Below: If you want to help your child make friends at school try these tips to enhance their social and emotional skills.
For school-age kids, playing is an important part of social learning. Kids are learning to work together while having fun at the same time. If your child seems a little reluctant to make friends, you, as a parent, can teach him to develop his social skills.
As social and emotional skills can be harder to teach once a child grows older, parents should monitor their child’s development from a young age. Respect, empathy, and sharing are not learned instantly by children, but all of these traits can be developed.
If you have a child who struggles to make friends, there are many things you can do to help.
How to Help Your Child Make Friends at School
Start by brainstorming a list of qualities that friends can have. Qualities such as being friendly, honesty, having fun, sharing, kindness, and placing others’ needs ahead of their own can all be emphasized with your child. Once he understands what type of qualities he needs to make friends, you can then observe him while he role plays these qualities.
If your child still struggles to fit in with his peers, proactively organize play dates or activities. After-school activities let children socialize with each other in a more relaxed environment than school. Sometimes socializing outside of school can have greater benefits in creating a bond between two children, which will help them build on this foundation at school.
Another tip is to visit the classroom to get a better idea of how your child behaves around his peers. If he seems a little withdrawn from others, talk with his teacher and raise your concerns. You may both come up with school-based strategies to help him interact with his peers.
Although you can’t be in the classroom every day, you still have the ability, as a parent, to create a sense of community within kindergarten to help your little one develop a bond with the others.
Sometimes all it takes for children to make friends is simple etiquette. Being polite and friendly will undoubtedly attract friends and develop long lasting relationships. Some other social skills include making eye contact and smiling naturally and genuinely, making small talk, participating in school events, giving honest compliments, and expressing sincere niceties. If you take the time to teach your child the mentioned skills, you can be sure of his success in making good friends at school.
Likewise, a mutual bond between your child and others can be formed through extra-curricular activities. All you have to do is make sure your child will have fun in the activity that he takes part in as this will be his opportunity to make friends. Once you come up with a shared interest between the participants, they can enjoy the activity and become friends.
Additional Resources:
Math – Which Number Comes Next
Science & Social Studies – Frog Life Cycle Printable
Language & Literature – Frog and Toad are Friends
Art – Fly Catching Frog
Music – That’s How To Be A Friend
