There are many benefits to attending preschool. Your child will learn how to identify colors, the names of the months, how to write letters and numbers, and so much more. While the educational benefits of preschool are important, these programs are also vital for helping children develop social skills.
Preschool teaches social skills in a variety of ways. Children will see their teacher model skills like greetings, manners, and resolving conflicts. They will also engage in new social skills themselves when they interact with their peers.
Social interactions in preschool teach children how to problem solve, share, collaborate with others, develop empathy, and regulate their emotions. Your child’s social skills will improve during preschool so much that they will be prepared for the classroom and educational setting in kindergarten and elementary school.
What is the Importance of Social Skill Development in Preschool?
Social skills must be developed in every stage of life. We never stop learning new and better ways to communicate and relate to others. Your children may be learning social skills in preschool for the first time.
Learning social skills in preschool helps your child:
- Relate with their peers – During preschool, your child will interact with other kids, collaborate on assignments, and engage in dramatic play. These activities teach your child how to communicate, form friendships, and positively interact with others.
- Prepare for school – Kindergarten and elementary school require more social skills than preschool. During preschool, your child will learn the important skills they need to be successful in an educational setting.
- Express emotions – When your child interacts with their peers in preschool, they will learn new ways to express their emotions. If something upsets them, they will be encouraged to find a helpful way of communicating the issue. This allows them to feel confident in identifying and addressing their feelings.
- Solve problems – Because preschool requires collaboration with peers, sometimes conflict will arise. This encourages children to learn how to solve problems without big emotional outbursts or unhelpful behaviors.
How Does Preschool Encourage Social Skill Development in Kids?
Preschool offers opportunities for children to engage in social and emotional development through fun activities, like role play, sharing building blocks, and reading books in a group. Understanding exactly how your child will develop social skills in preschool will help you grasp the importance of attending these programs.
Sharing
The first social skill your child will learn during preschool is sharing. They might have to take turns using certain toys or stuffed animals during playtime with their peers. This teaches them how to be fair with others and manage their time.
Empathy
Your child will interact with others and begin to understand how their behaviors affect their peers. They might end up having an interaction where they witness another child being upset. These situations help your child develop empathy for others and begin engaging in behaviors like soothing their friends.
Listening Skills
Young children will develop listening skills during preschool by paying attention to their teacher. For example, the teacher will explain to the children how the activity they will be engaging in works. Your child will have the opportunity to listen, ask questions, and learn how to fully comprehend verbal commands.
Conflict Resolution
There might be conflicts between children in a preschool setting. Sometimes sharing can be difficult for young children who do not have siblings at home. Whatever the conflict is, having these interactions will teach your child conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.
Emotional Regulation
During preschool, your child will experience a range of emotions. Sometimes activities will make them feel happy and excited, while others might be boring or less interesting.
Activities your child finds boring might cause them to experience irritation or annoyance. Experiencing these situations will help your child learn how to regulate their emotions on their own.
Teamwork
Your child will have to work together with their peers to get certain activities completed during preschool. This teaches them how to work as a team, collaborate, and share ideas with others to come up with a solution.
Respect for Diversity
Preschool will expose your child to different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. This helps them build a better understanding of diversity before they head into kindergarten and elementary school. Similar to how empathy is built, respect for diversity is developed through interacting with people who are different from you.
Get Connected to a Highly Rated Preschool Program
If you are thinking about enrolling your child in a preschool program, you’ve come to the right place. New Horizons Country Day School is a top-rated preschool that encourages the development of social skills in tons of fun and exciting activities. We will help prepare your child for further education like kindergarten and elementary school.
New Horizons Country Day School, through a balanced program, strives to develop effective communicators, self-directed learners, complex thinkers, quality producers, collaborative workers, and community contributors. We do this by offering a warm, safe, and familiar environment that promotes risk-taking, exploration, and experimentation.
Contact us today to learn more about how our program works and how to get your child enrolled.
