Forming a line at a service counter. Giving a polite nod of acknowledgement to a passerby. You might assume these are just social habits that come naturally, but in reality, navigating social situations is a skill that needs to be developed from a young age.
While much of our ability to navigate social situations comes from learning via simple observation and experimentation, there are still more proactive approaches you can take. So how can you make that happen?
We asked early childhood education professionals to offer insight into some simple methods of getting preschool-age children to practice and develop their social interaction abilities. Read on for some excellent tips and ideas! While these tried-and-true activities are still excellent ways for kids to have fun and learn to be together, they also require more than just fun outfits or a miniature kitchen set. Young children also need time and guidance, says Susan Bracken, an early childhood educator with 40 years in the field.
The adult observing this imaginative play can watch for kids who are hanging back or being left out, gently helping them join the others, offering the child phrases they can use to ask to participate, or assigning them a task that needs doing.
While imaginative play can be observed and supervised, there is also much a young child can learn from unstructured and uninterrupted play time. Children have a variety of abilities to recognize emotions or understand turn-taking. There are some kids who live in situations where they have limited experience in good problem-solving and other kids who struggle with speech and language.
