Posted by:

Michael Grose

Here are 17 important social skills that help kids from primary school age onwards make and retain friends.

The list is not exhaustive. Many of these skills were identified by Dr. Helen McGrath, author of the school social skills program - Friendly Kids, Friendly Classrooms.

You can use this as a little checklist for developing your kids' friendlship skills

1. Ability to share possessions and space

2. Keeping confidences and secrets

3. Offering to help

4. Accepting other’s mistakes

5. Being positive and enthusiastic

6. Starting a conversation and holding a conversation

7. Winning and losing well

8. Listening to others

9. Ignoring someone who is annoying you

10. Giving and receiving compliments

11. Approaching and joining a group

12. Leading rather than bossing

13. Arguing well – seeing other’s opinions

14. Bringing others into the group

15. Saying No to other who pressure you

16. Dealing with fights and arguments

17. Being a good host

I've written about each of these skills with some ideas top help yopu foster them in my ebook Friends.

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