0mo–11mo6 minFamily timeQuiet timeNap
Greeting Bookends Ritual
A short daily ritual that repeats the same greeting at the start and end of a session, helping babies recognise predictable routines and feel secure with familiar carers.
What you'll need
Essentials
- your voice and a consistent phrase
Nice to have
- a simple object cue (the same soft toy or muslin used only for this ritual)
- a short ‘hello’/‘goodbye’ tune you can hum
Movement level: false
What you'll do
The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
What it practices
- Recognises and is most responsive to main carer’s voice: face brightens, activity increases when familiar carer appears.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Responds when talked to, for example, moves arms and legs, changes facial expression, moves body and makes mouth movements.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Enjoys the company of others and seeks contact with others from birth.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Repeat greetings at the start and end of each session, so that young babies recognise and become familiar with these daily rituals.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)