Preschool Activities

You were giving a passerby a courteous nod of acknowledgment. It would help if you didn’t leave someone in the middle of a sentence suddenly. You would think these are just ingrained social behaviors, but negotiating social circumstances requires learning early. 

There are still more proactive steps you may take, even though learning to manage social settings often comes through essential experimentation and observation. Given that the recent epidemic may have reduced opportunities for kids to engage with others and improve their social skills, taking an active approach may be more crucial than ever.

One of the young child’s most crucial life skills is learning to interact and get along with others. While physical development, motor abilities, and academic skills like language and math are frequently prioritized, social skills also prepare kids for life. 

Almost every element of our lives will be impacted by how we socialize and engage with others, whether with family, friends, coworkers, classmates, or anyone else. Preschoolers with good social skills can communicate, collaborate, share, play together, and develop body language.  

In addition to enhancing mental capacity and cognitive ability, having solid social skills also promotes general mental wellness. This article examines the significance of helping preschoolers develop social skills early to provide them with the tools they’ll need in the future.  

Preschoolers pick up knowledge by listening, exploring, observing others, and, of course, by asking plenty of questions. Preschoolers have various opportunities in childcare and kindergarten settings to grow critical social skills through unstructured play and structured learning. Many kids will meet other kids for the first time outside their own families when they enroll in kindergarten or an extended daycare facility.

Child’s social development depends on their ability to engage and play with peers of all ages, including those who are older and younger than themselves. Preschoolers learn crucial skills in problem-solving, conflict resolution, sharing, kindness, and empathy through playing with peers their age and older. They can hone their leadership and responsibility abilities while mentoring younger kids.  

It is fascinating to see preschoolers develop, and create new friendships, especially as the more seasoned kids tour newcomers and get acquainted with the other kids.

Preschoolers go through a lot when they start school, and strong social skills make the adjustment easier. Preschoolers gain self-confidence, independence, and self-reliance due to the social skills they develop in extended daycare and kindergarten, which also helps to raise their general self-esteem.

The teachers facilitate mixing with preschoolers from local schools to aid in this transition. For example, you may play with them outside, go to the library, or be paired up as buddies with older pupils. Preschoolers will feel well-prepared with the social skills they need to transition to prep school when the time comes, thanks to the opportunities to meet the teachers and learn about the institution. 

Many of us may picture costumes and props when we hear “imaginative play,” perhaps recalling our childhood memories when we “played home” or pretended to operate a restaurant, school, or shop. Even though these tried-and-true games are fantastic for kids to have a good time and develop a sense of community, they call for more than simply cute clothes or a toy kitchen. According to Susan Bracken, an early childhood educator with 40 years of experience, young preschoolers also require patience and direction.

With the example of “playing restaurant,” Bracken demonstrates how much time the kids will need to set up their scenario and decide who would play which roles, such as the cook, waitress, and customer. Bracken says, “This negotiating period is crucial. A watchful teacher will allow preschoolers to work through disputes, collectively problem solve, and obtain necessary props while interacting as little as possible.” 

An adult watching this imaginative play can care for preschooler hanging back or feeling left out and gently encourage them to join the others, teach them the vocabulary to ask to participate, or give them a task to complete. 

The answer, according to Bracken, is giving them lots of time to bargain and come up with solutions. 

While imaginative play can be observed and controlled, young preschoolers learn much through unscheduled, uninterrupted playtime. 

Rebecah Freeling, a specialist in early childhood development and parent coach at Wits’ End Parenting®, claims that “the human being is built to learn via play and imitation in early life.” “Let your child go outside and play if you’re fortunate enough to live where other kids are.”  

Parents and other caregivers can watch over without “hovering,” according to Freeling. 

Giving preschoolers a lot of unstructured time to play is quite beneficial, according to Freeling. Freeling advises evaluating the scenario to see if things need to be improved or if there is too much friction for the encounter to be helpful. 

Freeling continues, “Some situations are overly rigid or adult driven. Preschoolers “don’t get enough time to truly get into a play environment where the abilities can naturally develop.” 

