Social Skills Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten

Social skills are the foundation for lifelong success—not just in academics, but in relationships, emotional well-being, and communication. As a former Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) teacher and resource specialist, I’ve seen firsthand how intentional social-emotional learning activities can empower young children to build meaningful connections, develop empathy, and thrive in the classroom.

In this article, I’m sharing some tried-and-true social skills activities that are developmentally appropriate for preschool and kindergarten. These activities can be used in inclusive classrooms, special education settings, or even at home to support children who need a little extra practice navigating the social world.

1. Feelings Charades

Objective: Help children recognize and express emotions
Materials: Emotion cards or simple facial expression visuals

Children take turns acting out emotions such as happy, sad, mad, scared, or excited while others guess the feeling. This game builds emotional awareness and encourages expressive language. For children with communication delays, I often provided visual supports or taught simplified emotion words paired with gestures.

Tip: Reinforce vocabulary by displaying a visual emotion chart at eye level for reference during the game.

2. Turn-Taking Games

Objective: Teach patience and cooperation
Examples: Simple board games, rolling a ball, or using a “talking stick” during group discussions

Many of my students initially struggled with waiting for their turn, especially those with impulsivity or language delays. Using structured games as simple as passing a ball in a circle helped them practice turn-taking in a fun and safe environment.

Adaptation for ECSE: Use visual cues such as “My Turn” and “Your Turn” cards, or create a social story that explains the steps of turn-taking.

3. Friendship Circle Time

Objective: Promote sharing, empathy, and connection

During morning meetings, we often had “Friendship Focus” moments. Each child had a chance to give a compliment, share a kind act, or say something they appreciate about a peer. I modeled sentence starters like:

• “I like playing with you because…”
  
  

• “You were a kind friend when…”
  

  This practice nurtures gratitude and helps children see the value of kindness.

4. Role-Play & Social Scripts

Objective: Teach appropriate responses in social situations

Role-playing common scenarios like joining a game, asking for help, or resolving conflicts was a regular part of my resource time with my kindergartner and elementary clients. We used puppets, visuals, and even simple scripts to model what to say and do.

Example Script:

• Peer 1: “Can I play with you?”
  
  

• Peer 2: “Sure! You can be the chef in our kitchen.”
  
  These scripts were especially helpful for children with social communication challenges or those on the autism spectrum.

5. “What Would You Do?” Cards

Objective: Encourage problem-solving and perspective-taking

I created cards with simple dilemmas like:

• “Your friend took your toy. What can you do?”
  
  

• “Someone is crying. What can you say?”
  
  Children discussed or acted out their answers. This activity builds empathy and critical thinking. Over time, they began using these strategies naturally in real life!

6. Cooperative Art Projects

Objective: Build teamwork and negotiation skills

From group murals to collaborative block structures, working together on a shared goal teaches children how to listen, compromise, and respect others' ideas. I often paired students with different strengths so they could learn from one another.

Bonus: Displaying the final product fosters a sense of pride and belonging in the classroom community.

7. Social Stories with Visuals

Objective: Teach specific social behaviors in a personalized, engaging way

Social stories were a go-to strategy in my toolkit—especially for preparing students for transitions, group work, or new environments. A story like “I Can Work with a Partner” or “What to Do When I Feel Frustrated” gives children a predictable, visual guide they can refer to again and again.

Tools: I used Boardmaker icons, hand-drawn illustrations, or even real photos of the students themselves.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're a teacher, parent, or caregiver, remember: social skills are teachable. Every interaction, every game, and every story is an opportunity to model kindness, empathy, and communication. With structure, repetition, and lots of encouragement, even the most reserved or struggling child can develop strong social connections.

As an educator, few things filled my heart more than watching a shy student learn to say “Can I play with you?”—and being met with a joyful “Yes!”

Let’s keep creating those moments. 💛