What kind of cups work best?

Light plastic, silicone, or other nonbreakable cups with smooth edges work best.

What if my child only wants to bang the cup?

Slow the pace, hold your cup still, and count one gentle tap as the whole turn.

Do I need my child to say "cheers"?

No. A look, smile, cup lift, or tap still counts as joining the routine.

Back to library

A grown-up and toddler sitting face to face and tapping 2 lightweight cups together in a simple cheers game.

Skill builderDevelopmental supportCopy Then TryIndoor

Cup Cheers Clank.

Sit face to face with 2 cups, do 3 quick cheers taps, and stop there.

Hold 2 cups, tap them together, say "cheers," and let your child join the same tiny social loop again and again.

Skill builderDevelopmental supportCopy Then TryIndoor

Cup Cheers Clank.

Hold 2 cups, tap them together, say "cheers," and let your child join the same tiny social loop again and again.

Play time

5-10+ min

Age

1-2 years

Energy

Low

Mess

Effort

Low

Where

Indoor

Start here

The recipe.

Low parent effort

2 things

What you need

2 light, safe cups
1 floor spot, couch seat, or pair of chairs where you can sit face to face

5 min minimum

Setup

Then start the loop

Step 01

Sit on the floor, couch, or 2 chairs where you and your child can face each other at arm's length.

Step 02

Put 1 cup in your hand and 1 cup in your child's hand or right in front of them.

Step 03

Hold your cup in the middle space between you so your child can reach it with a short tap.

"Ready. Cheers."

The loop

How play unfolds.

Four panels showing a grown-up holding out one cup, the first cheers tap, the toddler reaching in for the next clank, and the cups stacking away at the end.

1
Tap your cup once to your child's cup and say, "Cheers."
2
Pause so your child can bring their cup in for the next tap.
3
Repeat the same clank-and-reset turn for a few short rounds.

01
Tap your cup once to your child's cup and say, "Cheers."
02
Pause so your child can bring their cup in for the next tap.
03
Repeat the same clank-and-reset turn for a few short rounds.

Safety Check

Use light, nonbreakable cups with smooth edges.
Stay close if your child starts mouthing, throwing, or hard banging instead of doing the cheers tap.
Stop if the sound level or the speed starts to feel too wild.

Supporting the play

What to say in the moment

Match what you say to what you see.

Prompt ladder

Level 1 (Start)

"Cheers."

Level 2 (Keep going)

"Clank again."

Level 3 (Stretch)

"My turn, your turn."

Level 4 (Extend)

"Soft clank. Big clank."

If your child seems...

What you'd see

Focused

What to do

Say

"You did the clank."

Add

Pause for your child to lift their cup before you move yours in.

Extend

Switch between a soft tap and a louder tap for the next turn.

Make it easier

Younger end

-Use light plastic cups that make an easy sound with a small tap.
-Keep your cup still so your child only has to move one cup.
-Stop after 2 or 3 successful clanks.

Make it harder

Older end

+Wait for your child to lift their cup before you move yours in.
+Alternate between "cheers" and another simple sound such as "clank."
+Let your child start one round by moving their cup toward yours first.

If it's not working

If you see

If child ignores it

Make 1 clear cheerful clank yourself, smile, and bring your cup back in right away for another turn.

If you see

If child misuses it

Reset with 1 calm model tap and offer 1 gentle cheers turn instead of letting it turn into random banging.

If you see

If child gets frustrated

Hold the cups closer together and count any small touch as success.

Skill spotlight

Copy Then Try

copying one simple social action in a short turn routine

This helps a child copy another person's action in real time, share a tiny back-and-forth routine, and connect a simple movement with a social sound cue.

•The back-and-forth cheers rhythm gives your child one easy social routine to join.
•The cup tap pairs one simple action with one simple sound cue.
•The short repeat loop makes it easy to try again without a long reset.

Real-world transfer