50+ Effective Social Skills Activities For Teens And Kids
Social skills that help teens excel personally, academically, and professionally.
Reviewed by Beth Sullivan, M.EdBeth SullivanM.EdSpecialty: Education ConsultantExperience: 10 years
Beth Sullivan is an education consultant and president of Deep Roots Learning Solutions, Inc. She specializes in literacy instruction and works primarily with students learning challenges, including dyslexia, ADHD and autism. After working in schools as a special educator for ten years, Beth has shifted her focus to supporting individual students and their families through online tutoring.
Written by Sagari Gongala, BSc, PG Diploma (Psychological Counseling) sagari gongalaBSc, PG Diploma (Psychological Counseling)Specialty: Child Psychology and Development
Sagari was a math graduate and studied counseling psychology in postgraduate college, which she used to understand people better. Her interest in reading about people made her take up articles on kids and their behavior. She was meticulous in her research and gave information that could be of help to parents in times of need.
Edited by Harshita Makvana, B.Com, PG Dip harshita makvanaB.Com, PG DipSpecialty: Child Education, Storytelling, Activities and LearningExperience: 7 years
Harshita is a graduate in commerce and holds a PG Diploma in Patent and Copyrights Law from NALSAR University. She has also pursued CA and has more than three years of internship experience in auditing. Her love for travelling has taken her to various parts of the world, and writing the travelogues was what brought out her love for content writing.
Fact-checked by Apoorva K, MSc (Counseling Psychology) apoorva kMSc (Counseling Psychology)Specialty: Child development and mental healthExperience: 2 years
Apoorva is a certified psychological counselor and NLP practitioner. The assistant professor-turned-writer believes that her experience as a teacher, psychologist, and researcher enables her to guide MomJunction readers on child development and mental health.
MomJunction believes in providing reliable, research-backed information to you. As per our strong editorial policy requirements, we base our health articles on references (citations) taken from authority sites, international journals, and research studies. However, if you find any incongruencies, feel free to write to us.
Image: Shutterstock
Social skills refer to a set of traits a person shows in a social set-up in order to be a part of society. In this post, we have curated a list of social skills activities for kids that will help them connect with the people around them in the long run. When children bloom into teenhood, we notice a number of social changes that they show. These changes are mostly not positive, as they prefer not to speak up as much as they did as little kids. So how can you get them to communicate more and feel like a part of the community? How can you help your child make good connections with people? Well, don’t fret! We have a great set of activities that will help teenagers mingle more and make more friends. Teens must learn to deal with their grumpy moods and maintain a social balance that is healthy for them, as they need to maintain certain relationships. So read through this post to learn more about these activities.
In This Article
50+ Effective Social Skills Activities For Teens And Kids
Good social skills will always come in handy. No matter what field of work a child chooses for themselves, their social skills will help them move forward in life.
Social Skills Activities For Teens
Teenage is a sensitive time as teenagers experience considerable physical and mental changes that contribute to shaping their personalities. Here are a few social activities that can help develop their social skills and make them feel more comfortable in their own skin.
1. Theater
Theatre is a great activity for teenagers to meet new people and expand their horizons. Visit the local theater groups in your town/city and see if they have open spots for kids. Theater may help your shy kid to open up and help your social kid to thrive in a creative environment. Kids who don’t like the limelight can also consider working in the costume or production department of theater companies. You should also encourage your teen to take part in school plays.
2. Activity Camps
Summer camps with lots of fun activities are perfect for kids of all ages. Find a camp that is appropriate for your teenager. Camps are great places to make new friends, interact with strangers, and also work alongside them. One-day or weekend camps are especially effective for teens who lack social skills. A day of interaction with new people and partaking in different activities can help even shy kids learn the skills needed for proper social interactions. There are tons of options for camps such as drama, dance, music, sports, science, etc.
Jud Millar, director at Stone Mountain Adventures, writes about his observations about summer camps. He says, ”Sometimes the beauty of camp is that campers are engaged in “free play.” They’re done with a meal and they just start playing… A gaggle of kids and counselors have started an impromptu game of ultimate frisbee on the lawn with spare flip-flops as goalposts. A couple of campers or staff might be casually observing while engaged in a conversation. All of these examples of free play are beneficial because the kids are in charge. They’re navigating social interaction. Whether they’re physically engaged or casually observing, they’re developing independence and self-reliance (i).”
3. Volunteer Work
Volunteering is a great activity for kids of all age groups. Encourage your teen to volunteer at retirement homes, child welfare centers or animal shelters. They can also offer to teach useful skills to smaller kids or read books to them. Help them understand how they can organize volunteer works to help their neighborhood or community. Your teen can improve his social skills while helping others.
Quick fact
A meaningful volunteer job can develop abilities like curiosity, creativity, and empathy in your teen.
4. Sports Participation
There is a reason sports matter so much in life. Beyond entertainment, there is a lot people can learn from sports. Teenagers can learn the value of teamwork, organization, leadership, motivation, fitness and support from playing sports. All these qualities are great for character-building and for improving socialization skills.
