Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“If we turned animal noises into a song right now, what would it sound like, show me?”
What to listen for
A child who jumps right in and gets loud and silly is showing you they feel completely comfortable being goofy in front of you, that's a wonderful, easy sign of safety and connection. A child who giggles but hesitates might just be warming up; join in yourself to lower the bar.
Notice which animal noise they choose first, sometimes it echoes how they're feeling (a loud roar on a big-energy day, a quiet meow on a tired one).
If they say "I don't know," start with one yourself, badly, and let them correct or top you. Kids love outperforming a parent at silliness.
What this tells you
How easily they jump into pure silliness with you shows how safe and unselfconscious they currently feel in your presence.