Supporting the development of your child’s social skills
What are social skills?
Let’s talk about Social Skills! As adults, we don’t often think much about social skills, as they are ingrained in our daily lives – like getting dressed in the morning or brushing our teeth. Human beings are sociable creatures, and we have developed many ways to communicate our messages, thoughts, and feelings with others. Children, however, must learn social skills from scratch, much like learning to read and write.
Social skills are the skills we use to communicate and interact with each other, both verbally and non-verbally, through gestures, body language and our personal appearance. This is an incredibly intricate set of skills which takes time and practice to acquire. The ability is built on foundational receptive communication skills (hearing and understanding language from others) and expressive communication skills (sharing thoughts and ideas with others).
Setting good examples in front of our children is the natural place to start, as they instinctively mimic and copy what we do. By demonstrating sound social skills at home, such as speaking to others in respectful tones, listening to what others have to say, and waiting to speak in turn, children subconsciously take this all in, and voila! The beginnings of developing social skills is a work in progress.
Children are like sponges, they absorb everything!
To help support the development of your child’s social skills, start by paying attention to your own behaviours as you go about engaging in the following ways. You will probably learn a bit about yourself in the process!
Facial expressions
Body language
Gestures
Interacting in group situations
Collaborating with others
Exercising patience and taking turns
Sharing
Achieving compromise
Demonstrating empathy
Play skills
Conversation skills
Emotional skills
Problem solving skills
Showing encouragement
Maintaining eye contact
Many of the above skills will come naturally, however when we stop and think about them in isolation, we may notice that we have to work harder to demonstrate some skills than others, or some areas that we could definitely improve upon.
One of our most important jobs in life is to be good role models for our children. By examining our own behaviours from time to time, we may not only enhance our own social skills, but we also ensure we are role modelling desirable behaviours for our children! Over time, you should see your little person starting to use more and more of the skills outlined above in their interactions with others.
Fun ways at home to develop social skills
Playing board games can be a fun way to practice using social skills at home.
Firstly, board games are fun, but they also require patience, self-control, and using manners. For example, after you’ve rolled the dice and moved your character, say, “Your turn!” Then, when your child has finished moving their character, say, “My turn!” before rolling the dice. By verbalising the order of play, it introduces children to the concept of taking turns, helps to develop the elusive character trait of patience, and begin to understand game play etiquette. This prepares them for navigating group settings such as when it’s time to start kindy or school.
Playing board games also helps to introduce children to the emotionally challenging task of how to conduct themselves whether winning or losing! This is a really important skill which will set them up well once they’re taking their first steps out into ‘the real world’ at school. Let’s face it, we are not always going to be ‘the winner’, so it’s important to learn humility in defeat.
If you have any questions about the above skills or your child is having difficulties with some of them, have no fear. You can directly reach out to one of our friendly paediatricians here. We are here to help!
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Adelaide Paediatrics Ashford
Suite 15, Level 3 Ashford Specialist Centre
57-59 Anzac Highway
Ashford SA 5035T: 08 7123 6171
F: 08 7123 0821 -
Adelaide Paediatrics Bedford Park
Mark Oliphant Building
8/5 Laffer Drive
Bedford Park
SA 5042T: 08 7123 6149
F: 08 7123 0821 -
Adelaide Paediatrics Elizabeth Vale
32 Oldham Road
Elizabeth Vale
SA 5112T: 08 7123 6148
F: 08 7123 0821 -
Adelaide Paediatrics Kensington Park
360 Magill Road
Kensington Park SA 5068T: 08 7123 6176
F: 08 7123 0821 -
Adelaide Paediatrics Mile End
71 Henley Beach Road
Mile End SA 5031T: 08 7123 6147
F: 08 7123 0821 -
Adelaide Paediatrics Morphett Vale
221-223 Main South Road
Morphett Vale SA 5162T: 08 7123 6163
F: 08 7123 0821 -
Adelaide Paediatrics Mount Barker
2/50 Victoria Road
Mount Barker SA 5251T: 08 7123 6175
F: 08 7123 0821 -
Adelaide Paediatrics North Adelaide
Calvary Hospital
89 Strangways Terrace
North Adelaide SA 5006T: 08 7123 6173
F: 08 8239 9119 -
Adelaide Paediatrics Wayville
The Terraces
4-6 Goodwood Road
Wayville SA 5034T: 08 7123 6177
F: 08 7123 0821