Social Skills Activities for Kids

26 social skills activities for toddlers and preschoolers.

• Being Honest

  Talk about the difference between the truth, a lie, and a white lie using simple examples.

  ~5 min

• Family Celebrations

  Make a simple calendar and mark every family birthday with a star.

  ~10 min

• Family Tree

  Draw a simple family tree together — start with your little one and add parents, grandparents, and siblings.

  ~10 min

• Fix It Together

  Practice solving a pretend argument: say how you feel, listen, and find a solution both people like.

  ~5 min

• Friend Finder

  Practice saying 'Hi, I'm [name], want to play?' three times

  ~5 min

• Good Conversation

  Practice the three rules of talking: look at the person, wait your turn, and ask a question back.

  ~5 min

• Good Friend Rules

  Name three things good friends do: take turns, use kind words, and help each other.

  ~5 min

• Hello, Nice to Meet You

  Practice looking someone in the eye, smiling, and saying 'Hi, my name is ___' with a wave.

  ~5 min

• Help Please

  Practice saying 'Can you help me?' when something is too hard

  ~5 min

• Helping Hands

  Do one kind thing for someone in your family today without being asked.

  ~5 min

• Magic Words

  Practice using 'please,' 'thank you,' and 'excuse me' in three different pretend situations.

  ~5 min

• Our Story

  Tell your child the story of how their family came together

  ~10 min

• Party Manners

  Practice what to do at a birthday party: say happy birthday, wait for cake, say thank you when you leave.

  ~5 min

• Paying Respects

  Talk about why we go to funerals and weddings — to show people we love them during big moments.

  ~5 min

• Phone Skills

  Practice answering a pretend phone call: say hello, listen, and say goodbye.

  ~5 min

• Right and Wrong

  Go through five situations and decide together: is this the right thing or the wrong thing?

  ~5 min

• Sharing is Caring

  Practice splitting something fun with another person and taking turns being the one who shares.

  ~5 min

• Sibling Care

  Practice being gentle with a baby doll or younger sibling: soft touches, quiet voice, helping hands.

  ~5 min

• Speak Up

  Practice using a clear, strong voice to say what you need: not whispering, not yelling, just right.

  ~5 min

• Table Manners

  Practice sitting at the table with hands in your lap until food arrives, then using a napkin.

  ~5 min

• Talk Like a Teammate

  Practice saying 'we' instead of 'I' when working on something with another person.

  ~5 min

• Talking to Grown-Ups

  Practice answering three common questions adults ask: 'How old are you? What's your name? What do you like?'

  ~5 min

• Trading Fair

  Practice trading toys with each other: offer something, ask if they want to swap, and agree or say no nicely.

  ~5 min

• Truth Teller

  Talk about why telling the truth matters, even when it's hard, and practice with three examples.

  ~5 min

• Waiting Patiently

  Practice waiting for two minutes without whining by counting, humming, or looking around.

  ~5 min

• Win Some, Lose Some

  Play a simple game and practice being a good winner and a good loser.

  ~10 min