5. Art Classes
Help nurture your teen’s artistic talent and get the added benefit of an improvement in social skills through art classes. Not only will your teen interact with instructors and fellow students, he will also get an outlet for creative self-expression. The activity helps shy kids express their views better. Encourage your teens to enroll in any art or craft classes just to test the waters. Painting classes, sketching, fabric art, pottery, sculpting and similar activities help teenagers express themselves to others in a better way.
Point to consider
When students create something of their own, it makes them confident. This self-confidence grows manifold when they witness their progress.
6. Bonfire Night
Organize bonfire nights for your teen. Plan events where you can invite your extended family and get to know each other better or reminisce about the good old times. Encourage your teenagers to throw a different kind of birthday party complete with a bonfire night as the perfect backdrop for fun times with friends.
7. Educational Trips
So your teen loves museums, great! Plan activities where he can better his social skills. Visit different neighboring towns and explore all museums. Help your teens further explore this interest by bookstore visits where they can buy books about history. Find out about expert lectures and seminars on the subject and offer to accompany them to the event or pay for your teen to go with a friend.
Educational trips are not only a great way to help teenagers explore their interests, but they also offer ample opportunities to interact with new people. They increase the cultural competence of your teen and teach them a great deal about diversity and inclusion. Simply asking a question during the Q & A session of a lecture may require great deal of guts from a shy kid. Help them break the ice and converse with the museum tour guide or even interact with a stranger.
Do remember
Even a short educational trip offers three key outcomes for teens – improved teamwork, enhanced relationships, and a community spirit.
8. Game Nights
Game night during a party or family event is a fun way to help your teenagers open up to others. Make such activities more thrilling by asking people to come up with their games on the spot. Select the best ones through votes and have a blast. The bonding will help your teen develop better socialization skills.
9. Live Events
Watching live events together as a family or with friends can be an amazing experience for your teen. Championship games, dance performances, music recitals, quiz shows, competitions, etc., are live events that teenagers can watch in a social setting. They would be amidst a crowd, a majority of those people would be strangers. It will help your teen shed his inhibitions while he cheers for his favorite team. Live events are a great place to learn about networking and public speaking as well.
10. Bowling Fun
Plan an evening of bowling/roller skating/ice skating fun with your teen. Such visits can be great for developing your teen’s social skills as he will be around many people. As he will bowl or skate while others watch, the activity will help him burst his bubble.
Free Worksheets and Printables for Kids
11. Debate Workshop
A healthy debate can help develop a child’s public speaking skills. They also get first-hand experience in conflict resolution and learn how to lead a team. If your teen is interested in any specific topic, like the preservation of nature or world politics, you can have them enroll in a social group. Your child can interact with other teens and grab the opportunity to express themselves through a good debate.
12. Board Games
The game night mentioned above is open to any kind of games that may or may not involve board games. So, dedicate one night every month to playing a board game that your teen could be interested in. Board games encourage a child to strategize and hone their problem-solving skills. It promotes social skills such as cooperation, patience, and respect for others.
13. Exploring New Culture
Assign one day of the week when the entire family does an activity together. The activity can be cooking or watching a movie of a foreign culture. You may also take your teen to a restaurant that serves foreign cuisine. Encourage your child to learn to have new experiences by walking in someone else’s shoes. It helps them gain empathy and also makes them accept cultural diversity.
14. Cultural Exchange Events
If your child seems interested, enroll them in a cultural exchange program. In such programs, children are in a better position to learn about different cultures and have new experiences. It broadens their horizons and makes them open up to people of different ethnicities and be more accepting of diverse cultures. It also gives them a chance to better understand themselves and develop a confident personality.
15. Expressing Gratitude
Another way to develop empathy in teens is to have them express daily gratitude. When they have reason to be thankful for their life, they learn to be more kind and understanding of others. Ask your child to maintain a gratitude diary and encourage them to fill it as regularly as they can. You can even help them by making them see the good side of life even when the day goes bad.
16. Conversation Cards
Having a one-on-one conversation with a stranger can be unnerving for some teens. Try playing the conversation starter game with your child. On a pack of cards, write different kinds of topics that can be used to start a conversation. Ask your teen to draw any card and make a conversation with you based on that topic. As soon as the topic seems to run its course, ask your child to draw another card and start the next topic to keep the conversation going. This might help them learn to have an engaging and meaningful conversation.
17. The Habit Of Listening
Listening is an important social skill that every teen needs to develop early on. Listening is extremely crucial to have a healthy conversation. A teen should know when to stop and listen in a conversation and when to speak. You may use videos or have a conversation with them to help them learn how to listen and absorb information carefully. Listening and comprehension tasks can also help improve their skills.
18. Reading Body Language
Much is conveyed through body language than through words. And teens need to learn to read between the lines. You may enroll them in a body language class or have them read books on body language. Help them understand how ‘folded arms’ is a defensive stance, while a soft, light punch on the arm is a friendly gesture. You may watch a movie together and ask your teen to observe the character’s body language and try to understand what the character is trying to convey through their body language.
