I’m starting to reconnect with some of my old friends from high school but they have a 5-year-old now and I want to make a good impression but I don’t really know how to interact with children. Do I just like ask them what their favorite Disney movie is or something?
If you have access to Disney+ or piracy, watching a couple of (they’re eight minutes long) episodes of the show Bluey would probably charm your butt off and also give you a lot to go on for fun ways to engage with kids.
It’s all about being real and in the moment, and giving them ways to experience novelty. A parenting book my partner was reading reminded her that all you need to do to engage a (toddler, but the point stands) child’s interest is to turn the laundry basket upside down. Everything that’s dull to you is new to them (and everything that’s exciting to you, they’re often not ready for yet).