How to Teach Kids to Share Toys
(406 Words)
Teaching kids to share toys will help them learn to work with others for the rest of their lives. Oftentimes a multi-varied approach will be the most useful in imparting this lesson.
Give shared toys
Children will not learn to share toys if they do not have to. You may want to make it a point to give siblings one toy as a gift. They will need to share it if they want to play with it. Let them practice doing this. Show them the ways that they can play together or how they can take turns. You can even give them tools for doing this. For instance, you can make a written chart where they will write down whose turn it is to play with a toy at one time. Make sure that they adhere to that.
Show them how to play together
With many toys the kids will not need to take turns, but can instead play with each other. For instance, they can play with a dollhouse at the same time. Show them how they can sit near each other and play. You can even show them the exact ways in which they can play with specific toys. For instance, if they are building Lego’s together, you can assign tasks to each child.
Give positive reinforcement for sharing
Many kids learn behaviors because of the reinforcement that is provided for past actions. When your children share, make a big deal of it. Mention loudly that you are so proud that they can share. When they do not share, then correct them.
Discuss the importance of sharing
Many kids can take in a lesson better if you explain the reasoning behind it. Explain why it is so important for them to share their toys. Talk about how you cannot have two of each item because of money and space. Talk about how even adults need to share.
Show them sharing
It can be difficult for kids to learn sharing if they do not see you doing it. You can show that you share things with your spouse, for instance. You can show that you take turns picking a show on the television. If there is another role model that they cherish, you can enroll their help teaching them to share.
It is important for children to learn how to share their toys. Take as many steps as possible so that they learn the lesson.