In today’s fast-paced world, it’s crucial for children to develop strong social skills that will help them navigate relationships and understand others.

Building these skills early on can boost their confidence, enhance their empathy, and prepare them for a lifetime of meaningful connections. 

Engaging children in fun and interactive social skills games is a fantastic way to support this development.

Here are 20 social skills games that can help foster these important abilities in children.

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1. The empathy game

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Objective

This activity helps children step into another person’s shoes and understand different perspectives, which is essential for building empathy.

For instance, Sarah and John had a son named Lucas, who often struggled with understanding the importance of diversity.

To help him, Sarah decided to read the story "A World of Eggs" on the Storybook app.

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This tale, paired with a gentle massage, allowed them to enjoy a cozy moment together while teaching Lucas to appreciate differences and the beauty of curiosity.

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How to play

• Gather a few stories from Storybook or print out some short scenarios that involve different emotions, such as happiness, sadness, anger, and fear.

• Read each story or scenario aloud, and then ask the child how they think the characters might feel and why.

• Discuss with the child how they might respond to a friend feeling those emotions, encouraging them to think of supportive and kind actions they could take.

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2. Emotion charades!

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Objective

Emotion Charades helps children identify and express different emotions, enhancing their emotional intelligence and empathy.

By acting out various emotions, kids learn to recognize and interpret feelings in themselves and others, which is essential for healthy social interactions.

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How to play

• Write down a variety of emotions on slips of paper (such as happy, sad, angry, surprised, excited, etc.).

• Have each child take turns drawing a slip of paper and acting out the emotion without using words, while the others guess which emotion is being portrayed.

• Once the emotion is guessed correctly, discuss a time when each child felt that emotion and how they handled it.

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3. Simon says…

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Objective

Simon Says is a classic game that promotes listening skills, following instructions, and impulse control.

This activity requires children to focus carefully on directions, which can be a fun way to build self-regulation and attention. 

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How to play

• Choose one child or adult to be "Simon." Simon gives commands starting with “Simon says,” such as “Simon says, touch your nose” or “Simon says, jump on one foot.”

• The children should only follow the instructions when the command begins with “Simon says.” If “Simon” gives a command without saying “Simon says,” the children should remain still.

• Any child who follows a command without hearing “Simon says” is out for that round. Continue playing until one child remains, and then switch roles so each child has a chance to be Simon. 

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4. Affirmation mirror time

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Objective

Affirmation Mirror Time helps children build self-esteem and self-acceptance by encouraging them to speak positively about themselves.

This activity promotes confidence and self-love, which are foundational for healthy social interactions and forming strong friendships. 

Help your child explore the magic of friendship with “Making New Friends.” on the Storybook app.

Follow along and learn how making friends can open up a world of happiness and belonging.

This comforting tale, combined with a relaxing massage, not only gave them a warm moment together but also helped Mia understand the joy of friendship and how to connect with others. 

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How to play

• Stand with your child in front of a mirror. Begin by explaining that you will both say positive affirmations aloud, looking at yourselves as you speak.

• Start with simple affirmations such as “I am kind,” “I am a good friend,” or “I am brave.” Encourage your child to repeat each one after you and then come up with some of their own.

• As you practice this regularly, discuss with your child how these affirmations make them feel and how they can use these positive thoughts when they’re feeling unsure or shy, like Mia did when she was learning to make new friends.

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5. Role-playing scenarios

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Objective

Role-playing scenarios help children practice social interactions in a safe and controlled environment.

By acting out various situations, kids can develop problem-solving skills, empathy, and learn how to navigate challenging social situations.

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How to play

• Create or choose scenarios that children might face, such as introducing themselves to a new friend, handling a disagreement, or asking for help.

• Assign roles to the children and encourage them to act out the scene, exploring different ways to respond.

• After each scenario, discuss what happened, how the characters might have felt, and what they learned. This is a great opportunity to introduce responsibility Activities for Kids.

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6. The name game

Objective

The Name Game is designed to help children remember and use each other’s names, which is a key part of forming connections and showing respect in social interactions.

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How to play

• Have the children sit in a circle. The first child says their name along with a positive trait that starts with the same letter (e.g., “Happy Hannah”).

• The next child repeats the previous names and traits before adding their own, and so on, until everyone has had a turn.

• This game not only reinforces memory but also builds self-awareness and is a great addition to humility activities for kids.

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7. Cooperative puzzles

Objective

Cooperative Puzzles encourage teamwork, patience, and communication as children work together to solve a puzzle.

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How to play

• Choose a puzzle that requires several pieces and assign roles to each child to manage different sections.

• The goal is for them to communicate and collaborate to complete the puzzle together.

