Turn-taking is a skill that we develop which plays a vital role in our communication skills and social interactions. We use this skill every day, whether it be playing games or conversing with others.
This blog post will talk about games and activities that can support the development of turn-taking skills!
What is Turn-Taking?
Turn-taking is the process where two or more people do an activity or task back and forth. Each person gets to take a turn, allowing everyone to participate equally. In games, this could be making a move and then allowing the next person to go. In conversations, you get a chance to speak and then a chance to listen. That is how turn-taking works.
Is Turn-Taking a Necessary Skill?
Turn-Taking is an important skill that helps children develop communication and cooperation skills. By learning how to turn-take, children learn patience, sharing, and listening skills. Being able to turn-take also helps children build relationships by , since they learning how to understand others, respecting other peoples’ opinions, and working together. Without learning this skill, turn-taking, children may interrupt others, have difficulty waiting their turn, and have difficulty building friendships.
Games and Activities to Support Turn-Taking
There are various ways to support turn-taking in your child. Some of these ways include:
Board Games: Games, such as Jenga, Monopoly, or Candyland, require turn-taking. Children have to patiently wait their turn, learn how to follow rules, and can engage with each other (e.g., reacting to others’ moves, strategizing).
Card Games: Card games also support turn-taking. Uno, Old Maid, Crazy 8’s, and Go Fish are all games that give children the opportunity to take turns. Additionally, these games can support communication skills, since they have to listen to other players’ questions and ask questions themselves (e.g., In Go Fish you have to ask for cards and be able to hand the other player cards).
Duck Duck Goose: Duck Duck Goose is an easy activity to support turn-taking. Each child gets a turn being the goose and the one picking the goose. This activity helps children learn turn-taking in an active way. They also learn how to be patient when they are not chosen and learn how to actively listen to see if they are chosen!
Sport games: Sport games include basketball, baseball, bowling, tennis, relay races, etc. These physical activities allow children to not only develop turn-taking skills but also help with teamwork skills. Children have to learn how to pass to others’, wait their turn, and stay focused while waiting for their turn. For example, in basketball, children have to wait their turn for the ball to be passed to them. However, they also must be concentrated on the actions in the game and learn to pass to other players when they have the ball.
Puppet shows: Puppet shows are a great activity to learn turn-taking skills. Children learn how to take turns saying their lines, acting out the scene, and waiting to enter the scene. They must cooperate with the other players to make the show flow, and they can also alternate between roles. They can have a turn with one role and then in another show take a turn with another role.
Conclusion:
Overall, turn-taking helps children with communication, social interactions, patience, and teamwork. By using activities that encourage turn-taking, your child will become more comfortable with waiting their turn in a fun and engaging way. These games can also help your child develop better listening skills, empathy, friendships, and patience, all of which will help them developmentally!
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