Social Skills Activities For Kindergarten
Your child needs appropriate guidance about adaptability, good communication, etiquette, and behavior. It’s an excellent way to introduce social games for kids and concepts at varying developmental stages for your kindergarten and preschoolers. These activities teach trust-building and goal-setting to the little ones and help in developing their emotional intelligence as well.
19. Eye On The Forehead
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
Eye stickers.
How To
Divide the kids into pairs.
Now place an eye or eyes sticker on one teammate’s forehead.
Encourage the other child to look at the sticker.
The round will end if the player blinks.
Swap the team-mates and repeat the game.
The game will train your kindergarten to look in the correct direction, in a less intimidating way. This is one of the fun social skills activities for kids.
20. Vocab Building
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
A few objects like a kitchen tool, a toy or a stationary
How To
Hand your child an object and tell him to describe what he thinks about it, according to his perspective. She has to make the object look like something it isn’t. For him, an empty cup can be a duck’s bill or a party hat.
This social skill training for children will develop their vocabulary and story-building skills.
21. Setting The Table
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
Markers
Scissors
Double-sided tape.
Construction paper in 7 different colors.
How To
Lay out the table for your little toddler to observe and learn.
Now have your kid draw and cut out the following from the construction paper.
Dinner fork
Salad fork
Soupspoon
Teaspoon
Knife
Plate
Water glass
Napkin
22. Mimic Me
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
Nothing
How To
This activity requires kids to mimic you.
If you touch your forehead, tell him to do the same.
If you pinch your nose, tell him to follow.
Box your ears lightly and tell him to do the same.
The activity will help the kids pick up the expression and read them appropriately.
You can make each child take turns in making new expressions and ask others to mimic them. This also teaches leadership skills.
15. Space Invader
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
Popsicle sticks
Pictures of cartoon aliens.
Crayons
Glue
How To
Tell your child to color the images of the cartoon aliens. Then help them in cutting out.
Stick the alien’s pictures to the popsicle sticks. As you affix the images, explain why they should respect another person’s space and how it is important. You can also introduce him to the concepts of using ‘gentle hands’ to get someone’s attention instead of hitting or shouting.
Further, explain to him that the aliens he has colored are you, and he is space, the invader.
When the child puts up his mark of the space invader, the aliens would require a moment to regroup. Make him do the same.
This way, you can explain the concept of giving people their space to play and also teach them non-violent problem-solving skills.
24. One Question Interview
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
Cards
Pen
How To
Write simple questions on the cards like “What’s your favorite food?” or “Do you have a pet”?
Have the kids sit in a circle. Now pass out the cards and tell each of them to read out the question.
Tell the kids to disperse in another room and get into pairs within five minutes.
Now tell the kids to ask each other the questions and listen to the answers.
Now ask every kid individually what they learned about the partner.
The activity will encourage active listening and will let the kids know about each other.
25. Telephone Skills
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
Round number stickers.
Card stock paper
Small sticky notes.
Scissors
How To
Tell your child to make a telephone model of the card stock paper. Cut a rectangular shape from the card stock and replicate the phone’s keys by sticking the round number stickers.
Now give your and your partner’s number to your kid and tell him to practice calling. You can teach him about emergency numbers too.
Now talk to your kid from your phone when he dials your number from his phone. Carry out the conversation just like you would do with any other adult. This way, you can teach your kid about communication skills and ways of interacting with others on the phone.
26. Follow The Feeling
Image: Midjourney
You will need
Pictures of human faces with varied expressions.
How to
Place the pictures of various human faces on the ground.
Ask another person to call out an emotion loudly.
Ask your child to look for the image showing that expression and jump on it.
Whenever they get the expression right, ask them the reason for it, and when they get it wrong, explain how to identify the right image.
The game helps children read and understand facial expressions and human emotions.
27. Sing Song Manners
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
Paper
Pen
Melodies
How to
Create songs telling your child how to cultivate good manners. For instance, on the tune of ‘If You’re Happy and You Know It,’ create a song that tells the child how to talk to an adult respectfully.
Sing the song with animated gestures and ask your child to follow you. Once you have their attention, tell them how they should practice the message in the song in their daily life.
This way, the child enjoys learning something new and also remembers life lessons easily.
28. Simon Says
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
Nothing except your child’s full attention
How to
Between you and your child, one person gets to be ‘Simon’ while the other has to follow Simon’s instructions.
So, when you start saying a sentence with ‘Simon says,’ your child has to follow that instruction. You may ask them to do anything, and they cannot refuse Simon. And if they do, they lose the game.
The game is intended to teach a child how to listen and follow instructions.
29. Blocks
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
Building blocks for children
How to
Invite your child’s friend over for a game of building blocks. Or, you may also play with them.
Hand over the set of building blocks to your child with a picture of a structure you would like them to create. The image can be of anything, like a small building or a pyramid.
When your child starts to create something with the blocks with the help of another person, they learn to share and adopt new ideas. They learn to accept opinions and also share their own. Your child can also learn to negotiate and compromise to achieve the common goal.
30. Reading Skills
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
Books with lots of colorful pictures
How to
Every night, make your child sit with you and read a story from a book.
