7 Fun Ways To Help Your Toddler With Social Development

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Social skills are critical, and for children to develop socially, they need to interact with their peers and adults in a socially acceptable way.  As parents, it’s our job to ensure our kids have healthy social development.  Sure, providing your toddler with love and attention is an essential part of bonding, but we play a huge part in teaching our children social skills.  They learn to share, not interrupting, taking turns, saying please, etc. by everyday interactions.  For many children, social skills are learned.

Being a busy mother of four, my playtime creativity is often empty, and now that the winter months are here, it’s worse because my toddler and I are stuck indoors more.  To be honest, winter is my favorite time of year, but this year I have not been looking forward to being stuck inside with my daughter.  I don’t want Mattie sitting in front of the TV for the majority of the day or sitting around being bored.  So I have been on the lookout for fun ways to help my daughter grow and learn without her getting tired of doing the same thing day after day.

7 Fun Ways To Help Your Toddler With Social Development

I recently started using an app, which is filled with fun ways to help infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with their social development.  Yesterday I used the app and did a few of the social development activities and other development-boosting activities for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

How do you act? Act like you are a guest coming into your child’s home.  Stand on one side of the closet or bedroom door, or use a huge box with her on the other, and knock while standing on the other side of the door or closet.  When you’re toddler answers, very nicely shake her hand and go through the introduction process.  This can also turn into other fun things, such as a tea party or a restaurant game.  Madisyn loved playing this game, and she is now playing it with her older sister too.

Meet and Greet: Sit on the floor with your toddler, bring your toddler’s favorite stuffed animal, and shake hands with it.  Then let Mattie shake hands.  Next, give the stuffed animal a high-five and let Mattie repeat the process.

My Feelings: Sit down with your toddler and look at a magazine.  While you’re watching the magazine, point out different facial expressions, then ask your toddler to make a face depending on her mood, such as “happy” or “sad.”  Look for expressions that your toddler can identify, and have fun!

Yes or No: Sit down on the floor with your toddler and bring out several of their favorite stuffed animals.  Then ask each animal a yes-or-no question, and have your toddler help make the decisions and explain why.  Be sure when asking the questions that they are questions your toddler can understand.  This will teach them social development as well as language development.

 Tea Party: I’m really excited to try this one with Mattie tomorrow; she always loves playing tea party.  Now its tea party for social development, but don’t tell her she’s learning something while doing it.  First, set up a little table and chairs, Before sitting down to your tea party, gently knock next to the table and chairs and ask if you can come in.  Have your toddler invite you in and offer you tea.  Be sure and be a polite guest by saying please and thank you often.

Kitty Town: Put a large basket over 2 chairs and make a tent.  Pretend to be a mommy and daddy cat, and have your toddler be the kitten.  You can play with yard balls and dangling items, hunt for mice, and cuddle together.  Then ask her to come up with a different scenario and act it out with your toddler.

Mystery Agent: Grab a pile of adult clothing and compile a variety of adult’s clothes and accessories.  Dress your toddler up and give her a new name. Let’s say they change their name to Sandy.  Then stand in front of the mirror together, pointing out all the cool items the new Sandy is wearing.

How are you helping your toddler with social development?