Helping Your Child Develop their Social Skills

Well-developed social skills will benefit your child throughout their life. These skills will help to boost your child’s confidence, allow them to form friendships and can even help them to succeed in their chosen career.

Some children are naturally very sociable, however many children need parental support in order to build these invaluable skills. Here is some advice from an Independent School in Shepperton on how to help your child develop their social skills…

Set a good example

When it comes to social skills, it is important that parents set a good example for children to follow. Be aware of how you talk to others; smile and say hello and always remember your manners. Teach your child to be polite and to offer help to those in need. It is also helpful to show your child how to hold a conversation and stress the importance of listening while others are speaking. 

Starting conversations

Starting conversations with new people can be difficult for shy children. To help your child feel more confident about speaking to others, it can be useful to prepare a few conversation starters. These could include some really simple compliments or questions, such as 'I like your toy’ or 'would you like to play?'.

Making friends

School playgrounds are often busy and noisy, which can feel overwhelming to children. If your child struggles in this type of environment, then it can be helpful to arrange a play date at home with some of their classmates. This will help your child to make friends in a familiar setting, where they feel more relaxed and confident.

Having hobbies

Encourage your child to explore their hobbies outside of school. This might involve joining a sports or drama club. These activities are a great way to boost your child’s self-confidence and develop their social skills. This is because they can explore a new environment and meet new people. Here your child can create another support network away from school, with children that share the same interests.