Confidence & feelings
Pizza back massage
- Builds: Settling with gentle touch
- 10 min
- Ages 1–4
- Calm
- No mess
From the house
- Nothing. Just their back and your hands.
How to play
- Ask, “Can I make a pizza on your back?”, and once they say yes, they lie on their tummy.
- Knead the dough (gentle squeezes) and roll it flat (long strokes).
- Spread the sauce (circles), sprinkle cheese (finger taps), add toppings (soft pokes).
- Into the oven for a big warm hug, then they make one on you.
Fit it to your child
- Easier: Keep it to three moves, a pat, a roll and a hug, and sing it as you go.
- Harder: They choose every topping and tell you when to go softer or stop.
Words to use
- knead
- roll
- sprinkle
- gentle
- stop
Why it helps
Gentle touch calms their body and reconnects you after a day apart, and asking first shows them they get a say about their own body.