As parents, we want our children to grow up with strong social skills that will help them to spend their life successfully. Parents are sometimes curious about knowing the best ways to build a child’s social skills. Luckily, there are many ways to help your child to develop these skills at your home. In this article, we will explore the 6 best ways to build your child’s social skills at home.

A well-known quote is that “Human is a Social animal” that lives and interacts with each other in his/her own life. You should also know about some of the best easy ways how to cure autism at home. However, building social skills is not always an easy task, especially in today’s digital age where children often spend more time on screens than interacting with others face-to-face.

You have to consider all the below-mentioned points to achieve your target of building a child’s social skills at home.

1. “Zero Screen Time” to build child’s social skills

The very first thing you should start with is to “Stop or Limit the Screen Time”. It could be anything like TV, Mobile phone, Video games, etc that make your child engage with that activity and cut his/her communication with parents and other family members, you should stop that immediately.

Excessive screen time can limit your child’s opportunities to develop social skills. Limit your child’s screen time and encourage them to participate in activities that promote socialization. This technique is highly recommended to develop the child’s social skills.

2. “Eye-Contact Developing Activities” to increase kid’s social skills

Find out those activities that include eye-contact aspects in your kid. Eye contact is one of the important ways of communication. Eye contact helps children develop trust and empathy, and it also helps them understand and interpret social cues.

This is the best way to build the child’s social skills. Just start doing activities with “peek-a-boo” and here are way more which I am going to describe to you further.

Play Peek-a-Boo or Hide and Seek – the best social skill

For the purpose of developing your kid’s social skills, you should try to involve your kid in hide-and-seek or peek-a-boo activities so that you will find a magical result of it. This is because in this connection he/ she will give you Eye-Contact which is the most important aspect of developing communication in your non-social kids.

Play the Mirror Game

If your kid feels shy or avoids making eye contact with you, then you can place a mirror in front of you and your kid and then communicate with him/ her. This game is a fun way to encourage your child to mimic your facial expressions and movements.

Start by facing your child and making a funny face or movement, and then encourage them to copy you. As they get better at the game, please encourage them to maintain eye contact while they do so. This will encourage the kids to build social skills.

Sit facing your child and have them mimic your facial expressions and movements. Please encourage them to maintain eye contact while they do this.

Play Catch

This makes a connection between you and the kid because he/she will wait and see you catch the next ball. Playing catch is a great way to encourage your child to make eye contact. Start by throwing the ball back and forth with your child, and then encourage them to make eye contact with you before they throw the ball back.

Have your child throw a ball back and forth with you. Encourage them to make eye contact before they throw the ball at you.

Play Board Games

Board games are a great way to encourage your child to make eye contact. Select a board game that requires players to take turns and make eye contact with each other.

Choose a game that requires players to take turns and make eye contact with each other, such as “Candy Land” or “Chutes and Ladders.”

Play “Simon Says”

This is another classic game that can be adapted to encourage your child to make eye contact. Give your child commands, such as “Simon says touch your nose,” and encourage them to make eye contact with you before they follow the command.

Read Together

Choose a book to read with your child and ask them questions about the story. Encourage them to make eye contact while they answer your questions. Reading together is a great way to encourage your child to make eye contact.

Choose a book to read with your child and ask them questions about the story. Encourage them to make eye contact with you as they answer your questions.

Cook Together

Choose a simple recipe to make with your child and encourage them to make eye contact with you while you work together.

Cooking together is a fun way to encourage your child to make eye contact. Choose a simple recipe to make with your child and encourage them to make eye contact with you as you work together.

Play the “Tug of War” Game

This is one of the best social playing games in which you can increase the kid’s social skills, to play this game, you have to follow the below-mentioned steps:

Divide the kids into two teams. Make sure the teams are roughly equal in strength so that the game is fair and competitive.

• Find a rope that is strong and long enough for the kids to hold onto comfortably. You can use a traditional rope or make your own by tying knots at the ends of a long piece of rope.
• Set up the game by marking a center line on the ground and placing the rope across it.
• Have each team line up on either side of the rope, with their hands gripping the rope.
• Start the game by saying “go” or blowing a whistle.
• The aim of the game is for each team to pull the rope over the center line, thereby pulling the other team over.
• The team that successfully pulls the other team over the center line wins the game.
• Encourage the kids to work together and strategize as a team. For example, they might want to assign certain people to anchor the rope while others pull.
• Make sure the game is safe by supervising closely and making sure nobody pulls too hard or falls over.
• After the game, congratulate both teams on their effort and sportsmanship, and encourage them to play again soon.

Practice Active Listening

Active listening is a crucial communication skill that enables children to feel heard and understood. Practice active listening by paying attention to your child when they talk to you, summarizing their thoughts and feelings, and responding with empathy and understanding.

By implementing these strategies, you can help your child develop social skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. Remember to be patient and consistent in your efforts, as developing social skills takes time and practice.

3. Make them Learn “Emotional Regulation”

Emotional regulation is a crucial social skill that enables children to manage their emotions in a healthy way. Teach your child emotional regulation by modeling positive coping strategies and providing them with tools to manage their emotions, such as deep breathing and mindfulness exercises.

4. Teach Empathy

Try to ask your kid to make hugs or kisses to his/her siblings or other family members. When someone gets hurt by anything, bring your kid to him/her and ask him to make love gestures like kisses and hugs to show that he/she is feeling another’s pain and responding humbly.

Empathy is a crucial social skill that enables children to understand and respond to the emotions of others. Teach your child empathy by encouraging them to imagine themselves in someone else’s shoes and consider their feelings.

5. Foster a Positive Environment

Don’t be strict with your kid. Show your kid your immense Love and care. Tell your kid that he/she is more precious to you. It will develop a great Trust level between you and your kid.

Fostering a positive environment at home can help your child develop social skills.

Encourage positive interactions between family members, and avoid using negative language or behaviors towards your child.

6. Don’t Leave your Kid Alone

Always try to bring your kid everywhere you go. It will increase their exposure and trust level in you. It is a must to give them different exposures to the world. Leaving a child alone can be dangerous and risky, both physically and emotionally.

It is important for parents and caregivers to ensure that children are properly supervised and cared for at all times. Here are some reasons why you should never leave your child alone:

• Safety: Young children are naturally curious and may explore their environment without understanding the potential dangers. Leaving a child alone can put them at risk of accidents, injuries, or even worse.
• Emotional well-being: Children thrive on love, attention, and interaction with their caregivers. Leaving a child alone can lead to feelings of abandonment, loneliness, and anxiety.
• Legal consequences: In many places, leaving a child alone for an extended period of time is against the law and can result in legal consequences for the parent or caregiver.
• Developmental needs: Children need interaction and stimulation to develop properly. Leaving a child alone for long periods of time can hinder their social, emotional, and cognitive development.
• Trust and security: When children have left alone, they may feel that they cannot trust their caregivers or that they are not safe. This can lead to trust issues and emotional insecurities that can have long-term effects.

Conclusion

Remember to be patient and understanding with your child as they work on developing their eye contact skills. Celebrate their progress and encourage them to keep practicing. With time and practice, your child will become more confident in their social interactions and develop strong social skills. Praise their efforts and celebrate their progress, and they will become more confident in their social interactions over time.