Forming social skills through play

Table of contents

• 1. Learning tolerance, empathy and cooperation
• 2. Acquire the ability to effectively resolve conflicts

Learning tolerance, empathy and cooperation

Playing with blocks between children can take many forms: from building structures together to using the parts as symbolic products when playing in a store. Such activities, among other things, shape the ability to cooperate and work out compromises. Playing with blocks contributes to also to assimilate the rules that govern social life. Lively discussions between toddlers can be associated with stimulating the development of communication skills, openness to the world and to the opinions of others. The child begins to understand that peers may have a different view on a given topic and thus can learn empathy and tolerance. It is a kind of learning to be sensitive to the feelings of the other person. The development of communication skills also involves realizing the importance of using the so-called magic words: sorry, thank you and please.

Acquire the ability to effectively resolve conflicts

Playing together with a set of blocks may result in conflict situations between children. In such circumstances, the adult should intervene and use the situation as an opportunity to to develop in the child the ability to resolve disputes. There is no denying that this is an extremely useful skill at every stage of life. The earlier it is implemented, the better for the child and his environment. An adult can point out possible directions for resolving the conflict to arouse the toddler's perspective of working out a fair solution. The child should learn that sometimes it is necessary to compromise and find a solution so that neither party feels wronged. An additional advantage will be the performance of working on the toddler's self-control. Getting upset, crying and screaming will not make the problem go away. For this to happen, a factual, calm discussion is essential.