If the book has images, point out those images as you read along.
Explain to your child what’s happening in one image, and for the next image, ask them to share their interpretation.
Reading to children from a young age helps develop their interest in reading and also helps them learn to deal with different situations in life. Stories with morals further help them understand the difference between right and wrong deeds.
31. Scavenger Hunt In Nature
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
Natural items such as bird feathers, rounded rocks, leaves, etc
How to
Take your child to a park and show them images of the items they should spot. You may hide the items beforehand or list items you know you will find at any park.
While taking a stroll, ask your child to observe their surroundings and point out the items you asked them to spot.
Each time they spot something on the list, you tick it off.
The activity makes children observant and encourages them to explore their surroundings better. When their knowledge increases, they develop varied interests and have better topics to discuss with other children.
32. Mask Of Emotions
Image: Midjourney
You will need
White paper plates
Black Sharpie
How to
Cut the white paper plates into two halves. Draw a human nose and a mouth showing a particular expression. For instance, a curved line indicates a smile, while a tongue out of the mouth suggests teasing.
Now, share a scenario with your child and ask them to express their feelings by lifting the paper plate that explains their feelings. For instance, ask, ‘How do you feel when mommy makes your favorite cake?’
The activity helps the child understand their own emotions and encourages them to communicate their feelings more openly.
33. Hot Potato Game
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
A ball or a potato
How to
You can invite your child’s friends to play, or they can play the game with any other family member.
The game is simple; they have to pretend that the ball or potato is hot, and they cannot hold it for too long, so they have to keep passing it to another person. However, they have to ensure that the item being tossed does not fall to the ground. The one who fails to catch it loses the round.
The activity helps children understand the importance of rules and how to follow them diligently.
Social Activities For Young Children
Teaching social skills activities such as time management, critical thinking, and creativity is important for the growth of your child. Here are few such helpful activities for your young and middle school aged children.
34. Emotion Charade
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
Paper
Pen
Bowl
How To
Write down some words related to feelings on small slips of paper. Put all the paper slips in a bowl and shuffle.
Now have the kids take turns at picking out a paper and acting out the feeling written on it. You can also allow the kids to draw the emotion on a black or white board. The other kids have to guess what emotion the player is trying to demonstrate.
Instruct the kids clearly that they cannot talk. Neither can they draw the emotion using a face. They have to express it by drawing the situation and body language that can lead to the feeling. This game is one of the excellent social skills group activities for kids.
35. Improvisational Storytelling
Image: Shutterstock
Social skills may be delayed in some children, especially those with special needs. This is one such social skills activity for autism. It teaches decision-making also.
You Will Need
Pictures of emotions.
How To
Place the images of the emotions face down on the surface.
Now tell the players to think about elements that must appear in the story. It can be anything, from a dog to a banana to a lemur.
Tell the first player to pick a card and start his narration. He is free to take the story in any direction he likes. But the catch is that he must incorporate the emotion on his card.
After he has finished, have another child take his turn at picking a card and making up the story. Kids have to build on each other’s ideas, making use of all the story elements.
36. Swinging
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
Nothing
How To
Take your child to the nearby community park for swinging.
Make eye contact with him as he swings back and forth.
Also, tell him to try to reach for you with his right foot if you are standing on his right and left foot if you are standing on his left.
The activity will help him direct his focus to you and will calm him down.
Kids love to swing and so this can be one of the favorite social activities for children.
37. Freeze It
Image: Shutterstock
This is one of the best social skills activities for high school students and teens to improve their team building skills.
You Will Need
Nothing
How To
Assemble the kids in the hall room or garden.
Choose an ‘it’ and ask the other children to line up horizontally.
Now ask the kids to freeze like statues. The ‘it’ now has to try to make the other players laugh.
The first kid to laugh will be the ‘it’ for the next round.
The game will teach kids self-control, patience, and a few essential social skills.
38. Manners And More
Image: Shutterstock
Social skills activities for middle school students help their personal growth and development. This is one such social development activity for children to help them understand the importance of social skills.
You Will Need
Construction paper.
Magazine
Glue
Scissors
Markers
Colors
How To
First, talk to your kids about good and bad manners. Tell him that there’s only a thin line between good manners and bad manners. For example, greeting an elder while sitting versus greeting him cordially while standing up.
Now tell him to make a collage on good and bad manners with the magazine cut out.
You can even ask them to make a slogan on the manners.
39. Word Strips
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
Paper
Pen
Double-sided tape.
How To
Draw and cut the words like ‘peace’, ‘clean’, ‘silence’, ‘neat’ and ‘hygiene’.
Now talk to him about the relevant rules like ‘maintaining silence in the library’, staying quiet when someone is on the call,’ ‘keeping the wardrobe clean’ and so on.
Now cut out the strips and tell your child to stick when he thinks it’s appropriate.
40. Who Has The Peanut?
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
1 peanut in the shell
How To
The purpose of the game is to find out who has the peanut.
Have the kids sit in a circle, placing their hands behind their back and closing it tightly.
