‘Your child hit mine!’
Words no mother wants to hear from the parent of another child her kid just went for a playdate with!
And yet, it happens. No matter whether we believe our children to be the most well-behaved children in the world, or not. And can you blame them, really? They have hardly spent any time at all in this world that’s largely alien to them. The least we could do is empathize with them and instead of admonishing them, teach them some vital social skills!
In this article from the Kangaroo Kids stable, we endeavour to shed light not merely on why social skills are important, but also, some classic social skills examples. We cover all the important topics to teach kids vis a vis mastering those social skills, so they are well-apprised of how they need to conduct themselves in public in respectable fashion!
Ready to get started, and discover those social skills examples? First, let’s answer the question, ‘Why are Social Skills Important?’
Table of Contents
- Social Skills for KIds: Understanding Why Social Skills are Important
- 8 Important Social Skills for Kids and How to Teach them
Social Skills for Kids: Understanding Why Social Skills are Important
The importance of social skills for kids is far more important than you think!
Presenting the top benefits of social skills, for your little one.
- They make new friends
- They help ease their transition to school
- It sets them up for Life!
Harnessing good social skills is vital in nurturing good friendships!
Bonus: When children make friends with others, that only means they can reap the benefits of playing alongside them. The last thing you would want is for your child to not be part of any group!
Social skills for kids, when well-developed, assist them greatly where it comes to their transition to school, thanks to the increased sense of ‘confidence’ they bring with them.
Those social skills they master early on, will set them up for a lifetime of positive relationships with people. All this, because they have learned things like ‘conflict resolution’ and ‘empathy’, thanks to those social skills.
8 Important Social Skills for Kids and How to Teach Them
If you’re looking for some classic social skills examples, this section is just the place for you!
The following 8 social skills examples, cover all the topics to teach kids, in the ‘Social Skills Department’.
- Sharing
- Patience
- Communication
- Listening
- Empathy
- Conflict Resolution
- Following Instructions
- Making Friends
‘Sharing is caring’, they say. Try telling that to a preschooler!
How to teach them: You want to encourage your child to share all kinds of things with others, be it the lunch they take to preschool, or even the toys on their playdates with others.
Tip: You want to ‘praise’ them, every time you see them sharing things with others.
This is one of the most vital social skills for kids, but also, one of the hardest to acquire!
How to teach them: The process of ‘delayed self-gratification’ should be tactfully employed here. For instance, if your child wants a treat, you might want them to wait for some time before you hand it to them. They have to learn that not everything in this world is available ‘at a click’!
Clearly one of the top social skills, this one is reinforced through plenty of practice!
How to teach them: You want your child to talk to you about anything and everything. Encourage them to express themselves freely at all times.
Listening is just next to communication!
How to teach them: They must understand that they should only start speaking after the other person has finished talking.
Bonus: This will also work wonders, in helping them better comprehend the spoken language.
By far, one of the most important social skills all human beings need to cultivate.
How to teach them: You must get them to see things from another person’s perspective. When they are in the shoes of that person and understand what they feel, encourage them to express how they themselves are feeling!
No matter how well kids learn to share and communicate, there will always be conflicts lurking around the corner!
How to teach them: Children should learn that whenever they are faced with a problem that’s making them upset, they should first try and identify the source of that problem.
Example: If another child refused to play with your child, maybe it’s because they didn’t like the game they were both playing. If your child takes a step back and calmly assesses the situation with an analytical mind, they might very well solve the problem, and choose another game to play the next time round!
We’ve all had problems with this one, even as adults!
How to teach them: Children have to learn that following instructions well is vital to getting through their tasks smoothly.
Bonus Tip: Here’s where kids need to learn, that ‘listening’ and ‘following instructions’ go hand in hand with one another. If they listen carefully, they won’t forget the instructions!
Needless to say, this is easier said than done!
How to teach them: You must encourage them, to go on out there and make some solid friendships with other kids.
Bonus Tip: One of the best ways to get your child to make new friends, is to have them sign up for a sport or an activity that they like!
At Kangaroo Kids we are of the strong belief that honing your child’s social skills is vital where it comes to their holistic growth and development. We are hoping that the social skills examples we have showcased in this example, along with the tips to develop them, will help your children become the best versions of themselves!
