Building a solid foundation of social skills for your children from a young age can help them make friends more easily and assist them in becoming independent as they get older. There are several activities that you can have your child engage in that will help them develop strong social skills.
Board Games
Board games are not only fun, they are also educational and teach critical thinking skills and social skills. Games like chess really challenge the brain and allow children to master skills like strategizing and thinking independently, both of which can help them socially as they age.
To improve your child’s chess game, enroll them in online chess lessons. An online instructor can provide them with the one-on-one attention necessary to elevate their game without the need to add another outside class to your child’s already-busy schedule.
Reading
A child that reads can open up an entire world inside their brain. Reading not only enhances speaking skills and expands a child’s knowledge, but focused topics like making friends, preventing bullying, and handling life transitions can greatly assist them in expanding their social skills.
Going to the library with your child is an excellent way to bond with them. They can also meet new friends at programs through the library which cater to specific ages. They’ll expand their social circle while also expanding their minds.
Treasure Hunting
Searching for something, either as an individual or as a team, is a great way to develop a child’s social skills. Scavenger hunts, geocaching, and Pokémon Go are all terrific ways for children to get outdoors and interacting with their peers.
The competitive vibe of treasure hunting pushes a child to think outside-of-the-box. Keeping things fun and interactive by providing treasures that appeal to your child will keep them engaged and looking forward to treasure hunting again in the future.
Thinking Games
There are games that don’t require anything but a mind and conversation. Games like “Never Have I Ever” or “Would You Rather?” will have your child picking their brains to come up with the best possible answer. This teaches them important decision-making skills that will be crucial as they grow up and enter into adulthood.
The most important thing you can do for your child is to provide plenty of opportunities to engage in fun activities with their peers. The more they are exposed to, the more social skills they will develop.
7 Responses
Thanks for these great tips! One of our daughters has struggled with basic interactions her whole life – she does all these things already, but you’ve given me new ideas for how to help channel them into building her social skill set.
Those are all good ways to get kids using social skills. And no electronics involved!
Treasure hunting is a great idea. It is great that pokemon Go falls into that category. I think we might try harry potters wizards unite
Helping a child with their social skills is so incredibly empowering and helpful for them. Love these tips esp the treasure hunt. These skills are paramount to building relationships and having healthy interactions.
Going to the library is one of our favorite weekly routines! I have found that vocab and attention span has increased!
This are great ideas! I agree that they can definitely help improve our kids’ social skills. For now, my kids just love board games. We actually have a board game night every weekend.
I love that you mention treasure hunting! Even as an adult I love treasure hunting and is such a great group activity to get you talking!