Being able to play and have fun with your child is one of the joys of parenting.
A big part of play involves building communication and social skills such as sharing, taking turns and eventually building conversations.
But how do you start developing these important skills, and prepare them for interacting with others?
What do you want to play with? I don't want to play with a party. Shall we play taggy? No, I don't want to. Okay, what would you like? Party! A party? Oh, we can do that. No, party. Ball! Oh, you want to play with the ball? Yeah.
Bury. Good catch T-rex. Thank you. You're welcome. oh it's terrace all playing too. oh terrace all. terrace all. thank you terrace all
That is some good jumping, Teddy. I'm going to get the cross. You're getting the cross? Yeah. Should we do it? Should we hold up that one?
Oh, that's your piece of cake, isn't it? The rolling towers. Oh, I see what you're sharing. Can you put some here, you can use. Uh oh. I'll get a tower as well. Oh, it's a tower as well. Oh, you're helping put it up. You
Follow your child's lead
A key technique to help your child learn through play is to follow the child’s lead.
This isn’t always easy - sometimes it can be hard to understand what they are intending to communicate.
A good way to manage this is by using repetition, as copying builds social awareness in your little one. Try repeating the words, noises and actions they make.
Engaging with what your child is doing or looking at is called building joint attention, and it can help to make them feel connected with you.
Check out this article about other ways of building joint attention with your child.
Be collaborative
Learning to work and play with other people is a key part of social development, so it’s important that you practise this with your child.
Try giving them opportunities to play with or alongside other children whenever possible – this might also help you to meet other parents and form your own relationships.
You can also incorporate turn-taking into your daily play and routines together – as being able to take turns and share are key skills that are needed for school.
It’s a good idea to use your child’s name when announcing their turn. This helps them to learn to recognise their name and understand when you want them to engage with you.
Be patient
Learning how to communicate and play respectfully is a skill, and it can take a while for your child to learn.
Repeated actions help teach your children about the impact they can have on the world and others, also known as cause and effect.
They may also learn in time to recognise shapes and colours, and build their co-ordination and fine motor skills.
Just remember that your child is unique – remember to be patient and kind to yourself, and avoid comparing them to others.
