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If your child seems bored, avoids interaction, struggles with sharing, or constantly asks for a screen, they may benefit from more opportunities for social play. Playing with other children helps kids practise communication, cooperation, problem-solving, and emotional skills in a natural way.
Screens can be useful for entertainment and learning, but children also need time to interact with people around them. Social play gives children opportunities to talk, share, cooperate, negotiate, and solve small problems together.
For parents, the challenge is knowing when a child may need more real-world play and interaction.
Here are five signs to look for.
1. Your Child Gets Bored Quickly Without a Screen
Does your child frequently say, “I’m bored” as soon as the tablet or TV is switched off?
This can be a sign that they need more opportunities to practise independent and social play.
Children may initially find it difficult to transition from highly engaging digital entertainment to slower activities. Instead of immediately giving them another screen, offer an activity that involves building, creating, moving, or playing with another child.
For example, building blocks can give children something concrete to focus on while also creating opportunities to play together.
You can read more about this in our guide to Building Brick Play vs Screen Time.
2. Your Child Avoids Playing With Other Children
Some children naturally prefer playing alone, and that is completely normal.
However, if your child consistently avoids interacting with other children or does not get many opportunities to play with them, it may be useful to create more social play opportunities.
Start with simple activities that do not require complicated interaction.
Try:
- Building a tower together
- Completing a puzzle
- Drawing together
- Playing with toy cars
- Pretend play
- Simple group games
The goal is not to force your child to socialise. Instead, give them comfortable opportunities to interact at their own pace.
3. Sharing and Taking Turns Are Difficult
Young children may find sharing difficult.A child may become upset when another child touches their toy or may struggle to wait for their turn.
Social play gives children repeated opportunities to practise these skills. For example, two children building together can learn to:
Choose → Share → Build → Take turns → Solve problems
These small experiences help children understand that play can involve other people’s ideas and needs.
Hands-on activities can be particularly useful because children have something to work on together.
Learn more about the benefits of hands-on experiences in Why Hands-On Learning Is Important for Early Childhood.
4. Your Child Struggles With Simple Social Problems
Play does not always go perfectly.
A child might want the same toy as another child. Someone’s building tower might fall down. Two children might have different ideas about what to build.
These small disagreements are actually opportunities for children to practise social problem-solving.
Through supervised play, children can learn to:
- Express what they want
- Listen to others
- Take turns
- Ask for help
- Find compromises
- Handle small disappointments
Parents do not need to solve every small disagreement immediately. When appropriate, give children a chance to work through simple problems while providing guidance.
5. Your Child Always Wants to Play Alone on a Device
If screen time has become your child’s main form of entertainment, it may be time to introduce more variety.
This does not necessarily mean removing screens completely.
Instead, create a better balance between:
Screen time + independent play + social play + physical activity + family time
Try replacing one screen session with an activity involving another child.
A visit to an indoor play area, a playdate, building activity, or simple family game can provide opportunities for communication and movement.
Our guide on How to Set Screen Time Rules Without a Meltdown has more practical ideas for creating screen-time boundaries.
Why Is Social Play Important for Children?
Social play helps children learn skills that are difficult to practise through screen-based activities alone.
When children play together, they can practise:
- Communication
- Cooperation
- Sharing
- Turn-taking
- Listening
- Problem-solving
- Emotional regulation
- Creativity
Social play also gives children opportunities to understand different perspectives and respond to other people’s actions.
How Can Parents Encourage More Social Play?
You do not need to organise complicated activities.
Start with small changes in your child’s routine.
Try a regular playdate
Invite one or two children for a short play session. Smaller groups can be easier for young children to manage.
Choose activities children can do together
Building blocks, puzzles, crafts, pretend play, and simple games naturally create opportunities for interaction.
Visit an indoor play area
Indoor play areas can give children space to move and interact with other children while exploring different activities.
For families in Abu Dhabi, Pop In & Play offers hands-on building and indoor play experiences where children can build, explore, and play.
Let children solve small problems
When children disagree over a toy or activity, give them an opportunity to communicate and find a solution when appropriate.
Final Thoughts
Screens are just one part of a child’s day. Children also need time to move, build, talk, create, and play with others.
If your child gets bored without a screen, finds it difficult to interact with others, or rarely plays with other children, try adding more hands-on and social activities to their day.
Even a little more real-world play each day can help children develop important skills they can use throughout childhood and later in life.
Key Takeaways
- Social play helps children practise communication and cooperation.
- Sharing and taking turns are skills children develop through repeated practice.
- Hands-on activities can make social interaction easier and more natural.
- Indoor play can provide opportunities for children to move and interact.
- The goal is to create a healthy balance between screen time and real-world play.
