Developing social skills is a graduate process that every person has to experience throughout their lives. However, the most fruitful social skills acquisition occurs in the early years. Childhood socialization will inevitably influence the connections one builds as an adult. Based on previous social experiences, people know whether their relationships are amiable or toxic, whether their self-esteem is healthy or too low, and whether they can or cannot distinguish their desires from those of their partner, family, or friends.

Parents play a crucial role in introducing an individual to basic social norms. To properly assist a kid in building social skills, it is necessary to understand what behavior is appropriate for a person of a certain age. For example, if a 2-year-old toddler does not share their toys with others, parents should not worry because this is absolutely normal for a child at that stage of life. The toddler is not mature enough yet to grasp the concept of sharing.

This article will cover three main stages of social development, common social milestones that occur in each stage, and 13 social activities that can help children build their social skills.

The first main stage of social development is Infancy which lasts from birth and up to 12 months of life when the child starts to show the first signs of speech. At this stage, infants start to distinguish between their own bodies and the surrounding objects.

Social skills acquired during the Infancy period are closely connected to the relationship between the child and their mother. Depending on how the child is taken care of, they can feel comfortable and content or uneasy and anxious.

Several milestones occur at the stage of Infancy, and some of the most significant ones are presented below

• An infant shows affection for people who are emotionally close to them
• Likes to listen to and observe their loved ones, prefers to be near them
• If asked, an infant can pass a toy or a different object to an adult
• Waves goodbye
• Starts playing common games, e.g., hide-and-seek

The childhood period is the second stage of social development, and it occurs from the moment a child starts speaking clearly until they ask to play with kids of the same age. Children acquire a moral compass at this stage and start classifying their actions as good and bad. Moreover, children gain language skills alongside learning about their cultural behavioral patterns, which also include hygiene and eating practices.

The Childhood stage of social development includes various milestones that can be divided by age.

At 18 months, the toddler is expected to

• Be content with playing alone but staying near family members
• Show affection to family members, peers, and toys
• Repeat actions and expressions that are positively reinforced

A child of 2 years should

• Enjoy people’s company but remain egocentric
• Imitate domestic activities
• Take turns but experience difficulties with sharing
• Throw tantrums to attract attention and be understood
• Role-play with their toys

At the age of 3 years, a toddler tends to

• Begin to act unselfishly and share with others
• Show sympathy to people and characters in stories
• Enjoy playing alone as well as with other children
• Wait for their turn to speak and talk about themselves or their possessions
• Sometimes have an imaginary friend

The third stage of social development is called the Youthful period, and it begins when a child starts to interact actively with peers. At this stage, a kid learns complex interpersonal skills, e.g., cooperation, competition, and compromise. It is possible to determine several milestones for children during their Youthful period.

For children at the age of 4, it is natural to

• Genuinely enjoy other children’s company and play in a group
• Begin forming a sense of humor
• Be sympathetic towards siblings and friends
• Understand the concept of sharing and taking turns
• Be competitive

Lastly, 5-year-olds are expected to

• Be competitive yet understand the need for rules and the importance of fair play
• Show affection and be protective of younger children or pets
• Behave in a more sensible way
• Enjoy fantasy games
• Begin to value compromise and negotiation

Children engage in various activities to develop social skills throughout all those socialization stages. Play teaches preschoolers to cooperate, take turns, assume certain roles, verbalize their needs, take responsibility, etc. Parents should provide children with opportunities to play, encouraging certain types of behavior through cooperation and interaction. Simple activities that can enhance kids’ social skills are presented below.

Playdates

Playing with siblings or inviting friends will allow children to interact more with people and learn how relationships can develop. However, parents should not leave their children one-on-one with their friends if kids do not yet feel comfortable with each other.

Group Games

Group games with a set of rules to follow are great for teaching children how to actively participate, strive for victory, and sometimes deal with losing

Board Games

Parents can suggest playing age-appropriate board games with multiple players and an objective. Board games teach kids to verbalize their feelings and desires and be respectful towards other participants.

Fantasy Play

Fantasy plays are important for socialization because children have an opportunity to assume different social roles and practice interacting according to them. Parents should provide various props and theme clothing to encourage new ideas for the game plot.

Blocks

Teach children how to cooperate and negotiate while building structures with blocks. With some time, kids will also learn how to share and take the interests of other participants into consideration.

Sensory Play

This engaging activity involves playing with water, sand, or clay and teaches children to collaborate in their creative endeavors.

Creative Play

When children are seated at the table and engaged in drawing, painting, and pasting, they often initiate deep conversations with their playmates. Kids learn how to share their thoughts with each other and be respectful.

Reading

An interesting quality of socialization is that sometimes it does not need to involve other people. A book can be an amazing item to interact with to learn about the world. However, to make the activity even more beneficial, it is advised to discuss books with children, teaching them sympathy and morals.

Discussions

Discussions can emerge not only during a reading session. Parents should use every opportunity to talk to kids about different events, feelings, and emotions. Sometimes when the child does not understand a certain behavior model, parents must explain everything to them.

Manners

If there are specific norms that children need to know to live in their social environment comfortably, they have to be taught from an early age. The most basic one is saying please and thanks you, hello and goodbye.

Free Play

Free play creates the best learning conditions for children because kids can act naturally while playing the game of their choice. Parents may propose various activities but not too many because they can potentially get in the way of socializing.

Building a Healthy Relationship With the Child

A healthy relationship between a child and a mother is the foundation of all future socializing. Children feel secure, happy, and accepted if the connection is close. Fathers, siblings, and grandparents also play a huge role in making a child content.

Model Positive Behaviour

Children mostly learn social skills while observing actions that their parents make. That is why being a good role model will develop the child’s social skills.