HELP! My kid struggles to play with others, read social cues, self-regulate and manage their emotions.

My kid can play for hours when they are by themselves, engaged in what they love/special interests, or when an adult is there to play with them the way they want. However, playing with peers or if/when the adult changes anything about the play my kid is for sure headed towards a melt down. At home we tend to just manage this by playing along with all the rules and ideas my kid has. We avoid play groups and social interactions because sharing toys, taking turns, compromising and being flexible with how others want to play is just too much for my kid to handle. Sometimes, my kid starts out playing with a sibling or peer and all seems to be going just fine but then suddenly they resort to yelling, screaming, grabbing, throwing toys, hitting or scratching to get what they want. They have to learn how to manage these situations and I don’t know how to teach the skills they need to be a successful playmate.

The transition to preschool has had its ups and downs, and thinking about moving from their current preschool setting into a kindergarten classroom is enough to give me the cold sweats. How in the world is my kid going to handle the structure, routine, demands, and expectations of school when they are struggling in a small setting with a teacher and teacher’s aide? I know developing some ability to self regulate is essential for them, I just feel so lost as to what that even means or how to support my kids social emotional development.

Play and social emotional skills are developed in the context of relationship! It takes time, patience and PRACTICE-

Think back to how you learned how to share, take turns, understand how someone else was feeling. For many of us, we learned this at home playing with siblings, maybe close family friends or even cousins/extended family. Likely there was almost always a group trying to navigate these challenges and often a supportive adult there to help scaffold, intervene, and assist when needed. Identifying the skills needed to navigate social situations, and developing them takes practice! That practice is most effective when in a group (and when supported by an adult).

Enter Play and Social Skills Group for Preschoolers!

This play based social skills group is specifically designed to introduce preschool age kids (3-5 yrs old) the foundational skills of self awareness, self regulation, emotional identification/expression, and play skills (turn taking, sharing, flexibility) needed to successfully navigate peer interactions as well as other group experiences (classrooms, playgrounds, outings) . The group is capped at 8 participants and has 2 adult facilitators. A combination of direct teaching, structured play activities and child led play will be utilized during each 90 minute session. Registration for this group is rolling (open to new members) until we reach 8 participants. Once enrolled participants are encouraged to attend regularly (both for group cohesion, practice of skills, and for return on investment).