Now select one kid to be the ‘peanut passer’. Holding the peanut in his hand, tell him to go around the circle, sliding his hands through the other kid’s hand until he secretly passes off the peanut. He has to go through the circle one full time before giving the peanut.
As the passer walks around, the other kids have to chant ‘Mr. Peanut where are you? Mr. Peanut come to me.”
Now select a kid and ask him who he thinks has the peanut. Keep asking until you find the actual location of the peanut.
When you’ve found the peanut, the kids have to chant, “we’ve found the peanut! Pass the peanut, but not to me”!
Repeat the game with another peanut passer.
41. Name Game
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
A ball
How To
Make the kids sit in a circle and give one of them a ball.
Now ask the child with the ball to name a fellow player and roll the ball to him.
The recipient has to do the same thing.
The process will repeat itself throughout the game.
42. Role Play
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
A bowl
Small chits
How To
Ask each participant to come forward and pick a chit from the bowl.
The chits contain the names of the characters that they will be playing.
The characters can be from one famous story or from different stories. For example, you can have Romeo and Jack Sparrow as characters.
Now, tell them to create a story in which these characters from different stories come together.
Each child will have to tap their creative energy and create funny scenarios.
Every child will get to work with others and learn the importance of effective communication.
43. Human Knot
Image: Midjourney
You will need
NA
How to
Divide the participants into two groups.
Make the teams hold each other’s hand across each other to get entangled like a knot.
The teams have to work together to untie the knot without letting go of their hands.
This game aims to help the children learn to work as a team while learning the importance of communication and cooperation.
44. Blindfold Obstacle Course
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
Few blindfolds
Small obstacles to create an obstacle course
How to
Divide the players into equal teams.
One player from each team will be selected to start the race. The player will be blindfolded and will have to complete the race by listening to the instructions given by their teammates.
The activity is aimed at teaching children to build trust in others and learn to communicate effectively.
45. Musical Chairs
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
Chairs
Music player
How to
Chairs have to be arranged in a circle facing outward. The number of chairs for every round will be one less than the number of participants.
The participants have to stand in a circle around the chair. As soon as the music plays, they have to start moving around the chairs.
When the music stops, they have to grab a seat quickly. The person left standing will be out of the game.
Even though there can be only one winner in the game, every child participating gets to hone their quick-thinking skills and learn how to handle competition.
46. Red Light, Green Light
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
NA
How to
Ask all the children to stand in a line.
When you say ‘green light,’ they can start running towards you while your back is to them, and when you say ‘red light,’ they have to freeze in their respective places as you turn to face them.
As a game, it helps children understand and follow instructions and teaches them to control their impulses.
47. Human Tic-Tac-Toe
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
A chalk or sharpie to create a grid
How to
Divide the players into two teams. One team will play as the Xs, and the other will be the human Os.
Taking turns, the team members of the two teams have to run to take a position on the grid as an X or an O.
The game helps the children learn teamwork and coordination while also boosting their strategic planning skills.
48. Mirror Game
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
NA
How to
Pair up the participants where one will make the expressions and the other will act as their reflection.
When the game starts, one child in every pair will make some movements that the other child must copy exactly as if they were a mirror reflection.
A game like this helps enhance non-verbal communication and enables them to build a connection with another individual.
49. Newspaper Fashion Show
Image: Midjourney
You will need
Lots of newspaper
Pair of scissors
Scotch tape
How to
Divide the participants into groups of equal members.
Each team has to design and dress up a member in an outfit made of newspapers.
The activity is aimed at helping children put forth their creativity without hesitation. It promotes teamwork and helps boost their confidence.
50. Human Sculpture
You will need
Nothing
How to
Divide the children into two groups.
Give each team a theme according to which they need to create a sculpture with their bodies.
Each person must represent something in the sculpture.
The activity promotes cooperation among children and helps them openly express their artistic views.
51. Mystery Finder
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
NA
How to
The participants will be narrated a mysterious story and given some clues.
Together, they have to discuss and find a way to solve the mystery.
The activity aims to promote role-playing, team-building, and coordination in children.
52. Wheel Of Trivia
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
A large cardboard circle
A stand with an arrow sign at the side
How to
The Wheel of Trivia contains topics that the participants have to speak on.
Each participant gets a chance to spin the wheel, and the topic on which the arrow stops is the topic they can speak on. They can share interesting trivia that they know or share a personal experience based on that topic.
The activity helps children develop more confidence and improve their public speaking skills. It also helps develop their knowledge on different topics.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can teenagers improve their social skills?
Teenagers can improve their social skills by practicing active listening, showing empathy, communicating effectively, developing self-awareness, self-esteem, and assertiveness, managing conflicts, joining clubs, and participating in community events. In addition, finding a mentor can inspire them to communicate better and work towards a goal. It is also vital for teenagers today to balance their online and offline social life (1).
2. What social skills do teenagers need?
Social skills such as listening, interpersonal, problem-solving, cooperation, and conflict resolution are essential for teens to socialize and engage with their community (2).
