New Friends: Social Interaction
Parent introduces baby to a friend or family member, observing how baby responds to unfamiliar people. The agent coaches the parent through a gentle social handoff, watching for social smiling, caregiver recognition, stranger awareness, and emotional regulation — building the social skills that shape all future relationships.
Opens a guided voice session in TogetherTime.
What you'll need
A trusted friend or family member present. Baby alert and in a good mood. Calm, familiar environment. Parent holding baby initially.
How it works
- 1~25s
First, have your friend or family member come close and make gentle eye contact with your child. Ask them to smile warmly and say hello in a soft voice. Watch your child's face — does they smile back? Does they make eye contact with this person? Even a brief look toward the new person is a great sign. Tell me how your child reacts.
Watch for: Baby smiles or shows positive facial expression in response to eye contact and smiling from a new person.
- 2~30s
Now let's try the handoff. Explain to your child who this person is — 'This is Aunty Maya' or 'This is Daddy's friend Tom' — and then carefully hand your child over to them. Watch closely — does your child look back at you? Does they seem calm or does they protest? Both reactions tell us something valuable about their development. What happens?
Watch for: Baby shows awareness of transfer from caregiver to non-caregiver — may look back at parent, show preference, or seek visual reassurance.
- 3~40s
While the other person is holding your child, ask them to talk softly, gently bounce or sway, and smile at your child. Give it a minute or two. Watch for your child's response to these loving gestures from someone new. Does your child relax? Smile? Reach out or touch their face? Or does they stay tense and keep looking for you? All of these responses are perfectly valid and tell us a lot.
Watch for: Baby responds positively to gentle, loving interaction from a non-primary caregiver.