Social Emotional Development
PROMOTING SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN THROUGH STRUCTURED GROUP PLAY
Structured play (or playing with a purpose) is an activity or game that allows toddlers and preschoolers to gain skills, such as sharing, or counting to three. Structured play tends to be led by a parent, teacher or caregiver.
Examples of structured play include throwing and catching (to develop motor skills), playing Simon says (learning how to follow instructions), or playing a board game (improving turn-taking skills). Most kinds of structured play develop social skills because they involve interaction with another child or an adult. Pretend play is particularly beneficial and is essential for healthy development.
Children need to take part in structured play for personal, social, and emotional development. Without this integral development, preschoolers may struggle to gain the essential skills needed for academic success, making and maintaining relationships, and healthy mental and physical development.
Structured play is also a brilliant way to introduce your child to activities that they wouldn't be able to do during free play, such as getting used to a swimming pool and learning how to swim.
It is important to choose to play a structured game or activity when your child is receptive, like after a nap or food. When you start, only carry out activities for a few minutes and gradually increase the time you spend playing.
Think about your child's interest when you plan structured activities or games. You'll begin to notice that your child has favorite toys and activities. Embrace the things they enjoy to improve the learning process.
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS
Dramatic Play
Imaginative play encourages self-awareness and understanding of social situations. When your child acts out a scenario with others they have to collaborate to create a scenario that works. Children often get frustrated during imaginative play because they are unused to working with others. That's why it's so essential to help children learn about other people's wishes and team working.
Collaboration is a tough skill to learn, but you can help. During dramatic play, intervene to lead the story in a direction that gets children cooperating and consider each others' wishes.
Dramatic scenarios:
House
Car Wash
Cook/Waitress
Doctor
Veterinarian
Driver
Train Station
Things that interest your child that you can play out a scenario
Finger Puppets
Finger puppets can prepare children for dramatic play and social situations with other children. It's really great for children with autism or ADHD who may struggle with social situations. You can control the social challenges that your child faces to prevent them from feeling overwhelmed, and you'll have opportunities to intervene to encourage you child to think about how others may respond or think about their behaviors. Equally, if your child lacks confidence or vocabulary, they can use puppets to express themselves and try out new personalities by playing a shark or lion. During this time you can model with your finger puppet and build on vocabulary as you play.
Treasure Hunt
This is a good game to play in a group, but you can also play it alone with your child. To play the game, the 'seeker' (the person who will find the treasure), waits outside of a room or garden while someone hides an object (the treasure). You then use a tone of your voice to guide the seeker toward the treasure, for example, you might whisper 'cold' when the seeker is far away from the hidden object and might yell 'hot hot hot' when they are near. This game helps children to develop perseverance and cooperation. It's also a good game for improving children's listening skills. Another way to mix the game up is to ask the children to mime instead of using their voices. So you might help the seeker find the treasure by shivering when the seeker is far from the object and acting hot when the seeker is near. Mime can help children improve their ability to read body language and social/facial cues.
Structured play (or playing with a purpose) is an activity or game that allows toddlers and preschoolers to gain skills, such as sharing, or counting to three. Structured play tends to be led by a parent, teacher or caregiver.
Examples of structured play include throwing and catching (to develop motor skills), playing Simon says (learning how to follow instructions), or playing a board game (improving turn-taking skills). Most kinds of structured play develop social skills because they involve interaction with another child or an adult. Pretend play is particularly beneficial and is essential for healthy development.
Children need to take part in structured play for personal, social, and emotional development. Without this integral development, preschoolers may struggle to gain the essential skills needed for academic success, making and maintaining relationships, and healthy mental and physical development.
Structured play is also a brilliant way to introduce your child to activities that they wouldn't be able to do during free play, such as getting used to a swimming pool and learning how to swim.
It is important to choose to play a structured game or activity when your child is receptive, like after a nap or food. When you start, only carry out activities for a few minutes and gradually increase the time you spend playing.
Think about your child's interest when you plan structured activities or games. You'll begin to notice that your child has favorite toys and activities. Embrace the things they enjoy to improve the learning process.
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS
Dramatic Play
Imaginative play encourages self-awareness and understanding of social situations. When your child acts out a scenario with others they have to collaborate to create a scenario that works. Children often get frustrated during imaginative play because they are unused to working with others. That's why it's so essential to help children learn about other people's wishes and team working.
Collaboration is a tough skill to learn, but you can help. During dramatic play, intervene to lead the story in a direction that gets children cooperating and consider each others' wishes.
Dramatic scenarios:
House
Car Wash
Cook/Waitress
Doctor
Veterinarian
Driver
Train Station
Things that interest your child that you can play out a scenario
Finger Puppets
Finger puppets can prepare children for dramatic play and social situations with other children. It's really great for children with autism or ADHD who may struggle with social situations. You can control the social challenges that your child faces to prevent them from feeling overwhelmed, and you'll have opportunities to intervene to encourage you child to think about how others may respond or think about their behaviors. Equally, if your child lacks confidence or vocabulary, they can use puppets to express themselves and try out new personalities by playing a shark or lion. During this time you can model with your finger puppet and build on vocabulary as you play.
Treasure Hunt
This is a good game to play in a group, but you can also play it alone with your child. To play the game, the 'seeker' (the person who will find the treasure), waits outside of a room or garden while someone hides an object (the treasure). You then use a tone of your voice to guide the seeker toward the treasure, for example, you might whisper 'cold' when the seeker is far away from the hidden object and might yell 'hot hot hot' when they are near. This game helps children to develop perseverance and cooperation. It's also a good game for improving children's listening skills. Another way to mix the game up is to ask the children to mime instead of using their voices. So you might help the seeker find the treasure by shivering when the seeker is far from the object and acting hot when the seeker is near. Mime can help children improve their ability to read body language and social/facial cues.