Ways to Connect With Your Child
Escape the daily grind & embrace what matters
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0-18mos
Parents have so many responsibilities, it’s easy to get in a rut—and forget to have any FUN!
[...]
But little moments of connection are important for emotional well-being (theirs *and* ours), plus when my boys have had my focused attention, even for just a few minutes, they’re always better behaved! Here are some 2-minute moments of connection I loved when my kids were younger:
1. Look in your baby’s eyes during feedings.
The moment when nourishment passes from parent to baby, whether via bottle or breast, is extremely intimate, making this a great way to re-establish your connection.
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Minimize distractions and keep the eye contact going as much as possible. You might also want to speak softly and rub their chubby little hands or feet for to emphasize the physical connection, too.
2. Give baby a massage.
Touch is among the first senses to develop, so it’s something you can try with newborns as well as infants.
The physical contact has a host of health benefits, such as increased circulation, but emotionally it helps to secure the trust and care between you and your baby, enhancing your bond.
3. Wrap them in a six-second hug.
At about six secs, the brain begins releasing the feel-good hormones serotonin and oxytocin, which promote bonding and boost mood.
If your kiddo isn’t much of a hugger or they have sensory issues, try a holding their hands for six seconds instead.
4. Sing a lullaby.
Choose a favorite chair or position, and perhaps even try using the same song and tone each time.
Over time your baby will begin to recognize these two-minute lullaby sessions as special moments they share only with you, establishing feelings of trust, care, and comfort between you.
5. Try kangaroo care.
Otherwise known as skin-to-skin contact, kangaroo care has a host of physical health benefits, but my all-time favorite reason to do it is the bond it creates as you hold your baby with their bare skin on yours.
Research shows the practice is so soothing for babies, it may even help minimize crying and ease stress.
6. Look in a mirror together.
Babies love to look at faces, and even young babies will notice details, such as the shape of your face or the color of your eyes—and theirs.
These details lay the foundation for self-awareness as well as help to establish a connection with you, especially if you share similar features.
7. Copy baby’s coos.
Hearing and seeing you mimic their sounds is validation that they’re being heard and they matter.
8. Drop everything and dance.
If your cutie is old enough to sit up and shimmy, teach them that any time one of you says, “let’s dance,” you’ll play a fun tune and shake your groove together.
Even if they’re too young to boogie, playing with babies in this way (or any way) establishes connection, so don’t be afraid to be the only dancing at first.
Try selecting the same song every time, so younger babies can come to recognize it as yours!
9. Read a book together.
Story time prompts cuddling and shared emotion, all of which help to bond you and your baby.
Have a couple of easy boardbooks nearby that you can read in a pinch any time you want to take a moment to connect with your cutie.
10. Play Peek-a-Boo.
This easy, go-to game is beloved by babies, who are only beginning to understand that just because they can’t always see you doesn’t mean you don’t exist.
It also requires eye contact, which helps to connect you and your baby.
Writer: Ana
Headlines:
10 Sweet Ways to Connect With Your Child That Take Just Two Minutes or Less (75)
10 Fun, Easy Ideas to Help You Reconnect With Your Child in Just Two Minutes or Less (74)
10 Ways to Connect with Your Child in Just Two Minutes or Less (71)
REGULAR INTRO:
Hi, Nani here! I’m always looking for ways to connect with my boys, especially if we’re apart most of the day (or after I’ve had a stressful encounter with them). BONUS: on days when they’ve had my focused attention, even for just a few minutes, they’re always better behaved!
Can I share a few easy ways to reconnect with your kids in just two minutes or less?
[Absolutely!]
INTRO LANGUAGE FROM THE ADS:
Hey, it’s Nani! Ever get to the end of your day and think—wow, we didn't really play today? Me too—but sometimes it's so hard to find the time.
That's why I loved these 9 ideas to spark moments of playfulness (especially with couch cushions 😊). Want to see which ones work best for you?
[Sure!]
