Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“Can you do the silliest voice you've got for a made-up character right now?”
What to listen for
A big, uninhibited performance shows they feel completely comfortable being goofy around you, which is wonderful for connection. Laugh, ask for an encore, join in with your own voice.
If they're shy at first but warm up, that's normal, give them a beat and maybe start silly yourself to break the ice.
If they really don't want to, don't push; offer to do a silly voice yourself instead so it still feels like play, not a performance.
What this tells you
How freely they play in front of you shows you how relaxed and unjudged they feel in your presence.