Private kindergarten children are reaching the developmental phase when they are able to apply empathy and consideration for others. They are honing skills like sharing and developing social skills such as diplomacy and patience. These things take practice, and providing them with ample opportunity through activities that involve sharing is an important part of the process. Here are several activity ideas that engage children as they teach vital social skills.
- Show and Tell
An environment where Montessori kindergarten children take turns sharing things and ideas with others helps children develop a strong sense of self-esteem. With a feeling of personal worth, children become more outgoing and involved with other kids, leading to a willingness to share and share alike. Whether they are sharing details of their summer vacation, introducing a parent on Career Day, or sharing a favorite book, toy, or pet, children who feel good about themselves will share with others more readily.
- Balloon Hot Potato
This game requires a balloon with a small rubber ball inserted into it before being inflated. The ball gives the balloon weight and makes the trajectory a little more random, and children will love bouncing it back and forth between themselves. While this activity is not precisely sharing, it does involve the sharing of resources and teaches children to wait their turn before trying to swat the balloon toward someone else.
- Cooperative Art and Music
Music and art are sharing mediums. A poster will be more expressive when it includes various student ideas and contributions, and an impromptu band sounds better when more instruments join the concert. Together, children can explore the boundaries of music, discover how instruments work together, and develop sharing skills necessary for teamwork and group activities.
- Books About Sharing
There are many children’s books with sharing as the central theme. They help children learn concepts like ownership, teamwork and solving social disagreements. Whether the story is about sharing toys, food, or time, the main idea is that life is better when people share.
Kindergarten is the stage of learning to be independent, and the absorbent mind of children is eagerly searching for information about doing things for themselves, working out their own problems, and becoming more socially interactive. When they are provided with books and activities that offer social clues about sharing, they become eager to put what they’ve learned into action.