Within the realm of early childhood education, social skills is a hugely underrated skill. While they can seem to develop naturally, social skills don’t actually simply ‘show up’ one day and need to be learned through practice, repetition, and supportive guidance. In a quality preschool or daycare setting, children have daily, real-life opportunities to practice turn taking, conflict resolution, group play and to simply practice being a good friend.
Let’s take a look at the way preschool supports the development of quality social skills, setting children up with a solid foundation for friendships both now and as they grow.
Schedule a tour with us here at Clover Hill Children’s Center; We would love to show you and your family around our facility and let you see friendships blooming and social skills developing in real-time.
1) Practice With Peers
The challenge of being around children of the same age, every day, gives them consistent practice in a multitude of areas like sharing toys, waiting for their turn, listening to someone else’s ideas and feelings, and also joining in group play.
Organizations like NAEYC emphasize that young children develop through active exploration and play—often with peers and caring adults guiding the experience.
If you’re looking for a daycare or preschool that puts emphasis on positive peer relationships, then Clover Hill Children’s Center is for you! Call us today to schedule a time to come see our classrooms, play areas, and ask our early childhood education teachers how they support quality relationships within their classrooms.
2) Hone Communication and Cooperation
Play is the “practice field” for social development. Pretend play, sensory centers, games…all areas of play offer opportunities for social practice. Children have to communicate needs or wants, manage big feelings, think of others, negotiate roles and more–all essential in early childhood education. The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that play is essential for development, playing a large role in both social and emotional well-being.
In a quality daycare or preschool teachers not only supervise and coordinate quality play, but they coach it, as well. Here at Clover Hill Children’s Center, we make a point to model polite words, emotional regulation tactics, and healthy conflict management. Schedule a tour to see and ask about how our early childhood educators guide play to build social skills.
3) Developing “Friendship Skills”
The CDC’s developmental milestone resources specifically encourage teaching children how to play with others. Whether at home, in childcare or within a preschool or daycare environment, early childhood education is the time to learn foundational skills such as using words instead of grabbing, taking turns, and beginning to handle disagreements with support. The development of these ‘friendship skills’ will develop with time and practice, especially as children come to understand how their actions affect others.
These skills are practiced and honed daily here at Clover Hill Children’s Center. Our students are practicing their friendship skills as they line up for outside time, take turns with toys, clean up together, play group games…all the time! Call today to plan a visit and see how we support our students’ development by giving them a safe place to play and learn.
4) Build Conflict Resolution Skills and Confidence
While children are growing and learning, struggles will absolutely come their way. The biggest thing is not the struggle, but how they handle the struggle. With the support of quality teachers and caring adults, children can feel safe to try, fail, and try again.
Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child describes “serve and return” interactions—warm, back-and-forth exchanges with responsive adults—as a key part of healthy development and early social skills. When teachers take the time to kneel down, listen, name feelings and find solutions then children learn that they can communicate and they can repair a problem.
Here at Clover Hill Children’s Center, our teachers know the precious opportunity they have to teach and guide their students in the development of their social skills. We would love to partner with you and your family in your child’s early childhood education journey, simply call us today to schedule a tour and talk about enrollment opportunities.
Building Skills for Life
A strong foundation in early childhood education will help children grow into kind classmates, confident communicators, and capable problem-solvers. Through quality play, guided conflict resolution, and the caring support of a teacher, daycare/childcare or preschool becomes more than supervision, but rather, a training ground for friendships and lifelong social success.
We would love to help set a strong foundation of growth and friendship with a quality early childhood education. Call us up here at Clover Hill Children’s Center and let’s get started, today!