Developing strong social skills in early childhood is crucial for a child’s overall development and future success. Social skills help preschoolers navigate their environment, form meaningful relationships, and handle everyday interactions with confidence. 

This blog post aims to show you how NTUC First Campus builds social skills in the classroom. We also provide parents with effective tips to help preschoolers build and enhance their social skills, setting a solid foundation for their future social interactions and emotional well-being.

The importance of social skills in early childhood education is well-recognised in Singapore. The Ministry of Education’s Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) framework¹, first published in 2003, places significant emphasis on developing social competencies as a core component of early childhood education in Singapore. This framework acknowledges that social skills are crucial for holistic development, helping children build relationships, communicate effectively, and navigate various social environments.²

Social skills are essential for preschoolers as they help children communicate effectively, build relationships, and navigate social environments. Here are some key components of social skills and their importance:

Listening
Teaching children to focus and pay attention when others are speaking helps them understand and respond appropriately. It is a fundamental skill for effective communication and building respectful relationships.

Asking questions
Encouraging children to ask questions fosters curiosity and active engagement in social interactions. It helps them learn more about the world around them and strengthens their communication skills.

Sharing
Encouraging children to share toys and resources fosters a sense of generosity and cooperation. It helps them understand the importance of taking turns and respecting others’ needs and desires.

Patience
Practising taking turns teaches patience and fairness. It helps children learn to wait for their turn and understand that everyone gets an equal opportunity to participate.

Empathy
Developing empathy involves teaching children to recognise and understand others’ feelings. This skill is crucial for building compassionate relationships and fostering a caring and supportive community.

Communication
Effective communication skills enable children to express their thoughts and feelings clearly and understand others. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication, which is essential for resolving conflicts and building strong relationships.

Cooperation
Encouraging cooperative play and teamwork helps children learn to work together towards a common goal. It builds a sense of community and teaches them the value of collaboration.

Conflict Resolution
Teaching children strategies for resolving disagreements peacefully helps them develop problem-solving skills. It enables them to handle conflicts constructively and maintain positive relationships with their peers.

Children with strong social skills are better able to focus, follow directions, and work collaboratively with others, leading to better academic performance. These skills help children form positive relationships with their peers and teachers, creating a supportive learning environment. Social skills help children regulate their emotions, reducing the likelihood of behavioural problems.

Preschool is an ideal time to start building social skills because it is a period of significant growth in a child’s social and emotional development. During these formative years, children naturally explore their environment and interact with peers, helping them develop critical social skills like sharing, taking turns, and cooperating with others. 

Early social competence is linked to later academic success and positive relationships, making it essential to nurture these abilities from a young age. The structured yet flexible environment of preschool provides ample opportunities for children to practise social interactions in a safe and supportive setting, guided by skilled educators who can model and reinforce appropriate social behaviours.

At NTUC First Campus, our Relationships-Based Curriculum (RBC) for children from birth to three years old is based on John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory. This theory believes that strong, trusting relationships between teachers and children help the child feel safe and secure, which is essential for their learning and development. 

In our preschool programmes, one main teacher looks after a small group of children, with support from other educators and parents. This model helps children feel comfortable and ready to learn.

Our lesson plans are also centred around consistent routines, experiences, and interactions. Maintaining a daily routine also helps children feel happy, curious, and secure.

Children with secure attachments are better at regulating their emotions and are generally more open and engaging in social settings. Studies have shown that this approach improves children’s social skills, well-being, involvement, and learning outcomes³.⁴

The Intergenerational Programme (IP) at My First Skool (MFS) is an innovative initiative designed to foster intergenerational bonding between preschoolers and the elderly. This programme brings together preschool children and seniors at a nearby senior day care centre for activities such as storytelling, arts and crafts, and games.⁵

These interactions provide the children with rich opportunities to develop their social skills and emotional intelligence, learn about empathy, and understand different perspectives. For the elderly, these activities offer companionship, a sense of purpose, and the joy of contributing to the younger generation’s growth. 

Studies have also shown that seniors experience improved mental well-being and a renewed sense of community.⁶ Parents have also shared that the children behaved better with their grandparents after participating in the programme.⁵ This programme exemplifies how intergenerational interactions can create meaningful connections and mutual growth for both age groups.

Little Skool-House’s  “Adopt a Grandparent” initiative matches a ‘grandparent’ with one to two ‘grandchildren’ for various activities, such as outings to the National Museum of Singapore. This initiative provides opportunities for the children to learn about care, compassion, and respect.

