Work and Play Together

Children need to be able to work and play with other children who may have different ideas, experiences, or characteristics. Making and keeping friends are important skills for children to learn. Here are some ways you can help your child learn to get along with others.

Set a good example
Your child learns how to treat people kindly by watching you. Show your child cooperative and kind behaviors when you interact with other people.
Talk about what kind friends do
Explain taking turns and sharing. Stay close by to help children with sharing and taking turns. Provide encouragement for these types of behavior.
Provide opportunities to play
Your child can learn friendship skills by playing with cousins, neighbors, classmates, and siblings. Encourage playtime activities in which children work together. Children learn as they pretend, build, and talk together.
Teach them to talk it through
Help your child talk through problems with other children. Encourage her to share her feelings and to listen to other people’s feelings. Explain that the way she feels about a problem may be different from the way another person may feel.