Important Social Skills for Kids

Did you know that over 85% of job success comes from social skills, while only 15% rely on technical knowledge? That’s correct— how children interact with others today may determine their future. 

Yet, social skills are not something children can simply ‘pick up’ on their own. It must be taught, just as mathematics or science are. Let’s check out some important social skills for students and simple ways to nurture them in daily life.

Sharing

Usually, kids as young as two years old know what sharing means. However, persistent reinforcement is required for them to share willingly.

Sharing must be taught right from home and in schools. Teachers must create group activities where children alternate using resources such as crayons, books, games, etc. This enables them to see the rewards of sharing. Role-playing is also effective. For instance, a parent can role-play another child and request a toy, demonstrating how sharing creates friends.

Schools and preschools must include structured playtime to support such essential social skills for students. Indeed, parents seeking admission in preschool must check how well the school supports collaborative activities among children.

Communication

Communication isn’t just limited to talking. Listening and expressing thoughts are also a part of it. Good communication skills enable kids to make friends and resolve differences easily.

An important aspect of social skills among students is the learning of reading social cues. Children who struggle with this often face challenges in peer interactions. To avoid that, you must teach them to facilitate eye contact and active listening.

Technology, though helpful, has also impacted children’s natural development of communication. Many studies state that excessive screen time is linked with speech delay. Luckily, most ICSE schools in Madurai have interaction-based activities like role-playing and storytelling in their curriculum to help students communicate clearly. As per stats, students who go through social skill training have improved an average of 11 percentile points on tests compared to students without such instruction.

Managing Time

Time management is one of the most underestimated social skills of students. However, it is a large part of children’s interaction with the world. A child with good time management skills learns responsibility. Such a kid will always show respect for others’ timelines and shun unnecessary tension in school life.

Children should be taught time management from an early age. Schools must implement a checklist system with structured playtime to encourage children to understand the value of time management.

At home, you can begin by having your child get used to a simple daily schedule. Divide all their tasks into simple ones and reward them for getting things done on time. In the long run, they will learn to multitask without getting exhausted. 

Collaboration and Cooperation

Nowadays, teamwork is a must-have skill for every student. No matter what it is— be it sports or academics— children must learn how to work toward a common goal. The social skills of students show how to respect differences of opinion and think creatively to solve problems.

Group work is one of the best ways to teach this skill. Teachers can allocate more team projects to bring students together and exchange ideas. Educating children to collaborate with others from a young age gives them a slight edge in their workplaces in the future. 

Conclusion

Strong social skills for students are as important as academics. It assists children in making friends and communicating effectively. 

At Vikaasa Madurai, we create a learning environment where children can naturally practice and develop these skills. Our teachers follow a collaborative learning methodology to empower students with these important life skills. Enroll now!