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Posted on 13 April 2020 by Admin | 3 min read

It is perfectly normal for your preschooler to find sharing things tricky. Sometimes their friends might come over to play with them. It will only be a matter of time when the kids start talking and interacting with one another. Now suppose, your child takes his/her friends to his/her room and starts sharing all his/her toys with them. Wouldn’t that be amazing?

Sharing is one of the fundamental skills of life and your child must master it to develop kindness, appreciation, and respect. Sharing is a valuable life lesson that teaches your child how to be empathetic. Children generally understand the concept of sharing at the age of three. But, it might take a little more time before your kid is prepared to do it. Sow the seeds of generosity by encouraging your child to share. If you have always wondered how to teach sharing skills to your preschoolers, we have got you covered.

Effective Ways of Teaching your Child to Share

1. Taking Turns

If you flip one page of your child's bedtime storybook, then they flip the next. Or if you stack a building block on top of hers, then they stack another on top of yours. Ask them to take turns to put the puzzle pieces together. Play give-and-take games too. You take their toys for a while and then give it back to her to play and return to you. This way they will learn that taking turns to play and sharing can be fun and that giving their things to their friends/siblings does not mean that they will never have them again.

2. Appreciate Them

Did you just spot your kid sharing a cookie with their friends or siblings or you? Then, appreciate them and make him feel nice. They will crave for that praise from you again and definitely share for the next time also. We spend most of our time reminding kids to behave, but we forget to praise them when they do exactly what you want them to do. So, don't forget to appreciate them when they share their things with others. Let them know how happy you are to see them being so nice to their friends/siblings.

3. Time It

Is your child finding sharing a hard challenge? A great way to start things off is by setting a timer during playdates. The next time your kid doesn't want to give away toys that they are playing with, set a timer. Inform your child that they get to play for 10 minutes and when the timer goes off, it's the other's turn to play for the next 10 minutes. This shows your kid how to take turns and lets them know that giving up their toy isn't permanent. For example, if your kid is playing with blocks, he/she has only 10 minutes to build whatever they like until the next child’s turn comes. If they want to play with it again, then they will have to patiently wait or play with another toy in the meantime.

4. Put Away their Special Toys

As adults we all do have a few prized possessions that we wouldn't feel comfortable lending to a friend, so why should your little ones be expected to part with their favorite toy? If your child is reluctant to share their favorite toy or book that they really love, then don't force them to share it with others. You can store them away on a shelf/closet and ensure they understand that those items cannot come out during their playdate. Once their friends leave, you can give it back to them.

5. Teach Them Charity

The summer holidays are the perfect time to teach your children about sharing with the less fortunate. If there are toys your child no longer plays with, keep them piled up for the occasion. Shopping for brand new toys for giving away to charity is a surefire way to invoke a sense of empathy and compassion in your children. Participate in a program or take them on trips to orphanages and charitable institutions where your child can donate some of their own things that were once their favorite helping them realize how sharing and contributions make a difference. You can also take your child to the store and have them pick out some new toys to be donated to charity.

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