It could seem paradoxical to someone actively fostering a child’s social development. Still, stepping back and letting kids handle social situations independently is acceptable. If things aren’t going smoothly at first, try to resist the impulse to step in and fix them since learning often requires the freedom to make and learn from mistakes. 

Preschoolers can sense emotions or comprehend taking turns in a variety of ways. Some preschoolers live in circumstances that leave them with little practice in practical problem-solving, while others have difficulty speaking and writing.

According to Bracken, adults and parents can help by acting as role models for awareness. She provides a few instances.

Observe Susie’s expression: I can tell she is dejected! I witness weeping. She has ceased grinning, as I can see. 

Regardless of their temperament or level of experience, taking a moment to point out these precise reactions and behaviors enables youngsters to know what they want to watch. 

For a child, making eye contact may not be possible for various reasons, explains Bracken. “While they can learn it in some situations, it may hurt and be uncomfortable for some kids. If so, simply teaching a child to turn their body toward someone might be a suitable replacement. 

In addition, Bracken recommends adults tell kids when encountering prosocial behavior: “I see Bill and Mary sharing a ball! or “Joanie and Jimmy’s alternate turns on the slide.”

By discussing what you’re watching and your connections to these observations, preschoolers can more easily understand why others do what they do. This acknowledgment of what seems clear is similar to “showing your work” in a math lesson. 

Remembering that every child is unique and respecting their ways and preferences is just as crucial as freely and clearly defining appropriate communication and in-the-moment emotions (as long as they are not hurting themselves or anyone else).

Bracken says, “A child who is sluggish to warm up may seem unpleasant compared to a more outgoing child.” Bracken thinks teachers and caregivers must get to know the kids and their families, adding that their urge to be included is vital.   

Bracken says teachers must fully comprehend each student’s strengths and weaknesses. 

Freeling underlines the significance of accepting kids as they are since parents and caregivers need to look for kids that fall on either extreme of the social spectrum—introverted or outgoing—to raise them. 

Both extremes of that continuum can lead to problems since they can disturb other preschoolers and adults, according to Freeling. “Those kids require extra care to make the most of their social experience.” Parents and other adults should accept each child for who they are, according to Freeling. 

Accept a slow-warming youngster, advises Freeling, rather than trying to coax them. Congratulate them! You said you were so sensible to watch from a distance before joining the group. That was a sage move. Come when you’re prepared.  

Storytelling is another primary human activity; sometimes, the simplest hobbies are the best for fostering social growth. Turn-taking, listening, and courteous communication can be modeled by reading aloud or watching movies or television shows as a family and then taking the time to talk about what you’ve all seen. A picture book, a campfire story, or a movie night on the couch with lots of popcorn can accomplish this.  

You can look back on the events, the characters, their decisions, the amusing things they said or did, and the ways they handled issues after you and your friends shared the story, whether in a book, television show, or over s’mores.  

It’s a fantastic approach to practicing social interaction safely and can be made as complex or straightforward as you choose. 

Freeling advises, “Tell stories, read books, discuss exchanges you see on shows and movies.” 

Parents and other responsible people for preschoolers can find a lot of entertaining activity suggestions online. However, Bracken identifies a source sometimes overlooked: early childhood educators (ECE) professionals, childcare providers, and other ECFE teachers. For example, Minnesota mandates tests on various metrics: cognitive, physical, language, speech, fine and gross motor abilities, emotional development, and more. Some states require examinations of young preschoolers on various metrics for admittance into public schools.   

Bracken says, “the majority of high-quality preschool programs will mandate teachers to assess preschoolers in all areas twice a year. These evaluations, which are research-based, will advise teachers and parents to aid a child’s social development.”  

Additionally, Bracken advises parents and caregivers to enroll in ECFE programs because they allow them to watch professionals demonstrate play and social development techniques they may utilize with their preschooler.  

Professionals can provide a plethora of information, but Freeling advises that the best approaches and philosophies are tailored to the particular child.