Early Childhood Social Skills Needed to Make Friends

Sharing

• Unlike toddlers who tend to view possession as unlimited ownership, young children understand the advantages of sharing and commonly demonstrate sharing behavior. Children observe that their generosity attracts the attention of new playmates and builds friendships in existing peer relationships. PBS reports that when you model sharing and praise your child̵7;s unselfish behavior, she is more likely to exhibit these behaviors independently. You might say, ̶0;Your friend smiled when you shared your snack on the playground today. I think that it made you feel happy, too.̶1;

Communication

• Communicating with confidence and proficiency supports children in building friendships. Through communication, your child expresses that, yes, she is willing to share a toy, wait for a turn, demonstrate empathy and include another child in an attractive play activity. The educational website Scholastic reports that most children receive valuable practice and feedback concerning communication at home. Dramatic play, which involves trying various make-believe roles, increasingly complex themes and the expression of feelings with peers, serves to further enrich your child̵7;s communication skills.

Cooperation

• When your child demonstrates cooperative behavior with other children, she exhibits an array of positive social skills that includes problem solving, patience and compromise. Acquiring and demonstrating these skills is self-reinforcing for your child, because they attract others to her and make play activities more enjoyable for everyone. For example, taking turns wearing a favorite costume or compromising when children disagree about how their play time should be spent are tough challenges for young children. However, those playmates who are cooperative can quickly ascertain that the rewards outweigh the sacrifices made.

Empathy

• Empathy, the ability to sense how another person feels, is a cornerstone of social proficiency and remains a significant prerequisite for building new friendships well into adulthood. As your child completes the toddler stage of child development, acquiring an awareness of her own feelings and learning how to sense others̵7; feelings becomes easier. Empathy motivates your child to cooperate with others, demonstrate compassion and avoid social controversy. You can encourage your child to practice empathy by helping her to become knowledgeable about her feelings and providing opportunities for her to practice.