Building social skills in kids requires structured, engaging, and developmentally appropriate activities that cater to their unique learning styles and social needs. Social skills activities should be tailored to individual abilities, sensory preferences, and comfort levels to support development while gradually encouraging interaction, cooperation, and relationship-building.
Effective social skills interventions often involve structured play, visual supports, role-playing, and real-life practice opportunities. Children tend to thrive in environments where expectations are clear, transitions are smooth, and interactions follow a predictable pattern. Using visual schedules, social stories, and peer modeling can help children better understand social expectations and engage more confidently in social situations.
Additionally, social skills development can be embedded into everyday activities, including classroom interactions, playdates, community outings, and family routines. By incorporating social learning into real-life experiences, children can practice and generalize these skills in meaningful and practical ways.
It’s also important to recognize that social development occurs at different paces for each child, and progress may be gradual. Encouraging positive interactions, celebrating small successes, and providing consistent reinforcement can help build confidence and motivation. Ultimately, fostering social skills in children requires patience, creativity, and a supportive environment that prioritizes their strengths and unique ways of connecting with others.
Here’s a breakdown of social skills activities that you can try, by age group. Keep in mind that while these activities are categorized by age, every child develops at their own pace. Some activities may need to be adapted to match a child’s developmental level rather than their chronological age.
Toddlers (Ages 1-3)
At this stage, social skills focus on joint attention, turn-taking, and basic interactions.
- Peek-a-Boo & Hide-and-Seek – Encourages eye contact and shared enjoyment.
- Cause-and-Effect Toys – Helps with turn-taking and social reciprocity (e.g., pressing buttons together on a toy).
- Imitation Games – Songs like “If You’re Happy and You Know It” promote mirroring actions.
- Parallel Play with Peers – Encourages playing near other children before direct interaction.
- Simple Turn-Taking Games – Rolling a ball back and forth, stacking blocks together, or passing a toy back and forth. https://amzn.to/3Q4FYnt
- Chunky Wooden Puzzles – Simple puzzles with large pieces encourage cooperation and problem-solving. https://amzn.to/4hIKhRk
- Musical Freeze Dance – Helps with imitation, body awareness, and shared play.
- Emotion Flashcard Matching – Match different facial expressions to promote emotional recognition. https://amzn.to/3CFIDkv
Preschoolers (Ages 3-5)
This age group benefits from structured social play and guided interactions.
- Pretend Play – Play doctor, restaurant, or tea party to practice social interactions. https://amzn.to/3EzhobI https://amzn.to/3EozhtX https://amzn.to/4jKODZJ
- Emotion Matching Games – Match facial expressions to emotions to develop empathy. https://amzn.to/4117x7m
- Group Songs & Rhymes – “The Wheels on the Bus” encourages group participation.
- Playdates with Structure – Short, supervised playdates with familiar peers.
- Candy Land or Chutes & Ladders – Teaches turn-taking and following simple game rules. https://amzn.to/4hKiwrr
- Shape & Pattern Sorting Puzzles – Encourages cooperation and joint problem-solving. https://amzn.to/3EzhIXY
- Simon Says – Improves listening skills and the ability to follow social cues.
- Play Dough “Bake Off” – Work together to make pretend cookies or shapes, encouraging creativity and shared play. https://amzn.to/415YIIz
Early Elementary (Ages 6-8)
At this stage, kids can work on more structured interactions and problem-solving skills.
- Cooperative Building Activities – Building with Legos or blocks with a peer encourages teamwork. https://amzn.to/3Q3wAR2 https://amzn.to/40H11S5
- Role-Playing Common Scenarios – Practice greetings, asking for help, or ordering food at a restaurant.
- Feelings Chart – Helps children recognize and label emotions in themselves and others.
- Social Skills Board Games – Games like “The UnGame” reinforce social thinking. https://amzn.to/4i2uNrB
- Small Group Play – Simple team sports or collaborative art projects encourage interaction.
- Social Storytime – Use books and social stories to explain emotions and appropriate social responses.
- Video Modeling – Watching and practicing modeled social interactions.
- Connect 4 or Jenga – Encourages turn-taking, strategy, and patience. https://amzn.to/4aIDcOh https://amzn.to/4b3uxX3
- Charades for Kids – Helps with nonverbal communication and expressive language. https://amzn.to/42EbkZL
- UNO or Go Fish – Reinforces rule-following, turn-taking, and asking/answering questions. https://amzn.to/4jKPCsT https://amzn.to/40OaFCe
- Musical Chairs – Teaches flexibility, sportsmanship, and social awareness.
- Jigsaw Puzzles– When children work on a puzzle together, they must communicate, take turns, and share pieces. https://amzn.to/4hHHojF https://amzn.to/4gmyJSA
Late Elementary (Ages 9-12)
As children grow, they benefit from activities that promote deeper social understanding.
- Joke-Telling or Improvisation Games – Encourages flexible thinking and reciprocal conversation.
- “Guess the Emotion” Games – Identify emotions in pictures, videos, or social scenarios. https://amzn.to/415r7ja
- Storytelling Circle – Take turns adding to a collaborative story, improving communication skills.
- Community Outings with a Purpose – Order at a restaurant, pay for an item, or ask for directions.
- The Game of Life or Monopoly Jr. – Encourages planning, social interaction, and decision-making. https://amzn.to/40LKYSV https://amzn.to/42IT811
- Pictionary – Reinforces social interaction, turn-taking, and understanding abstract concepts. https://amzn.to/412FyEC
- Would You Rather? (Social Edition) – Encourages flexible thinking and social conversation skills. https://amzn.to/3Eqkpev
- Just Dance (Video Game) – Encourages engagement, movement, and turn-taking in a fun way. https://amzn.to/3Eqkpev
Fostering social skills in children requires patience, creativity, and a supportive environment that embraces their unique strengths. By incorporating structured, engaging activities into daily routines and play, children can develop essential social abilities at their own pace. Whether through interactive games, role-playing, puzzles, or real-life practice, these activities help build confidence, communication, and connection with others. Most importantly, recognizing that each child progresses differently allows for individualized approaches that nurture their growth in a way that feels natural and rewarding. With the right support and encouragement, every child can strengthen their social skills and form meaningful relationships.
Come play with us!
Is your child working on sharing, turn-taking, making requests, or playing cooperatively with peers? Our Social Skills Group is the perfect place to practice these important skills in a fun and supportive environment with our therapists!
What We Focus On:
Making & Responding to Requests
Cooperative Play & Conversation Skills
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Social skills class:
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Love & Co. Therapeutic Interventions
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