Once they take root, good or bad, social skills can be nearly impossible to change or improve. It is for this reason that institutions such as CSR School advocate for the teaching of social skills to both nursery and primary school students, as these are the most formative years of early childhood. That being said, here are a few ways that we can impart the right set of social skills to young minds:
Playdates
Many parents don’t organize play dates for their kids because they already go to school and have the environment to build their social skills there. However, we need to go the extra mile to create even more opportunities for social interactions and that’s where play dates come in.
In fact, studies have shown that play dates are key to giving children the self-esteem and confidence that they need to successfully navigate social skills. These are skills that will inevitably determine academic performance and career success.
Group games
Fun is the most powerful conduit of learning for nursery school students. So that’s why we greatly advocate for the gamification of learning experiences.
A few examples of group games that can enhance a student’s social skills include:
- Board games like Snakes and Ladders
- Musical chairs
- Games of tag
- Egg-and-spoon races, etc.
Generally, you want to go with group games that encourage turn-taking and give every member of the group a chance to participate. Overall, these are great for growing social skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership, and even public speaking.
Fantasy play
Imagination can also be a great environment to increase the problem-solving ability of primary school students, as well as their social skills. From practicing to be a parent and juggling the hassles of everyday life to stepping into the shoes of a physician with friends taking on the role of coworkers and patients, for example, fantasy play of all kinds are excellent social learning tasks.
Overall, the top schools in Madurai and across India leverage the power of imaginary or pretend play to build a child’s self-awareness, self-esteem, and empathy. At large, fantasy play can also reinforce a student’s emotional intelligence.
Reading storybooks
Stories are always filled with life lessons for nursery school students to learn from. For example, stories such as The Little Red Riding Hood can teach young minds about the importance of not giving away your trust too easily to strangers no matter how friendly they may initially appear.
In a nutshell, storybooks can help teach some very important life lessons and social skills such as:
- Resilience
- Patience
- Friendship
- Speaking up
- Character judgment and so on
Social skills are vital for school and life
Did you know that social skills can improve a student’s academic achievements? That’s right. But socials aren’t just important in school. They are also important in the school of life. These skills will accelerate personal development and eventually make young learners more employable. Overall, social skills are key to career success, and the earlier we teach it, the better it is for the students.