Contemporary research has made it clear that social development is as important as intellectual and physical development. Social development in children is vital for making friends, adjusting to new environments, and learning how to deal with people. Thus, helping children develop social skills is one of the most important responsibilities of a parent.
You might be wondering how to help your child develop social skills that will empower them to take on any new challenges in the future. Read on to find out about different social development activities and strategies that you can leverage to maximise your kid’s social development.
How Do I Help My Kid Develop Social Skills?
As a parent, it’s important to help your kid develop social skills. Here are some ways to do so.
Communication Skills
Communication is a key social skill for children and adults. It is important to empower your kids to be more confident and speak their minds.
- Motivate them to Communicate
- Teach Them Conflict Resolution
- Encourage Their Questions
One of the most critical aspects of developing social skills is being able to communicate. Encourage your child to express their thoughts fearlessly and clearly with words and actions. Teach them to use clear, kind, and thoughtful words. Model excellent behaviour so that they know the proper ways of expression. This will not only help them make friends but also help them get accepted by strangers.
Conflicts are bound to happen. Teach your child to deal with conflicts in a healthy way. Whether between siblings or friends, there are strategies to resolve conflicts effectively and peacefully. These include active listening, negotiation skills, and assertiveness. Make sure your kid understands these ideas and how to implement them.
Kids are naturally curious. However, many kids struggle with asking questions. Asking questions is a great way to develop social skills since it shows the other person that you are willing to engage with them. Encourage your kid to develop their communication skills by asking questions. This will make them more confident in engaging with people they meet for the first time.
Kids’ questions are often trivialised and ignored. Ensure that this doesn’t happen in your kid’s case.
Promote Empathy
Empathy is a key social skill for leading a successful and happy life. Here are some ways to build empathy in your kid.
- Sharing is Caring
- Help Them Develop Empathy
Sharing is a vital social skill. Encourage your child to share toys and other belongings with other children. Make sure to reward or praise your child when they share. Sharing stems out of empathy for others. Thus, teach your child the value of sharing when they are small. This will help in their overall social development in early childhood.
Sharing is not the only aspect of developing empathy. Empathy is being able to see the world from another person’s perspective and thus understanding their feelings and emotions. It is an important aspect of social development in early childhood. Encourage your child to understand the feelings of other people.
Certain social development activities can help kids learn empathy. Just like sharing is a lesson in empathy; these activities help children put themselves in the shoes of others and let go of selfishness. Reading is another one. Read storybooks to your kids when they are young. Encourage them to see the story from the perspective of multiple characters. This will help them empathise with characters in stories as well as people in their lives. Inculcate the love of reading in your kids to help them become better individuals.
Encourage Them to Make Friends
One of the most important aspects of social development is the ability to make friends. This social skill can help your child in the future as well. Encourage your child to engage with kids their age. As a parent, you can help your child by creating more avenues to meet new kids.
Consider social development activities like hobby clubs, sports teams, and art classes. These present wonderful opportunities for your child to meet and make new friends. Afterschool programs and summer camps are also great ways of meeting new friends.
It Starts with You!
Your kid is observing how you behave and deal with everything and everyone. So, set a good example for them.
Model Good Behavior
Children learn through observation. Most social development in early childhood happens when kids observe their parents. Thus, remember to model good behaviour for your kid. Be kind and respectful to friends, neighbours, and strangers. Resolve conflicts healthily. Communicate firmly but kindly. Be empathetic towards others. Remember, your kids are watching you as they grow up. Set a good example for your kids so that they follow in your footsteps.
Positive Reinforcement
When good behaviour is praised, it gives the kid positive reinforcement. This can be especially effective in forming good habits. Remember to praise your child when they are kind, or when they help others. This will convince them to do their best and rise up to your expectations.
Thus, social development has emerged as equally important as cognitive and physical development. Social development is strongly tied in with emotional development. While emotional development teaches kids to handle their emotions, social development encourages them to take care of other people’s emotions as well. The school your child attends, the friends they play with, and the environment at home all impact their social skills.
If you are searching for a play school that can help with your kid’s social development, you may rely on Kangaroo Kids International Preschool. To learn more about the admission details, visit our website or contact us today.
