Making Friends: Essential Social Skills for a Great School Year

Friendships play a huge role in a child’s school experience. Learning how to make and keep friends not only builds confidence and happiness but also supports emotional regulation, language development, and classroom participation. But for some children, navigating friendships can feel overwhelming, especially when routines, faces, and expectations are changing at the start of a new school year.

The good news is that social skills can be taught, practiced, and strengthened over time. With some encouragement and thoughtful strategies, you can help your child feel more comfortable connecting with their classmates and forming positive relationships.

Why Social Skills Matter

Strong social skills help children communicate their thoughts, express their needs, and work together with others. Learning to take turns, share, greet others, and resolve small conflicts helps children feel included and confident at school. For kids who may struggle with conversation, attention, or emotional regulation, having simple, practiced strategies for making friends can ease the transition into group settings and reduce anxiety in social situations.

Simple Ways to Support Social Growth

Practice Play-Based Social ScenariosRole-playing everyday situations at home is a fun, low-pressure way to prepare your child for social moments at school. Set up pretend play where your child greets a new friend, asks to join a game, or shares a snack. Model different conversation starters they can use, such as:“Hi, my name’s Emma. Can I play too?” or “I like your backpack!”

Encourage Group ActivitiesPlaydates, park visits, and day camps allow children to practice group skills like taking turns, sharing, and participating in conversations. It’s okay if your child is shy at first; even observing other children interact can be a valuable learning experience.

Talk About Feelings and ReactionsDiscuss how it feels when someone invites you to play, when a game doesn’t go your way, or when a friend needs space. Help your child name feelings like happy, disappointed, or nervous, and talk about kind, respectful ways to respond in different situations.

Celebrate Small WinsIf your child waves to a classmate, waits their turn at the park, or joins in a group game, acknowledge it! These seemingly small moments build social confidence and help your child recognize their own progress.

Preparing for the Social Side of School

Now that school is underway, talk about what social opportunities your child might encounter: meeting new classmates, lunchtime conversations, or playing games at recess. Together, come up with a few friendly phrases or questions they can use to start a conversation or invite someone to play.

Our Tip: Create a little social “cheat sheet” with your child’s favourite conversation starters and keep practicing them together in casual, everyday moments.

Supporting your child’s social skills is one of the best ways to set them up for a happy, connected school year.

If you’d like extra guidance on helping your child build friendships, strengthen conversation skills, or navigate social situations with confidence, our Hello Speech team is here to help. Connect with us for customized tips, resources, and strategies to support your child’s social and emotional growth all year long.