3. What types of activities can help teens practice empathy and understanding?
You can engage your child in role-playing scenarios, volunteering activities, and thoughtful group discussions to make them understand empathy and understanding. Labeled feelings, photo books, and board games are other activities that make children empathetic as they know each other’s feelings. These activities also allow them to forge strong and deeper connections.
4. What games or activities can help teens learn to cooperate with others?
Caterpillar tag, board games, and constructing things like a hut with objects like hula hoops make teens learn the importance of cooperation. Painting in teams or with a partner and obstacle course help develop social skills and help teens learn collaboration. These activities do not focus on defeating players.
Social skills activities for teens help them interact and connect with others. This also enhances their communication and social skills to fit into society. Theater, activity camps, volunteer work, sports, arts, bonfire nights, and educational trips are some of the fun social activities for teenagers. Game nights, bowling, and live events can also help teens spend more quality time with their peers outside of school. You may let your teen participate in these outdoor activities with peers to achieve social skills. Younger children can develop social skills through plays such as one-question interviews, phone skills, and storytelling.
Infographic: Fascinating Social Activities For Young Children
Social skills are vital for a child’s socio-emotional growth. Understanding these skills will benefit them in interacting with the people around them. Check out the infographic below to explore social skills activities that can help your child become a well-rounded individual.
Key Pointers
Social skills development is crucial for children and can impact their future relationships.
Activity camps, theater, sports, and educational trips can encourage communication and socialization in children.
Eye on the Forehead, Setting the Table, and Space Invader are great activities for toddlers to improve communication.
Teaching children social skills is imperative to help them interact with their surroundings.
Improvisational storytelling, Freeze It, Manners and More, and Who Has The Peanut are effective activities to develop and implement social skills.
Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team
Watch this video to learn about fun ways to build social skills in teens. Improve communication, make friends, and gain confidence in social situations.
Personal Experience: Source
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.
Beth Sullivan is an education consultant and president of Deep Roots Learning Solutions, Inc. She specializes in literacy instruction and works primarily with students learning challenges, including dyslexia, ADHD and autism.
Sagari was a math graduate and studied counseling psychology in postgraduate college, which she used to understand people better. Her interest in reading about people made her take up articles on kids and their behavior. She was meticulous in her research and gave information that could be of help to parents in times of need.
Harshita is a graduate in commerce and holds a PG Diploma in Patent and Copyrights Law from NALSAR University. She has also pursued CA and has more than three years of internship experience in auditing. Her love for travelling has taken her to various parts of the world, and writing the travelogues was what brought out her love for content writing.
Apoorva is a certified psychological counselor and NLP practitioner. The assistant professor-turned-writer believes that her experience as a teacher, psychologist, and researcher enables her to guide MomJunction readers on child development and mental health.
Image: Shutterstock
Social skills refer to a set of traits a person shows in a social set-up in order to be a part of society. In this post, we have curated a list of social skills activities for kids that will help them connect with the people around them in the long run. When children bloom into teenhood, we notice a number of social changes that they show. These changes are mostly not positive, as they prefer not to speak up as much as they did as little kids. So how can you get them to communicate more and feel like a part of the community? How can you help your child make good connections with people? Well, don’t fret! We have a great set of activities that will help teenagers mingle more and make more friends. Teens must learn to deal with their grumpy moods and maintain a social balance that is healthy for them, as they need to maintain certain relationships. So read through this post to learn more about these activities.
50+ Effective Social Skills Activities For Teens And Kids
Good social skills will always come in handy. No matter what field of work a child chooses for themselves, their social skills will help them move forward in life.
Social Skills Activities For Teens
Teenage is a sensitive time as teenagers experience considerable physical and mental changes that contribute to shaping their personalities. Here are a few social activities that can help develop their social skills and make them feel more comfortable in their own skin.
1. Theater
Theatre is a great activity for teenagers to meet new people and expand their horizons. Visit the local theater groups in your town/city and see if they have open spots for kids. Theater may help your shy kid to open up and help your social kid to thrive in a creative environment. Kids who don’t like the limelight can also consider working in the costume or production department of theater companies. You should also encourage your teen to take part in school plays.
2. Activity Camps
Summer camps with lots of fun activities are perfect for kids of all ages. Find a camp that is appropriate for your teenager. Camps are great places to make new friends, interact with strangers, and also work alongside them. One-day or weekend camps are especially effective for teens who lack social skills. A day of interaction with new people and partaking in different activities can help even shy kids learn the skills needed for proper social interactions. There are tons of options for camps such as drama, dance, music, sports, science, etc.
Jud Millar, director at Stone Mountain Adventures, writes about his observations about summer camps. He says, ”Sometimes the beauty of camp is that campers are engaged in “free play.” They’re done with a meal and they just start playing… A gaggle of kids and counselors have started an impromptu game of ultimate frisbee on the lawn with spare flip-flops as goalposts. A couple of campers or staff might be casually observing while engaged in a conversation. All of these examples of free play are beneficial because the kids are in charge. They’re navigating social interaction. Whether they’re physically engaged or casually observing, they’re developing independence and self-reliance (i).”
