Social Skills & Friendships

Raising a Child that Loves to Learn

 

For preschoolers, friendships often begin through play. Whether it is building towers together, pretending to run a café or negotiating over whose turn it is with the toy truck, these everyday interactions are where children learn how to connect with others. As children move through the early years, they begin discovering what it means to share experiences, cooperate, navigate disagreements and feel part of a group.

Building social skills and friendships during early childhood helps shape children’s confidence, communication and sense of belonging. These skills develop gradually and often look different from child to child. Some children seek out friendships easily, while others prefer observing before joining in or need extra support understanding social situations. Neurodivergent children, including those with autism or ADHD, may experience social interactions differently and often benefit from flexible, strengths-based approaches that support connection in ways that work for them.

 

Strategies families can use to support social skills and friendships:

1

Create opportunities for shared play


Children learn social skills through doing. Playdates, playground visits, family gatherings and community activities provide opportunities to practise interacting with others.

2

Practise joining in and starting conversations


Simple phrases such as “Can I play too?” or “Do you want to build together?” can help children feel more confident entering social situations.

3

Talk about feelings during everyday moments

Helping children recognise emotions in themselves and others builds empathy and supports stronger social connections.

4

Teach the language of friendship

Words like sharing, waiting, kindness, teamwork and compromise help children understand what friendships involve.

5

Support turn-taking during play


Taking turns is challenging for many preschoolers. Games, board activities and everyday routines provide natural opportunities to practise.

6

Help children manage friendship conflicts

Disagreements are part of learning. Encourage children to use simple problem-solving language such as “Can we take turns?” or “What could we do instead?”

7

Respect different ways of being social

Not all children want to interact with large groups or lots of friends. Focus on meaningful connections rather than popularity.

8

Use pretend play to explore social situations


Role-playing friendship scenarios can help children rehearse sharing, cooperation and solving problems in a low-pressure way.

9

Prepare children for social situations


Talking beforehand about what to expect at birthdays, preschool or playdates can reduce uncertainty and build confidence.

10

Notice and reinforce positive interactions


Highlight moments when children show kindness, cooperation or persistence during social situations.

11

Support repair after mistakes


Friendships involve misunderstandings. Helping children apologise, reconnect and try again teaches resilience in relationships.

12

Adapt support to your child’s needs


Some children benefit from visual supports, smaller social groups, extra processing time or more structured opportunities to build confidence and connection.