What Are Social Skills? How to Educate Children in Social Skills

Social skills refer to the abilities that help children interact and communicate effectively with those around them. Key skills include listening, understanding emotions, and overcoming challenges in group, organisational, or community settings.

With strong social skills, children can form positive relationships, play cooperatively, and gain confidence in interacting with others. These early skills are important for their growth and for navigating social situations as they get older.

Numerous studies have shown that educating children in social skills from an early age can yield significant benefits, including:

1. Improved Communication Skills

When social skills are well developed, children find it easier to communicate with those around them. Skills such as listening, providing constructive feedback, and expressing opinions are naturally honed through participation in group activities. As a result, children with strong communication skills are more confident in conveying their ideas and messages clearly and effectively.

2. Building Strong Relationships

Developing social skills also aids children in forming robust relationships with others. By connecting with a variety of people, children not only gain additional knowledge but also expand their opportunities for learning and career development. With quality relationships, children enjoy a richer and more diverse life experience.

3. Easier Adaptation to New Environments

Social skills help children develop the ability to adapt quickly to diverse and ever-changing social environments. This capability facilitates smoother integration and interaction in new situations.

4. Building a Positive Character

Social skills not only help children become more confident and self-respecting but also contribute to the development of a positive character. Children learn to care for and respect others, enriching their personal lives in the process. Reducing negative emotions while fostering sociability and empathy enables children to feel happier in their daily lives.

5. Enhancing Future Opportunities

As children grow, strong relationships and support from peers and mentors will help them succeed in school and extracurricular activities. Social skills are key for those aiming to excel in secondary studies and university life, especially in leadership roles such as student councils or group projects. Along with academic knowledge, developing skills in communication, teamwork, and problem-solving will enable young people to navigate their educational journey and build a solid foundation for future success.

There are numerous social skills that children can learn, but for preschool and primary school age, parents should focus on developing the most fundamental and essential skills.

Here are some important social skills that help children develop holistically.

1. Communication Skills

Communication goes beyond just using words; it also includes how children express themselves through body language, gestures, and eye contact. Children with strong communication skills know how to create a comfortable conversational atmosphere and easily build rapport with those around them. Practising this skill helps children become more confident and outgoing when interacting with their peers, making it easier for them to integrate into new environments.

2. Sharing Skills

According to a study published in the Journal of Psychological Science, children as young as two years old have a desire to share with others. However, between the ages of three and six, children often struggle to understand the concept of sharing and tend to be more self-centred. As they grow older, between seven and eight years, they will develop an understanding of fairness and sharing.

Therefore, parents should take advantage of this crucial stage to teach their children lessons about love, sharing, and empathy. This skill is not only fundamental to building sustainable relationships but also helps children develop good moral qualities, fostering joy and trust in their interactions.

3. Listening Skills

Listening is an incredibly important skill. Listening effectively involves more than just being quiet; it requires understanding what the other person is saying. This is a key factor in establishing healthy communication.

Developing listening skills from an early age will benefit children greatly, especially when they start school. They will learn how to listen to their teachers and absorb information more effectively, optimising their learning potential.

4. Time Management Skills

Time management is an essential social skill. Parents can teach their children how to organise a daily schedule for activities such as eating, playing, and resting. Cultivating the habit of adhering to a schedule will help children develop discipline and support their future success.

5. Cooperation and Helping Others

Cooperation is the process of working together to achieve a specific goal. The skills of collaborating and supporting others will help children integrate more easily into the community.

From a young age, parents can encourage their children to participate in group activities to develop cooperation and teamwork skills, such as tug-of-war, colouring together, or building with blocks. These activities not only enhance individual skills but also help foster positive relationships.

6. Self-Control Skills

Self-control is a crucial factor in the holistic development of young children. It helps them learn how to make decisions, solve problems, and maintain independence in daily activities.