3. Volunteer Work
Volunteering is a great activity for kids of all age groups. Encourage your teen to volunteer at retirement homes, child welfare centers or animal shelters. They can also offer to teach useful skills to smaller kids or read books to them. Help them understand how they can organize volunteer works to help their neighborhood or community. Your teen can improve his social skills while helping others.
4. Sports Participation
There is a reason sports matter so much in life. Beyond entertainment, there is a lot people can learn from sports. Teenagers can learn the value of teamwork, organization, leadership, motivation, fitness and support from playing sports. All these qualities are great for character-building and for improving socialization skills.
5. Art Classes
Help nurture your teen’s artistic talent and get the added benefit of an improvement in social skills through art classes. Not only will your teen interact with instructors and fellow students, he will also get an outlet for creative self-expression. The activity helps shy kids express their views better. Encourage your teens to enroll in any art or craft classes just to test the waters. Painting classes, sketching, fabric art, pottery, sculpting and similar activities help teenagers express themselves to others in a better way.
6. Bonfire Night
Organize bonfire nights for your teen. Plan events where you can invite your extended family and get to know each other better or reminisce about the good old times. Encourage your teenagers to throw a different kind of birthday party complete with a bonfire night as the perfect backdrop for fun times with friends.
7. Educational Trips
So your teen loves museums, great! Plan activities where he can better his social skills. Visit different neighboring towns and explore all museums. Help your teens further explore this interest by bookstore visits where they can buy books about history. Find out about expert lectures and seminars on the subject and offer to accompany them to the event or pay for your teen to go with a friend.
Educational trips are not only a great way to help teenagers explore their interests, but they also offer ample opportunities to interact with new people. They increase the cultural competence of your teen and teach them a great deal about diversity and inclusion. Simply asking a question during the Q & A session of a lecture may require great deal of guts from a shy kid. Help them break the ice and converse with the museum tour guide or even interact with a stranger.
8. Game Nights
Game night during a party or family event is a fun way to help your teenagers open up to others. Make such activities more thrilling by asking people to come up with their games on the spot. Select the best ones through votes and have a blast. The bonding will help your teen develop better socialization skills.
9. Live Events
Watching live events together as a family or with friends can be an amazing experience for your teen. Championship games, dance performances, music recitals, quiz shows, competitions, etc., are live events that teenagers can watch in a social setting. They would be amidst a crowd, a majority of those people would be strangers. It will help your teen shed his inhibitions while he cheers for his favorite team. Live events are a great place to learn about networking and public speaking as well.
10. Bowling Fun
Plan an evening of bowling/roller skating/ice skating fun with your teen. Such visits can be great for developing your teen’s social skills as he will be around many people. As he will bowl or skate while others watch, the activity will help him burst his bubble.
Free Worksheets and Printables for Kids
11. Debate Workshop
A healthy debate can help develop a child’s public speaking skills. They also get first-hand experience in conflict resolution and learn how to lead a team. If your teen is interested in any specific topic, like the preservation of nature or world politics, you can have them enroll in a social group. Your child can interact with other teens and grab the opportunity to express themselves through a good debate.
12. Board Games
The game night mentioned above is open to any kind of games that may or may not involve board games. So, dedicate one night every month to playing a board game that your teen could be interested in. Board games encourage a child to strategize and hone their problem-solving skills. It promotes social skills such as cooperation, patience, and respect for others.
13. Exploring New Culture
Assign one day of the week when the entire family does an activity together. The activity can be cooking or watching a movie of a foreign culture. You may also take your teen to a restaurant that serves foreign cuisine. Encourage your child to learn to have new experiences by walking in someone else’s shoes. It helps them gain empathy and also makes them accept cultural diversity.
14. Cultural Exchange Events
If your child seems interested, enroll them in a cultural exchange program. In such programs, children are in a better position to learn about different cultures and have new experiences. It broadens their horizons and makes them open up to people of different ethnicities and be more accepting of diverse cultures. It also gives them a chance to better understand themselves and develop a confident personality.
15. Expressing Gratitude
Another way to develop empathy in teens is to have them express daily gratitude. When they have reason to be thankful for their life, they learn to be more kind and understanding of others. Ask your child to maintain a gratitude diary and encourage them to fill it as regularly as they can. You can even help them by making them see the good side of life even when the day goes bad.
16. Conversation Cards
Having a one-on-one conversation with a stranger can be unnerving for some teens. Try playing the conversation starter game with your child. On a pack of cards, write different kinds of topics that can be used to start a conversation. Ask your teen to draw any card and make a conversation with you based on that topic. As soon as the topic seems to run its course, ask your child to draw another card and start the next topic to keep the conversation going. This might help them learn to have an engaging and meaningful conversation.
17. The Habit Of Listening
Listening is an important social skill that every teen needs to develop early on. Listening is extremely crucial to have a healthy conversation. A teen should know when to stop and listen in a conversation and when to speak. You may use videos or have a conversation with them to help them learn how to listen and absorb information carefully. Listening and comprehension tasks can also help improve their skills.
