Serve-return-rally-learn: extending the serve and return metaphor in adult–child interactions

Abstract From birth, children's interactions with adults are central to their survival, development, health, and well-being. While sensitive and responsive caregiving has long been associated with optimal child development, neuroscience has enabled an understanding of how such experiences influence brain architecture. The serve and return metaphor has been widely adopted by translation and communication initiatives to showcase the type of interactions that drive children's development. In this article, we propose extending the metaphor to serve-return-rally-learn to make explicit the importance of extended, responsive interactions in fostering children's learning. Drawing on the principles of conversation analysis, we explain the interactional components of an adult–child interactional tennis match and explore how adults’ interactional practices can promote rallies to optimize children's learning and development.