100+ Social Skills Activities For Preschoolers
Inside: 100 + social skills activities for preschoolers that teach them about manners, making and keeping friends, understanding their emotions, and more!
Social skills activities for preschoolers helps teach young children valuable social skills. There are many benefits to children developing pro-social skills. For instance, research indicates that academic success in the first few years of school is significantly based on the development of children’s social and emotional skills. When kids lack crucial social skills, it makes it difficult for them to learn. For example, if a child struggles with listening and controlling their negative behaviors, focusing during class and retaining the information they are taught can be challenging.
Essential Social Skills For Preschoolers
Many kindergarten teachers report that in order for preschoolers to make a smooth transition to school, they need to have certain social and emotional skills. They need to be able to:
- have positive relationships with peers
- listen and follow directions
- solve social problems
- effectively communicate emotions
- work well with others
- use good manners
I’ve compiled a list of social skills activities for preschoolers to help teach young children how to get along with others, how to make and keep friends, and how to effectively communicate their emotions. I hope you find this list of activities useful!
Feelings and Emotions Social Skills Activities For Preschoolers
- Feelings Identification Activities by Kiddie Matters
- Activities To Teach Kids About Feelings by Gift of Curiosity
- Emoji Feeling Faces: Feelings Recognition
- Identifying Feelings With Self Portraits by Still Playing School
- Free Printable Inside Out Bingo Game by Carrie Elle
- Lego Emotion Themed ‘I-Spy’ Game w/Free Printable by And Next Comes L
- 5 Circle Time Lessons About Emotions by No Time For Flash Cards
- Feelings Activities & Fun Ideas For Kids by Childfun
- Playful Activities to Help Kids Learn About Feelings by Play Dr.Mom
- Books About Emotions For Preschool by Pre-K Pages
- Tools For Teaching Emotions In Kids by Laughing Kids Learn
- Musical Feelings Games by Fumbling Through Parenthood
- Inside Out Feelings Tic Tac Toe by The Creative Social Worker
- Best Empathy Games, Apps, and Websites For Kids by Common Sense Media
- Printable Emotion Cards for Preschoolers by From ABCs To ACTs
- Paper Plate Emotion Masks by No Time For Flash Cards
- Preschool Feelings Theme by Lanie’s Little Learners
- Teaching Emotions With Songs, Activities, and Games by Testy Yet Trying
- Happy Sad Sorting by The Princess And The Tot
- Emotion Story Stones For Kids by Where Imagination Grows
- Helping Kids Identify Mood by Kori At Home
- Emotion Matching Game by B-Inspired Mama
- Free Printable Emotions Board Game by Life Over C’s
- Color My Feelings by Teach Beside Me
- Discussing Emotions With Pasta Faces by Having Fun At Chelle’s House
Related Article: The Ultimate Guide To Social Skills Activities For Kids
Social Skills Activities For Preschoolers To Build Listening Skills
- Free Conversation Game by Speech Paths
- Listening Activities w/ Blocks by Hands On As We Grow
- Make Popsicle Puppets and Practice Communication by Education.com
- Play Musical Statues by Education.com
- Ways To Support Children’s Listening Skills by Sing Dance Play Learn
- Do Three Things Listening Game-by Exploration Laboratories
- Following Directions And Listening Game: Teacher Says! by Coffee Cups and Crayons
- 20 Listening Games And Activities For Preschoolers by Virtual Speech Center
- Back To Back; Ear To Ear: A Language and Listening Game by Mosswood Connections
- Do As I Say, Not As I Do by Mosswood Connections
- Teach Kids To Follow Directions With Relay Races by Coffee Cups and Crayons
- Following Directions Grid Game by Kids Activities Blog
- Five Playful Ways To Work On Listening Skills by Playing With Words 365
- Following Directions Lessons by Elementary School Counseling
