One of the key challenges for parents is to ensure that their child fits into social settings. Let us take a look at some key social skills for kids along with some valuable tips on developing them.

Sharing:

Kids, especially the very young ones, are known to be a bit self-centered and therefore possessive about their things. Try snatching a toy from a toddler and you will know! However, put in a bit of effort teaching your kids sharing skills and very soon you will find the difference. To start with, games involving sharing things or taking turns can be a good idea.

For example, kids passing a ball around is a game that they can play. Parents also need to model themselves to pass on the right kind of message to their kids. Remember, they need to ‘see you sharing’. Make sure that you praise your kids for caring behaviour where they have shared something like a toy or a chocolate with a friend. Make them to know about the part of sharing and caring to nourish their friendship. All these little things could help to teach them sharing skills. This is one of the best social skills for Kids.

Empathy:

As adults we all know the importance of empathy. However, can it be taught to kids? This is the million dollar question. Especially so, in a world where aggressive behavior has become so commonplace. Want proof? Just open the newspaper or switch on a news channel. With so much negativism around, isn’t it time that we all did collectively to do something about it? The best way we can contribute is to make sure that we raise kids who are understanding and caring.

One of the best ways to teach them is by being a model of empathy. Reading stories about acts of kindness is a good idea in the case of the really young children. Be a storyteller and bring the change in kids. The pre-teens can be encouraged to volunteer in activities such as a food-drive or a clean-up drive, refugee help, etc. , all of which can help strengthen their sense of empathy.

Listening:

We all know that listening plays a key role in a child’s development. After all, children spend a good part of their time listening to their teachers in classrooms. For the really young ones, games involving listening can be a fun way to acquire listening skills (know how to improve listening skills.) Follow-up questions are way to help you find out about your child’s listening skills. Teach kids about not interrupting someone when they are speaking. Teach them to listen carefully and then give a reply.

Communication:

‘Catch ‘em young’ seems to be the mantra for teaching good communication skills. Make sure that you are providing the right atmosphere at home for kids to express themselves. It should be such that they should never hesitate to share any feelings or discuss something with their parents. As parents we need to ensure that we treat them as we would an adult. Give them a patient hearing. This will make them feel responsible. Teach them about the importance of speaking with respect with others. All these things add up in developing good communication skills in kids.

Positivity:  

Social Skills for Kids ! Let your home be full of positive vibes. Getting all worked up and scolding is not the right solution, if your kid has done something wrong. Instead, in such a situation try the positive approach. Teach your kid that it is okay to do a mistake. Sit down with them and try and come out with a solution to his or her problems. Teach and practice along with them positive affirmations. Teach them about the benefits of positive thinking. Finally, as parents set the right examples through your positive behaviour.

At the school a lot of emphasis is laid on developing positive character traits in students. This thrust on nurturing the all-round personality of a student has been one of the key factors behind our school emerging as a top choice for parents searching for the best CBSE school in Coimbatore.