How To Help Your Pre-School Children To Be Comfortable Around Other Kids

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Do you think that your children are shy around other kids? It may be that your family is so close that your children are only comfortable around their own siblings. If you want to help your children to be comfortable around other kids, from having scheduled play dates to choosing the right child care, here are some ideas for you to consider.

Play Dates - Think about whether you want to include different ages in your play dates, or if you want your children to meet with other children individually.

• Think about trading kids with other parents. For example, invite a child who is the same age as your youngest child and ask that parent if your older child could come to play at the guest's house. Explain to the other parents that you are trying to help your children to branch out in their social life.
• Another idea is to invite other children to go on outings with your children. Consider asking another parent to go with you. 
• For example, plan a day at a children's museum in your area and include time for a picnic at the park where the children could get to know each other better.
• If you do host other children in your home, set an exact time for the children to arrive and to go home. 

Take Advantage Of Child Care - Look for a place where your children can be with other kids in a child care setting.

• If you do decide to take your children to a child care facility, consider doing it for just a few hours on the first day they go. For example, let them stay for just a couple of hours while you go shopping or while you run other errands. Let them see that you won't be gone long until they are comfortable being left for longer periods of time.
• Make sure that the child care facility has other children enrolled in it. Consider whether you want a structured time for your children or whether you want just play time.
• The benefit of your children going to a child care facility is that they will also learn to be with other adults. And, they will also be learning the things that they will need to know when they enter kindergarten.
• Be sure to keep in close contact with your child's caregivers to see how your children are doing in their new setting.

Take lots of pictures of your children with other kids and let them put them in their rooms as a reminder that it's a lot of fun to have friends.

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29 August 2017