Hello, Park! Bye, Park!

What you need

• their shoes for going out

How to do it

1. As you arrive somewhere familiar, stop at the gate and say 'hello, park!'
2. Wave at it like you mean it.
3. When it's time to leave, stop at the same gate: 'bye-bye, park!'
4. Do it every visit. The gate becomes the place it happens.

Why it matters

A place can't be shy back at them, so greeting it is a completely safe way to practise a hello and a goodbye, and it turns leaving into a ritual rather than a tussle.

What they're learning

Waving hello and bye

Arriving and leaving is exactly what greetings are for, just aimed at a place instead of a person.

Leaving without a fight

A goodbye ritual at the gate gives the end of the visit a clear shape.

A steady routine

Same gate, same words, every time.

What to look for

Watch for them waving at the gate before you do.

A tip

Say it on the way out even when leaving is going badly. A familiar goodbye helps more than an explanation does.

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