Tips for Helping Kids Develop Social Skills
Supporting toddlers’ and preschoolers’ social skills is crucial for their growth and future success. During these early years, children form relationships, communicate, and manage emotions. Key skills like sharing, cooperation, and empathy lay the foundation for healthy interactions. Parents and teachers play a vital role by offering social play opportunities, modeling positive behavior, and guiding children through challenges. Early social development support helps children thrive now and prepares them for future academic and personal achievements.
Toddler Socialization Activities: Building Early Friendships
Socialization plays a crucial role in the development of toddlers. During these early years, toddlers learn to navigate their surroundings, interact with peers, and express themselves in various ways. As the quote suggests, “Toddlers express their views through body language and different emotional expressions, such as mimicry and gestures” (Giske, R., et al, 2018 p.363). This unique form of communication is essential for toddlers to understand the world around them and form meaningful relationships. Encouraging social activities during this stage is vital for developing social competence, which can have long-lasting benefits for a child’s emotional and cognitive growth.
The Importance of Social Competence
Social competence refers to a toddler’s ability to maintain positive social outcomes and form peer relationships. At this stage, friendships may seem simple, but they are foundational for future social interactions. Unfortunately, a lack of friendships can be an important signal for parents and teachers. Toddlers who struggle to connect with peers might face challenges in developing the social skills necessary for later life. This is why it’s essential to foster socialization early on.
Toddlers naturally explore their environment through their bodies. Whether it’s grabbing objects, running, or playing with others, bodily exploration helps them gather information about their surroundings. By engaging in social play, toddlers learn to perceive themselves and the world more clearly, helping them develop self-awareness and empathy.
- Imitative Play: Imitation is one of the most common ways toddlers interact. By the age of 12 months, toddlers begin to mimic the actions of their peers, such as offering toys, laughing, and smiling. Simple activities like singing songs, dancing, or playing with toys in groups encourage toddlers to copy each other, fostering a sense of connection. Parents and teachers can create an environment that promotes imitation by engaging in repetitive, routine activities that toddlers can easily follow.
- Rough-and-Tumble Play: Physical play is a powerful tool for social development. Rough-and-tumble play, such as playful boxing, wrestling, chasing, and catching, allows toddlers to engage with each other in a fun and interactive way. Unlike solitary play, these types of activities involve direct social interaction, helping toddlers learn boundaries, cooperation, and emotional regulation. Teachers and parents can set up safe spaces where toddlers can engage in this type of play, ensuring they understand the difference between playful and aggressive behavior.
- Sharing and Turn-Taking Games: By encouraging toddlers to offer and receive toys, they learn the basics of sharing and taking turns. Simple activities such as building blocks, passing a ball, or playing with puzzles in small groups can teach toddlers the importance of cooperation. These games also foster emotional understanding, as toddlers begin to realize the feelings of others when waiting for their turn or sharing a favorite toy.
- Group Storytelling and Song Sessions: Imitative interaction among toddlers often involves laughing, gazing, and vocalizing in response to others. Group storytelling or singing sessions, where toddlers are encouraged to participate with gestures or sounds, can boost their confidence in social settings. Repetitions and routines are especially helpful as toddlers thrive on predictable activities, allowing them to engage comfortably with their peers.
Early socialization activities are key to helping toddlers develop social competence and build strong peer relationships. By engaging in imitative play, rough-and-tumble activities, and cooperative games, toddlers can begin to understand the dynamics of social interaction. These foundational skills will serve them well throughout their lives, helping them navigate friendships, school, and later professional environments. Encouraging socialization in a safe and supportive environment will set the stage for a lifetime of positive social outcomes.
Preschooler social skills building
Developing social skills in preschoolers is vital for their emotional, cognitive, and social growth. These skills help them form friendships, manage emotions, and succeed in group environments. Parents and teachers can actively support social development by encouraging positive interactions. Here are some key strategies to help build social skills in preschoolers:
Encourage Sharing and Cooperation
- Engage children in group activities like building blocks, puzzles, and role-playing games to practice sharing and taking turns.
- Use cooperative play to help them learn teamwork, negotiation, and patience.
Foster Emotional Expression and Empathy
- Teach preschoolers to identify their own emotions and understand how others feel.
- Use books, stories, and role-playing to discuss different emotions and appropriate responses to others’ feelings.
- Praise empathetic behavior when children show kindness or concern for others.
Model Positive Social Behavior
- Demonstrate respectful communication, active listening, and conflict resolution for children to observe and mimic.
- Explain your actions and decisions to help them understand the social dynamics behind good behavior.
Promote Playtime for Skill Development
- Encourage structured playtime, like group games or storytelling, to develop communication and problem-solving skills.
- Allow free play to give children opportunities to engage in creative social interactions with their peers.
Set Clear Boundaries and Provide Guidance
- Establish consistent rules and routines to help children learn about acceptable social behaviors.
- Offer gentle correction and guidance when conflicts arise, helping children understand how to resolve issues peacefully.
Supporting the social skills development of toddlers and preschoolers is essential for their future success. By fostering skills like sharing, cooperation, and empathy, parents and teachers lay the foundation for healthy relationships and emotional well-being. Early socialization activities, such as playtime and modeling positive behavior, help children thrive both in the present and long term. These efforts not only support their current interactions but also prepare them for academic, personal, and social success in the future.
References
Carter, C., & Nutbrown, C. (2016). A Pedagogy of Friendship: young children’s friendships and how schools can support them. International Journal of Early Years Education, 24(4), (pp. 395–413). https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2016.1189813
Cosso, J., De Vivo, A. R. R., Hein, S., Silvera, L. P. R., Ramirez-Varela, L., & Ponguta, L. A. (2022). Impact of a Social-emotional Skills-Building Program (Pisotón) on Early Development of Children in Colombia: A Pilot Effectiveness Study. International Journal of Educational Research, 111, (pp. 1–10). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2021.101898
Giske, R., Ugelstad, I. B., Meland, A. T., Kaltvedt, E. H., Eikeland, S., Tønnessen, F. E., & Reikerås, E. K. L. (2018). Toddlers’ Social Competence, Play, Movement Skills and Well-Being: An Analysis of Their Relationship Based on Authentic Assessment in Kindergarten. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 26(3), (pp. 362–374). https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2018.1463904