Participating in activities

It’s often a struggle to get children to participate in group activities and social situations. However, participation becomes more and more important as your child develops and becomes school-age. How can you help to make your child more comfortable and increase your child’s level of participation? Here are few tips.

Guide Your Child Through Change
Some of the apprehension your child could be experiencing may be due to change. The playground is a fast-paced world and teaching your child to move with the flow of activity may encourage them to participate. When moving from one activity to another, guide your child through the process and tell them that it’s ok to participate.

Plan Your Activities
For children who have a real difficult time accepting change a play plan might be an option. Talk to your child about what to expect at the playground. Make them comfortable with the concept of participating in the activities. Create a plan with your child about how playtime and participation will go. Have play dates at your home so you can more closely follow the plan. As children understand what’s expected they will become less apprehensive about participating.

Role Playing
Related to the plan above, role play what participation looks like with your child. Show them how participation can be fun. Play games at home that require cooperation and participation. Let them experiment by participating in a safe home environment and give them lots of encouragement.

Give Your Child Time
Your might be the most outgoing person in the world but that doesn’t mean your child will be. Each child develops differently, a painfully shy child may take some time to come around. Be patient and let them find their way. Don’t force your child into participation this might result