Why do we shake hands as a common greeting gesture?

We shake hands to show we're friendly and trustworthy when we meet someone new.

Imagine you’re at the playground, and a kid you don’t know comes up to you. You might not be sure if they want to play with you or trick you. So, you do something simple, you reach out your hand and shake theirs. That action is like saying, “I’m not going to hurt you. I want to be friends.”

When we shake hands, both people are showing they’re open to a new friendship.

• It's like giving each other a little hug with the hands.
• You can feel if someone’s hand is strong or soft, just like how you know your best friend’s hand feels when you high-five them.
• If one person doesn’t shake, it might mean they are shy or not ready to be friends yet.

This simple gesture has been used for many years, even in stories and real life. So now, whenever we meet someone new, we use our hands to say hello and let’s be friends!