At our preschools, we believe in nurturing “The NFC Child,” equipping them to thrive in a rapidly changing, complex and digital world. To succeed in this new environment, the NFC Child must develop three essential skills: relational skills, a global citizenship mindset, and digital intelligence.⁷

Relational skills, in particular, are crucial as they help children build positive relationships, communicate effectively, and develop empathy, which are foundational for their overall development and future success.

Building social skills at home can also play an important role in a child’s development. Parents play a crucial role in this process by modelling positive social interactions and reinforcing the social and emotional competencies that children learn at school. 

Model positive social interactions
Children learn a lot by observing and imitating the behaviours of those around them, so demonstrating kindness, empathy, and effective communication sets a strong example.

Teach empathy
Help your child understand and relate to others’ feelings by discussing emotions and encouraging empathetic responses. Teach them to read social cues like facial expressions and body language and adjust their behaviour accordingly. For example, say, “Your friend is crying and looks sad. Do you know why? What can we do to help?”

Validate emotions
This means acknowledging and accepting your child’s feelings, which helps them understand that it’s okay to have different emotions. This teaches children to express their feelings openly and honestly, fostering emotional intelligence and resilience. Say, “I see you’re disappointed because we can’t go to the playground today. It’s alright to feel disappointed”, or “You seem frustrated because you broke your toy. It’s normal to feel frustrated when things are hard.”

Teach the right language to support social interaction
Children use language to ask for things, seek help, ask and answer questions, say no, or talk about what’s happening around them. Since young children are still learning to talk, parents can show them the right words to use in different social situations. 

Teach apology
Apologising helps children build empathy and understand the impact of their actions on others. It’s crucial that they grasp why they are apologising to help correct their behaviour, rather than just saying “I’m sorry” without meaning it. 

Mealtime conversations
Encourage preschoolers to practice manners and improve their ability to communicate and listen. Parents can foster conversational skills by encouraging preschoolers to share their thoughts and listen to others. Asking open-ended questions at mealtime helps children expand on their answers and engage more deeply in conversation.

Positive reinforcement with labelled praise
This can encourage prosocial behaviour. Specific, labelled praise, such as acknowledging your child’s actions with detailed feedback, can be particularly effective. Instead of saying, “Great job, kiddo”, say, “Great job sharing your toys with your friend! That was very kind of you.” 

Encourage playdates and group activities
These provide opportunities for children to practice their social skills in real-world settings. Monitor the interactions and provide gentle guidance if necessary, helping your child navigate social dynamics and learn cooperation. There are extra benefits if the activity is outdoors!

Play cooperative games
Encourage games that require teamwork and cooperation, which help children learn to work together and share. Puzzles, building blocks, and board games are great for promoting cooperative play. 

Create a routine
Establishing a consistent daily routine can provide structure and security, helping children understand expectations and develop social norms. Include time for social activities, such as family meals, reading together, and playtime with siblings or friends.

Establish boundaries and rules
Set clear rules and expectations for social behaviour and consistently reinforce them. Rules like “Please take turns when playing games” or “Please use kind words” help children understand and follow social norms.

Building strong social skills in preschoolers is vital for their overall development and future success. By focusing on early social-emotional learning, we can help children navigate their environment, form meaningful relationships, and handle everyday interactions with confidence. 

At NTUC First Campus, we create a unique and enriching learning environment through our Relationship-Based Curriculum and Inter-generational Programme. These initiatives provide our preschoolers with valuable opportunities to develop and enhance their social skills.

Additionally, parents play a crucial role by modelling positive interactions at home, encouraging playdates, and engaging in activities that promote social development. 

With a collaborative effort from educators and parents, we can ensure that preschoolers develop the social skills they need to thrive both now and in the future.

Learn more about our preschool programmes. 

1. MOE Nurturing Early Learners (NEL Framework). Ministry of Education. 2024 ↩︎
2. MOE NEL Framework: Educators Guide for Values, Social and Emotional Competencies and Learning Disposition. Ministry of Education. 2023 ↩︎
3. NTUC First Campus Birth-to-Three Curriculum sets new quality benchmark. NTUC First Campus. July 2015 ↩︎
4. Early Experiences Matter: A Relationships-Based Curriculum for the Birth-to-Three Age Group. NTUC First Campus. May 2020 ↩︎
5. A pioneer in the Intergenerational Programme, NTUC First Campus harnesses benefits for both young and old. NTUC First Campus. November 2023 ↩︎
6. Generativity: Establishing and Nurturing the Next Generation. NTUC First Campus. August 2020 ↩︎
7. Parents, do your preschoolers have these three skills? Preparing preschoolers for a rapidly changing world. NTUC First Campus. October 2023 ↩︎