NEW! Coral Reef I Love You Ritual

My daughter Cynthia is very creative. In the middle of a conversation about the coral reef on a lunch date we started playing this game. Half way through I realized we made up our own I Love You Ritual. Feel free to try it for yourself. Here's how to play.

Child puts their forearm on the table with their palm turned up and fingers curled to make a “coral reef.”

The parent makes up what kind of sea creature they are and “lives” at the reef acting the part.

For example, as a starfish Iput all five fingers out and lay still on her arm, under her hand etc.

Then the parent is the reef and the child has a turn to act like the starfish.

On my next turn I was a seahorse bopping through ocean and “caught” the reef with my curly tail (which was my pinky) and hung out at the reef for a while enjoying the view of the other fish.

Then the child has a turn being the seahorse.

Other ideas were an eel (put your pointer finger and middle finger together and slither through/under the reef);

a lobster (use your pointer and middle finger as the antennae to peak out from under the reef);

a crab (use your finger nails to tickle their hand and arm as you crawl around the reef).

The ideas are limitless and it’s a game you can take anywhere. This game meets the needs of a child for eye contact, gentle touch, undivided attention, and playfulness. It also passed the time semi-quietly while we waited for our meal in the restaurant.

Come to think of it we had a fish sandwich... LOL