Promoting Social Skills in Inclusive Afterschool Programs

December 9, 2024

Afterschool programs are more than just a safe place for kids to spend their time after school. They are vibrant spaces where children develop vital social and emotional skills. These programs enable children to form connections, practice empathy, and navigate differences while building collaboration skills that shape their interactions for years to come.

As an afterschool staff member, you are more than just a facilitator. You’re also a mentor, role model and teacher on inclusion. By fostering a culture of respect and belonging, you empower children to embrace differences and form deeper, more meaningful connections with peers.

The work you do shapes how children see themselves and others, helping them build the emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills they need to thrive, now and in the future. These foundational experiences lay the groundwork for meaningful social growth, equipping children to engage with the world — and one another — with compassion, understanding, and confidence.

An afterschool teacher plays with a group of students on the floor, promoting social skills.

There are five steps afterschool program staff and administrators can take to promote social skills and meaningful interaction in inclusive settings.

1. Understanding How Inclusion Improves Social Skills

Inclusive programs serve as a platform for children to learn essential life skills, including empathy, cooperation, and respect for everyone. By interacting with peers from different backgrounds, children gain a deeper appreciation for differences and develop stronger social and emotional intelligence.

  • For children with disabilities, these programs provide opportunities for meaningful social interactions, skill-building, and participation in activities that might otherwise be inaccessible in segregated settings.
  • For their peers, inclusive environments help cultivate mutual understanding, compassion, and an ability to view the world through different perspectives. These interactions help break down stereotypes and reduce social stigmas.

Research suggests that inclusive settings enrich the development of all participants, contributing to building a more harmonious society by instilling values of acceptance and understanding from a young age.

2. Design Activities That Encourage Interaction

Create group activities that naturally promote teamwork and communication. Examples include:

  • Cooperative games: Encourage team problem-solving and collaboration. 
    • Build an “escape room,” a scavenger hunt, or a series of puzzles in your program space, varying them to emphasize teamwork and different strengths.
  • Role-playing scenarios: Help children practice empathy and perspective-taking.
    • Read a story aloud or watch a program together, and then have children role-play characters and discuss or demonstrate what they would have done or how they would have felt.
  • Art projects: Facilitate joint creativity and shared goals.
    • Offer children different art supplies and tools, and then challenge small groups to create a multimedia art piece. Including different types of materials allows children to choose those that appeal uniquely to them. The final artwork is a physical and visual example of teamwork among those with varied interests, and a reminder of the beauty of human differences.

Inclusive activities should accommodate varying ability levels, ensuring every child can participate meaningfully.

3. Foster a Culture of Acceptance

Foster a program culture that celebrates differences. Strategies include:

  • Modeling inclusive behavior: Staff should demonstrate respect and kindness in all interactions. For instance, greet the children in your program warmly and ask them about their day, listening with curiosity and empathy.
  • Storytime and conversations: Use books and stories that include characters with disabilities to spark inclusion conversations. After reading, encourage group discussions. For example, if you were reading a book about a child being excluded, ask the group to talk about a time when they felt left out, emphasizing ways to be welcoming to everyone. 
  • Celebrate differences: Teach children how to recognize and value individual differences. Host a “Culture Day” where each child is able to share something meaningful about their background – and learn from one another.

4. Incorporate Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

SEL activities can help children develop the skills needed for effective social interaction. Focus on areas such as:

  • Self-awareness: Recognizing and expressing emotions.
    • Encourage reflection time after appropriate activities, giving children the opportunity to articulate their feelings and talk about what was difficult and what was rewarding.
  • Relationship skills: Building and maintaining healthy relationships.
    • Engage children in your feedback processes. When commenting upon one child’s project, encourage others to find something they like about it and share it with them. 
  • Responsible decision-making: Navigating social situations thoughtfully.
    • Create activities in which children must share equipment in order to complete a common goal. If conflicts arise, have the group pause and reflect on how to share the equipment so they can all be successful.

Integrating SEL into daily routines supports all children, especially those who may struggle with social skills.

5. Train Staff on Inclusive Practices With KIT

Disability inclusion and behavior support training empowers staff and administrators with the tools and skills needed to ensure every child feels supported and valued. By addressing and mitigating unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that influence our actions and decisions, staff can learn to recognize and challenge their prejudices. Participants develop greater empathy and collaboration through discussions and activities, empowering teams with the knowledge and skills to create inclusive environments.

Kids Included Together (KIT) equips child care professionals with the tools, support, and confidence to welcome children with disabilities and respond to behavioral needs with compassion. We envision a world where every child is understood, every provider is empowered, and every system reflects compassion and opportunity for all.