- Can You Draw Something You Can’t See by Nurture Store
- Following Directions Game by One Stop Counseling Shop
- Free Following Directions Activities by Learning Specialist Materials
- Put On Your Listening Ears by Stories by Storie
- Free Printable Simon Says Game by 730 Sage Street
- Listening And Learning Activities With Pete The Cat by Kathy Griffin’s Teaching Strategies
Friendship Social Skills Activities For Preschoolers
- How To Be A Friend by Gifts of Curiosity
- How To Play With Friends w/free printable by Powerful Mothering
- Leonardo The Terrible Monster (How To Be a Good Friend Activity and Game by The OT Toolbox
- Friendship Crafts, Activities, and Printables by Kids Soup
- Pass The Ice Cream: Sharing Activity for Preschoolers by Sunny Day Family
- Friendship Art by Munchkins And Mom
- Kindness Postcards by Growing Book By Book
- Friendship: Exploring Being A Friend by The Kinder Corner
- 10 Books About Making Friends by Growing Book by Book
- The Rainbow Fish Book: Activities, Staff, and Snacks by Mom On Time Out
- Free Taking Turns And Sharing Songs And Rhymes by Bits of Positivity
- Good Behavior Games For Preschool by Parents.com
- Pony Bead Friendship Reminder Bracelet Craft by The PreSchool Toolbox
- Our Friendship Flower by Dream A World
- Hands Are Not For Hitting by Rhinestones & Pinecones
- Free Friendship Resources by Whimsy Workshop Teaching
- Teaching Kids The Keys To Friendship by Simple At Home
- Friendship Tree by Primary Displays
- Teaching Social Emotional Skills With A Solutions Chart by Littlest Scholars
- Free Social Story: Being A Good Friend by Miss Allison’s Class
- Games For Teaching Boundaries by eHow
- Kindness Scavenger Hunt by Kiddie Matters
Teamwork/Cooperation Social Skills Activities For Preschoolers
- Five Activities That Promote Teamwork by Teach Preschool
- Group Art Activity: Tennis Ball Painting by Anna Reyner
- Roll The Ball by PreK and K Sharing
- Team Puzzle Play by Simple Home Blessing
- The Peanut Game by Education.com
- Team Building Activities For Kids by Kid’s Activities Blog
- Bean Sort Easy Activity by Busy Toddler
- Matching Paths by Busy Toddler
- 9 Cooperative Games For Preschoolers
- Best Cooperative Games For Noncompetitive Kids by My Little Poppies
- Social Time by Mrs. Winter’s Bliss
- Preschool Engineering by Handmade Kid’s Art
- Team Building Games by Tickled Pink In Primary
- Parachute Play In Preschool by Teach Preschool
- Race To Fill The Cup by Frugal Fun For Boys And Girls
Good Manners Social Skills Activities For Preschoolers
- Manners Matter Freebie by The Helpful Counselor
- Minding Our Manners by Sherbees
- Fun Activities That Teach Manners by How Does She
- Free Manners Printable Pack by Kori At Home
- Good Manners Themes and Activities by Child Care Lounge
- The Manners Song by DLTK Growing Together
- Teaching Kids Manners by The Relaxed Homeschool
- Little Mandy Manners (video) by Tiny Grads
- Free Manners matching Cards by Deb@Living Montessori Now
- Let’s Learn Manners Printable Pack by To The Moon And back Blog
- Monster Manners Game by File Folder Fun
- Manners Social Stories And Activities by Special Needs For Special Kids
- Games That Teach Kids Good Manners by How To Adult
- Can You Teach My Alligator Manners (Online Game) by Disney Junior
- Free Behavior Sort Cards by Mrs. Ricca’s Kindergarten
Decision Making Social Skills Activities For Preschoolers
- Tattling Vs. Reporting File Folder Sorting Game by Kiddie Matters
- I Am A Bucket Filler by Kiddie Matters
- Making Good Choices by Pocket Of Preschool
- Making Good Choices At School by Peace, Love, and Learning
- Life’s Good Choices And Bad Sorting Activity by Miss Pentagirl Kinderpuzzle
- Teaching Kids About Respect by Kiddie Matters
- Choosing Good Friends by Your Life Uncommon
- Lego People Challenge by You Clever Monkey
- What Pet Should I Get Decision Making and Graphing Preschool Activity by Playground Parkbench
- Should I Share My Ice Cream by Views From A Step Stool