Parents should create opportunities for children to express their opinions and listen to their perspectives. When children face difficulties, they should be guided to find solutions independently rather than relying on others. This approach will help them build confidence and independence when confronted with challenges.

> Read more: Autonomy in Child Development

7. Respecting Others’ Personal Space

Teaching children to respect others’ personal space is an important aspect of their upbringing. Within the family, parents can establish specific rules, such as reminding children to knock before entering a room or not touching others’ belongings without permission. 

More importantly, adults need to help children understand the reasons behind these rules. Developing the skill of respecting personal space will enable children to grow into polite and considerate individuals in their future social interactions.

8. Admitting Mistakes

Acknowledging mistakes and saying sorry can be challenging, but it is an essential social skill. A sincere apology can help children quickly gain understanding and forgiveness from others.

9. Skills for Overcoming Difficulties

The ability to face and overcome challenges is crucial for a child’s development. In this regard, the role of parents and teachers is vital. To teach children how to tackle obstacles, parents and educators should encourage them to engage in new activities and challenges. When children encounter difficulties, it’s important to motivate and guide them in finding solutions. If they experience failure, remind them that it is a normal part of learning and growing, and view it as an opportunity for them to gain experience and improve themselves.

10. Skills for Avoiding Danger

The ability to recognise and prevent dangers is essential knowledge that helps children protect themselves in everyday life. Children need to be taught to identify potential hazards around them, such as sharp objects, harmful chemicals, fire, and traffic situations. Once they understand these risks, parents and teachers should encourage them to maintain a safe distance.

Additionally, children must learn how to respond in emergency situations, such as calling for help or seeking assistance from an adult when necessary. Skills for avoiding danger not only help children develop awareness of their environment but also enhance their ability to protect themselves and others. Creating a safe environment and providing knowledge will empower children to effectively respond to unexpected situations.

To effectively develop social skills in children, parents need to choose educational methods that are appropriate for their child’s age.

1. Read Books with Your Child

Books are a valuable tool for parents in educating their children. The content in books is often carefully curated and easy to understand, making it accessible for children. Additionally, reading together not only imparts knowledge about social skills but also creates an opportunity to strengthen family bonds.

2. Establish Positive Habits

For young children, repetition is the best way to help them remember. Teaching a concept only once makes it difficult for them to understand and apply it in real-life situations. Therefore, parents should strive to create good habits by practising them consistently every day. 

3. Explain the Role of Social Skills

 To help children understand why they need to learn these skills, parents should share and explain the importance of social skills. When children recognise the benefits of developing these abilities, they will be more willing and enthusiastic about the learning process. Choose simple stories and expressions that are age-appropriate to convey these messages.

4. Encourage and Praise Your Child

Everyone likes to be acknowledged for doing something well. When your child performs well, offer sincere praise to bring them joy and boost their confidence.

5. Use Real-Life Situations

Applying learning in real-life situations helps children gain a deeper understanding of the knowledge and learn how to apply it in similar circumstances in the future.

When should parents begin to develop their children’s social skills? This is a question that many parents are concerned about.

Scientific research has shown that the period from 0 to 3 years is when a child’s brain develops the most rapidly. Therefore, this is the ideal time for parents to start teaching their children basic social skills, such as communication and sharing. These foundational social skills, formed during early childhood, provide a solid base for children to develop more complex skills later on. As children grow, we can gradually increase the difficulty of lessons to help them become familiar with more complicated social situations.

At La Petite Ecole Ho Chi Minh City, a bilingual international school, we not only focus on imparting knowledge but also on the holistic development of children’s social skills. In a friendly and creative learning environment, children will have the opportunity to practise their communication, cooperation, and self-expression. We believe that equipping children with essential life skills from a young age will help them confidently step into the future and succeed in life.

We hope the information shared in this article will provide parents with deeper insights and help them find the most suitable methods for educating their children in social skills. If you have any questions or need detailed advice, please contact La Petite Ecole Ho Chi Minh city today.