Teaching Your Child to "Take Turns" and "Share"

Taking turns and sharing are very important skills for children to have as they begin to socialize with other children and also adults. Be it a typical developing child or a child with special needs, these skills can sometimes be a challenge.

In order to teach your child these skills, use strategies such as “Social Stories” or “Video Modelling”. (In our previous blogs regarding toilet training there is a video on how social stories are done). Make it simple and short. For example:

Title: Sharing

Page 1: This is Jane

Page2:  Jane shares her toys and food

Page3:  Jane can share (Have pictures of items ranging for most desired to least desired items)

Page 4: Wow look Jane is sharing

Page 5: (name of friend) is happy when Jane shares

Page 6: Mummy and Daddy are so happy Jane is sharing

Page 7: Hooray!!!

The same story can also be used when we want to teach our child to take turns too.  As for video modelling, record a scenario of someone sharing items with peers or siblings. The video can be similar to the flow of the social story.

Be sure to also have a reinforce prepared to give the child the child can successfully share or take turns.  This reinforce should be something strong and the child desires for.

Next have a list of items that can be used to teach the child to share/take turns.  Always start with items that are not the child’s favourite. The reason why this is done is because the attachment that the child has towards the item is not strong enough and it will be easier for the child to start getting use to the concept.

Then start practising. It is always easier to practice with an adult first and then slowly to move on to peers or siblings. First read the social story or watch the video model. Immediately after that practice with the child. Remember to reinforce if the child after practising. As you are reinforcing your child remember to say how good he/she shared/took turns so the child knows he is being reinforced for these skills.

Written by

Jessica Ganesha

Consultant, EAP Malaysia