• Discuss how they worked as a team afterward, relating it to other teamwork exercises like courage activities for kids.

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8. Red Light, Green Light

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Objective

This classic game helps children practice impulse control and listening skills, which are essential for following directions and respecting boundaries.

How to play

• One child or adult stands at the front of the space and calls out “Green light!” to make the other children move, and “Red light!” to make them stop.
• The goal is for the players to reach the caller without moving on a “Red light.”

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9. Team scavenger hunt

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Objective

A Team Scavenger Hunt encourages cooperation, strategic thinking, and communication as children work together to find hidden items.

How to play

• Divide the children into small teams and give each team a list of items to find within a designated area.
• The teams must work together to locate the items on the list. The first team to find all the items wins.
• Afterward, discuss how they used teamwork and encourage connecting it to optimism activities for kids.

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10. Musical chairs with a twist

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Objective

Musical Chairs with a Twist fosters adaptability and quick thinking, which are essential for social interactions and respecting personal space.

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How to play

• Arrange chairs in a circle and play music as children walk around them.
• When the music stops, instead of removing a chair, encourage the children to find creative ways to share the remaining chairs.
• This twist makes the game more cooperative, fostering empathy and humility.

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11. Telephone (Whisper Down the Lane)

Objective

Telephone helps children improve their listening skills and understanding of how messages can change as they are passed from one person to another.

How to play

• Arrange the children in a line. The first child whispers a message to the next, and so on, until it reaches the last child.
• The last child says the message aloud, and everyone sees how it changed.
• Discuss how small miscommunications can lead to misunderstandings.

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12. Feelings bingo

Objective

Feelings Bingo helps children recognize and understand a range of emotions, which is essential for building empathy.

How to play

• Create Bingo cards with different emotions instead of numbers. Call out situations (like “You lost a toy”) and have children mark the emotion they’d feel.
• The first to get Bingo wins, with a discussion on how different situations can make them feel.

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13. Freeze dance

Objective

Freeze Dance is a fun way to help children practice impulse control and coordination.

How to play

• Play music and have the children dance. When the music stops, they must freeze.
• Children who don’t freeze are out for that round.
• It’s a great activity for developing self-regulation.

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14. Human knot

Objective

Human Knot teaches problem-solving and teamwork, as children work together to untangle themselves without letting go of each other’s hands.

How to play

• Have children stand in a circle, reach across, and hold hands with two different people.
• They must untangle themselves back into a circle without breaking handholds.
• Afterward, reflect on how they used cooperation.

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15. Pass the story

Objective

Pass the Story encourages creativity, listening, and collaboration as children build a story together.

How to play

• Begin a story with a sentence. Each child adds to the story with one sentence at a time.
• The game continues until the story reaches a natural end.
• This activity promotes courage in sharing ideas.

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16. Social skills board games (e.g., The Game of Life)

Objective

Board games like The Game of Life teach turn-taking, patience, and strategic thinking.

How to play

• Play the game as a family or group, focusing on how the players interact.
• Discuss decisions and how they relate to real-life scenarios.

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17. Two truths and a lie

Objective

Two Truths and a Lie helps children learn to share information about themselves and distinguish truth from deception.

How to play

• Each child states two true things and one false thing about themselves. The others guess the lie.
• This game builds self-awareness and honesty.

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18. Group jenga

Objective

Group Jenga promotes teamwork, patience, and risk-taking in a collaborative setting.

How to play

• Each child takes turns removing a Jenga block without toppling the tower.
• Discuss the role of patience and strategy.

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19. Trust walk

Objective

Trust Walk fosters trust and communication as one child guides another, who is blindfolded, through an obstacle course.

How to play

• Set up a simple course. One child is blindfolded and the other gives verbal directions.
• Afterward, discuss how it felt to rely on each other.

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20. Guess who? (Feelings Version)

Objective

This game helps children recognize and discuss emotions, building emotional intelligence and empathy.

How to play

• Have children pick a feeling card and give hints about the emotion without naming it.
• The others guess the emotion. It’s a fun way to reinforce emotional vocabulary.

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How can social skills games help children with ADHD?

Social skills games provide a fun and structured way for children with ADHD to practice impulse control, focus, and social interactions.

Games like Simon Says and Role-Playing Scenarios encourage listening and turn-taking, helping them build skills in a supportive setting.

This approach boosts their confidence and helps them engage more positively with peers.

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How do social skills games help with conflict resolution?

These games offer a safe space for kids to practice conflict resolution by promoting teamwork, empathy, and communication.

Activities like Human Knot and Feelings Bingo allow children to work through disagreements and understand different perspectives.

By practicing these skills in a game setting, they learn to handle real-life conflicts more effectively.

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