👉 manners, communication, cooperation, emotional intelligence, and responsibility skills — the main areas kids need to thrive socially. Basic Social Manners 1. Saying “please” and “thank you” 2. Greeting people politely (hello, goodbye, introducing themselves) 3. Using kind words and tone of voice 4. Respecting personal space Communication Skills 5. Making eye contact when talking 6. Listening without interrupting 7. Asking and answering questions 8. Expressing feelings with words 9. Starting and ending conversations politely Cooperation & Play 10. Taking turns 11. Sharing toys and materials 12. Following group rules 13. Including others in play 14. Working together toward a goal Emotional & Relationship Skills 15. Showing empathy (noticing others’ feelings) 16. Apologizing when wrong 17. Forgiving others 18. Accepting feedback without getting upset 19. Handling disagreements calmly Independence & Responsibility 20. Asking for help when needed 21. Taking responsibility for actions 22. Keeping promises 23. Being honest 24. Waiting patiently (in line, for a turn, etc.)

Skill focus: kindness, positive noticing, speaking up time: ~5 minutes (scales to 10) Materials: none Goal Kids practice giving specific, sincere compliments about effort, behavior, or skills—building confidence, empathy, and clear speaking. Quick Setup - Space: open area or circle; everyone standing. - Teach the rule: “Compliments are specific and about effort, actions, or character (not bodies or clothes).” - Post/teach a stem: “Name, I like how you…” (…did/said/helped/tried). How to Play (5 steps) 1. Model (30 sec): Adult faces a student: “Ava, I like how you shared markers during art.” High-five, gentle nod, or wave (no mandatory touch). 2. Start: Choose someone to be It. 3. Tag with words: It turns to a peer and says a specific compliment using the stem. 4. Switch: The tagged child becomes It. Previous It sits or crosses arms (optional) to track who’s been tagged. 5. Finish: End when most/all have been tagged; do a 20-second debrief. Fast rule: You can’t tag back the person who just tagged you. What Counts as “Specific” (kid-friendly) - Effort: “I like how you kept trying when the puzzle was tricky.” - Behavior: “I like how you waited your turn in the game.” - Kindness: “I like how you invited Mia to join.” - Teamwork: “I like how you passed the ball to include others.” - Communication: “I like how you used an inside voice in group time.” Sample Scripts (by age) - Ages 4–6: “, I like how you shared.” / “, I like how you cleaned up fast.” - Ages 7–9: “, I like how you asked a follow-up question.” / “, I like how you stayed calm when we disagreed.” - Ages 10–12: “, I appreciate how you summarized our plan.” / “, I noticed you gave everyone a turn.” Variations - Circle Tag (quiet): Stand in a circle; It passes a soft ball after the compliment. - Sticky Notes: Kids write a compliment and hand it over (great for shy speakers). - Teacher Seed: Adult slips in 2–3 targeted compliments to model depth. - Must-Tag-New: Each must choose someone who hasn’t been tagged yet (equity). - Partner Flip: Pair up; each gives one compliment, then switch partners.

Skill focus: turn-taking, asking follow-up questions, active listening Time: 10 minutes Materials: one die (foam or regular), prompt list, optional timer (20–30 seconds per turn) Goal Practice short, friendly conversations that include a clear opener, one follow-up question, and a polite closer. Build confidence staying on topic and listening for details. Quick Setup - Norms: one person talks at a time; listeners face the speaker with “listening body” (or preferred focus alternative); turns are short (20–30 seconds). - Stem to teach: “Ask, then follow up.” Example: “What did you do this weekend?” → “What was your favorite part?” - Seat kids in a circle or pairs. Give the die to the starter. Dice Map (use or adapt) 1 = Name 2 = Weekend 3 = Book/Movie/Game 4 = Food 5 = Would You Rather 6 = Follow-Up (ask a follow-up about what someone just shared) Sample Prompts for Each Number1 Name - “What name do you like to be called?” - “Is your name after anyone?” (older kids) - “What’s a nickname you like?” (younger kids) 2 Weekend - “What did you do last weekend?” - “What are you hoping to do next weekend?” - Follow-up stems: “Who was with you?” “What made that fun?” 3 Book/Movie/Game - “What’s a book, movie, or game you enjoyed lately?” - “Who is your favorite character and why?” - “Would you recommend it? To who?” 4 Food - “What’s your favorite snack or meal?” - “What food would you like to try?” - “Do you like sweet, salty, or spicy best?” 5 Would You Rather (quick choices) - “Would you rather fly or be invisible?” - “Beach or mountains?” - “Pizza or tacos?” - “Read a book or watch a movie?” - “Play inside or outside?” 6 Follow-Up - “What made you choose that?” - “How did you feel when that happened?” - “Where did it take place?” - “When did you start liking that?” - “Who do you usually do that with?” - “Tell me more about the best part.” How to Play (5 steps) 1. Model: Adult rolls a 2 and asks a student, “What did you do last weekend?” Student answers; adult rolls a 6 and asks a follow-up, “Who went with you?” 2. Roll and respond: First student rolls, uses the matching prompt, and listens to the answer. 3. Follow-up: If anyone rolls a 6, they must ask a follow-up about the most recent speaker’s answer. 4. Paraphrase before passing: The asker says one detail back (“You went biking with your dad”) and passes the die. 5. Close politely every few turns: “Nice talking with you,” or “Thanks for sharing.”

We’re so excited to have you join the Social Skills for Kids community! 🎉 Whether you’re a parent, teacher, therapist, or caregiver, this is a space to connect, share ideas, and support each other as we help kids grow socially and emotionally. 💛