While some children thrive in a school environment, whether it’s preschool or kindergarten, others might find it a little overwhelming or even under-stimulating. This may translate as shyness, but there are a number of reasons a child might not want to participate in certain activities.
Shyness in children is not a bad thing. It’s an opportunity for parents to better understand their children and, as a result, help a shy child participate in school.
Check out the rest of this blog for encouraging tips.
How To Help a Shy Child Participate in School: 4 Handy Tips
No two children are the same. Just like adults, they have their own set of interests, hobbies, and external influences that shape their personalities. Just because most children might thrive at school, surrounded by their peers, doesn’t mean that all children find this environment inviting.
As a parent, guardian, or caregiver, here’s how you can help your child feel more comfortable and participate at school:
1. Touch Base With Teachers
Communication between parents and teachers is paramount when trying to help a shy child. Open lines of communication mean that you can share and compare notes about how your child acts at home and at school.
You can discuss the activities that they love at home and perhaps ask the teachers to incorporate their interests as part of day-to-day activities. You can also outline what your child dislikes and encourage teachers to keep that in mind when establishing set activities.
All in all, this will help your child feel more comfortable and engaged. If your child is really struggling to fit in, you might want to consider an independent school that offers a flexible curriculum and better one-on-one interaction with children.
2. Ensure the Environment Is Challenging Enough
Sometimes a child that seems shy is actually bored. It’s very easy to confuse the two. Busy teachers might not always have the time to decipher the difference, too. As a parent, no one knows your child better than you.
If you suspect boredom is at play, simply ask your child if they enjoy school, or if they’re bored. If this is the case, you can work with the teachers to create more challenging activities that stimulate your little one.
3. Encourage Participation at Home
If your child is struggling to grasp a new skill at school, that might deter them from participating. Sometimes frustration or embarrassment is to blame. In this case, you can help your child at home, first.
Most children tend to grasp new skills in a comfortable, familiar environment. Help them practice new skills at home so that they feel confident enough to participate at school. Encourage your child to practice often at home, but don’t pressure them into it!
4. Highlight Their Accomplishments
If your child fails at something, don’t make a big deal of it. Instead, focus on what they got right and the new skills they’ve learned. This way they might feel more determined and confident in practising skills or activities that they struggle with.
Find out which activities your child struggles with the most at school and make learning fun at home. This is the best way to get them to participate and actually remember what they’ve learned.
Education Advice at Your Fingertips
It’s natural for parents to feel overwhelmed when trying to help their children thrive, especially when learning how to help a shy child participate in school. The last thing you want is to make the situation worse.
But, the above tips should set you on the right path. Want to learn more about education and how to help your child? Explore the rest of this site for more.
