Social interaction skills
A toddler engages in play with a caregiver focused on rolling a ball back and forth.
[Invite a toddler to sit facing you on the floor. Greet the toddler by name and introduce the ball.]
Here is a ball that we can play with!
Would you like to roll the ball with me?
[Pause for the toddler to consider and respond. Interest may be indicated by smiling, nodding, or reaching for the ball.]
We are going to take turns rolling the ball back and forth. I am going to roll the ball to you. Then it will be your turn to roll the ball to me!
[Roll the ball gently to the toddler.]
You have the ball! Now it’s your turn! You can roll the ball to me!
[Encourage the toddler to roll the ball to you.]
I have the ball. Now it’s my turn!
[Continue to roll the ball back and forth with the toddler, each time indicating whose turn it is. You may wish to turn your words into a chant, such as the following:
Rolling, rolling, now it’s your turn!
Rolling, rolling, now it’s my turn!
Use the toddler’s name instead of “your.”]
We played with a ball today. We took turns rolling the ball back and forth! I rolled the ball to you. Then it was your turn and you rolled the ball to me! We had fun taking turns with the ball!
Toddlers can develop important social skills while talking and playing with others. Learning how to take turns is a valuable part of social skill development. This activity provides the opportunity for toddlers to practice taking turns during a simple and enjoyable game with a trusted adult. A ball is a favorite toy of many toddlers, and most will enjoy the act of rolling the ball back and forth. If a toddler prefers to hold the ball rather than take turns, you may wish to end the activity and try again at a later time. (See Extra support tip below.) Affirm the toddler’s participation in playing with the ball and taking turns.
Extra support
Enrichment
Social interaction skills
A toddler engages in play with a caregiver focused on taking turns in building a tower with blocks.
Invite a toddler to join you on the floor to play. Introduce the blocks and encourage the toddler to explore them. Talk with the toddler about the blocks, such as color, size, or texture. After the toddler has picked up and explored the blocks, place them in the basket and invite the toddler to work with you to build a tower. Example: “Let’s build a tower with the blocks! We can work together to build the tower. We are going to take turns stacking the blocks. Let’s see how high we can build our tower!”
Place one block on the floor between you. Demonstrate picking up a block from the basket and placing it on top of the first block. Encourage the toddler to “take a turn” picking up a block and putting it on top of yours. Example: “I put a block on our tower. Now it is your turn! It is Noah’s turn to put a block on the tower.” Continue to promote back-and-forth interactions and turn-taking. User strategies, such as the following:
When all the blocks are stacked (or the toddler appears to be done stacking blocks), invite the toddler to tip the tower. Show enthusiasm with the toddler as the blocks fall down. The toddler may want to build another tower with you to knock down. Acknowledge and affirm the toddler’s participation.
This activity uses blocks to facilitate back-and-forth interactions with a toddler, with emphasis on taking turns. Learning the skill of taking turns is a slow and gradual process. Toddlers are not expected to understand or engage in turntaking behaviors independently. This activity provides practice at this new skill during an enjoyable interaction with a familiar adult.
Some toddlers may want to build the structure on their own. (See Extra support tip below.) Also, a toddler may not be interested in stacking the blocks to build a tower. If this occurs, suggest a different way to play with the blocks that the toddler may want to join. (See Extra Support tip below.) Emphasize positive social interactions during the activity. Affirm the toddler’s efforts to work with you and take turns.
Extra support
Enrichment
Social interaction skills
Toddlers engage in play with a caregiver focused on taking turns in making motions that others copy.
None
Invite two toddlers to play an imitation game. Explain that the toddlers will watch you and then imitate your motions. Describe the motions as you move and encourage toddlers to copy you. Example: “Please watch what I do. Then you can do the same! I am stretching my arms high. Let’s all stretch our arms high!” Repeat this approach with several different motions, then invite each toddler to take a turn being the “leader” and doing a motion for you and the other toddler to follow. Examples: “Ava, it is your turn for us to copy you! What are you going to do?” “Ava is shaking her hands. Let’s watch Ava and then shake our hands like she is!”
Some toddlers may want to repeat a motion. Other toddlers may want a prompt or suggestion for a new motion. Example: “Maybe you would like to clap your hands, Martin. Would you like me to clap my hands, too? Let’s all clap our hands!”
Encourage toddlers to take turns in leading the motions. Example: “Martin clapped his hands. We clapped our hands too! Now it is Ava’s turn again. Let’s watch Ava to see what she is going to do!”
Acknowledge and affirm each toddler’s efforts to interact and take turns during the activity. Example: “Martin clapped his hands during his turn. We clapped our hands with Martin. When it was Ava’s turn, she patted her head. We patted our heads too! We practiced taking turns together. This was a fun game!”
This activity increases the turn-taking challenge of Option 2 by introducing social interactions with a peer. Games, such as one described in this option, provide valuable practice in the social skill of taking turns. Toddlers may participate in different ways. Some may enjoy imitating you and the peer, as well as having a turn to be the leader. Other toddlers may want to do their own motions and look for you to follow. Gently encourage them to participate in turn-taking. (See Extra Support tip below.)
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: soft ball
Provide a soft ball for several toddlers to play with in an open area of the room. Invite 2–3 toddlers to sit facing each other and practice rolling the ball back and forth. Toddlers may want to sit facing each other with legs extended in a V and feet touching their partner’s feet to keep the ball from rolling away. Talk with toddlers about their actions and efforts to take turns rolling the ball.
Children of all ages enjoy playing simple games that involve taking turns and copying others. Older children will help to demonstrate positive social interactions during games, and younger toddlers will enjoy watching their peers participate. The following games may be adapted to a mixed age group:
Simon Says—Invite each child to take turns being “Simon,” using their name in place of Simon. Example: “Daniel says to stomp your feet! Let’s stomp our feet like Daniel!” Older children may say the words as they demonstrate the action. Younger toddlers will enjoy hearing their name and seeing their peers copy their motions.
Follow the Leader—Invite the children to take turns being the leader as the group walks around the room. This activity may also work well outside. Older children may enjoy adding actions while they walk, such as stomping like a dinosaur.
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