18. Reading Body Language
Much is conveyed through body language than through words. And teens need to learn to read between the lines. You may enroll them in a body language class or have them read books on body language. Help them understand how ‘folded arms’ is a defensive stance, while a soft, light punch on the arm is a friendly gesture. You may watch a movie together and ask your teen to observe the character’s body language and try to understand what the character is trying to convey through their body language.
Social Skills Activities For Kindergarten
Your child needs appropriate guidance about adaptability, good communication, etiquette, and behavior. It’s an excellent way to introduce social games for kids and concepts at varying developmental stages for your kindergarten and preschoolers. These activities teach trust-building and goal-setting to the little ones and help in developing their emotional intelligence as well.
19. Eye On The Forehead
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
How To
20. Vocab Building
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
How To
21. Setting The Table
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
How To
22. Mimic Me
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
How To
15. Space Invader
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
How To
24. One Question Interview
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
How To
25. Telephone Skills
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
How To
26. Follow The Feeling
Image: Midjourney
You will need
How to
27. Sing Song Manners
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
How to
28. Simon Says
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
How to
29. Blocks
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
How to
30. Reading Skills
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
How to
31. Scavenger Hunt In Nature
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
How to
32. Mask Of Emotions
Image: Midjourney
You will need
How to
33. Hot Potato Game
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
How to
Social Activities For Young Children
Teaching social skills activities such as time management, critical thinking, and creativity is important for the growth of your child. Here are few such helpful activities for your young and middle school aged children.
34. Emotion Charade
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
How To
35. Improvisational Storytelling
Image: Shutterstock
Social skills may be delayed in some children, especially those with special needs. This is one such social skills activity for autism. It teaches decision-making also.
You Will Need
How To
36. Swinging
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
How To
37. Freeze It
Image: Shutterstock
This is one of the best social skills activities for high school students and teens to improve their team building skills.
You Will Need
How To
38. Manners And More
Image: Shutterstock
Social skills activities for middle school students help their personal growth and development. This is one such social development activity for children to help them understand the importance of social skills.
You Will Need
How To
39. Word Strips
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
How To
40. Who Has The Peanut?
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
How To
41. Name Game
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
How To
42. Role Play
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
How To
43. Human Knot
Image: Midjourney
You will need
How to
44. Blindfold Obstacle Course
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
How to
45. Musical Chairs
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
How to
46. Red Light, Green Light
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
How to
47. Human Tic-Tac-Toe
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
How to
48. Mirror Game
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
How to
49. Newspaper Fashion Show
Image: Midjourney
You will need
How to
50. Human Sculpture
You will need
How to
51. Mystery Finder
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
How to
52. Wheel Of Trivia
Image: Shutterstock
You will need
How to
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can teenagers improve their social skills?
Teenagers can improve their social skills by practicing active listening, showing empathy, communicating effectively, developing self-awareness, self-esteem, and assertiveness, managing conflicts, joining clubs, and participating in community events. In addition, finding a mentor can inspire them to communicate better and work towards a goal. It is also vital for teenagers today to balance their online and offline social life (1).
2. What social skills do teenagers need?
Social skills such as listening, interpersonal, problem-solving, cooperation, and conflict resolution are essential for teens to socialize and engage with their community (2).
3. What types of activities can help teens practice empathy and understanding?
You can engage your child in role-playing scenarios, volunteering activities, and thoughtful group discussions to make them understand empathy and understanding. Labeled feelings, photo books, and board games are other activities that make children empathetic as they know each other’s feelings. These activities also allow them to forge strong and deeper connections.
4. What games or activities can help teens learn to cooperate with others?
Caterpillar tag, board games, and constructing things like a hut with objects like hula hoops make teens learn the importance of cooperation. Painting in teams or with a partner and obstacle course help develop social skills and help teens learn collaboration. These activities do not focus on defeating players.
Social skills activities for teens help them interact and connect with others. This also enhances their communication and social skills to fit into society. Theater, activity camps, volunteer work, sports, arts, bonfire nights, and educational trips are some of the fun social activities for teenagers. Game nights, bowling, and live events can also help teens spend more quality time with their peers outside of school. You may let your teen participate in these outdoor activities with peers to achieve social skills. Younger children can develop social skills through plays such as one-question interviews, phone skills, and storytelling.
Infographic: Fascinating Social Activities For Young Children
Social skills are vital for a child’s socio-emotional growth. Understanding these skills will benefit them in interacting with the people around them. Check out the infographic below to explore social skills activities that can help your child become a well-rounded individual.
Key Pointers
Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team
Watch this video to learn about fun ways to build social skills in teens. Improve communication, make friends, and gain confidence in social situations.
Personal Experience: Source
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. Benefits of free play at an overnight teen summer camp.https://www.sma-summers.com/juds-blog/benefits-of-free-play-at-an-overnight-teen-summer-camp
References
https://www.bgca.org/news-stories/2022/September/how-to-improve-social-skills-in-teens
https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/importance-of-social-skills-raising-socially-intelligent-child-0102184
Read full bio of Beth Sullivan
Read full bio of Sagari Gongala
Read full bio of Harshita Makvana
Read full bio of Apoorva K