Wave From the Window

What you need

• a window that looks onto the street or path

How to do it

1. When someone leaves the house, take your toddler to the window.
2. Wave as they walk away and say 'bye-bye' and their name.
3. Keep waving until they're out of sight.
4. Let your toddler join in, or just watch. Both are fine.

Why it matters

Waving someone off through glass is a goodbye with no pressure on it at all: nobody's looking at the toddler, and the person keeps waving back.

What they're learning

Waving bye

A wave that gets a wave back is the most satisfying version there is.

Names for people

'Bye-bye, Grandad' is a name attached to a moment they'll remember.

Watching someone go

Seeing a person leave and knowing they'll come back is a real piece of understanding.

What to look for

Watch for them heading to the window when someone picks up their keys.

A tip

Ask whoever's leaving to turn and wave back. A wave that gets answered is the one they'll want to do again.

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