social problem solving scenarios for adults

71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Scenarios

Do you have kiddos who struggle with their social problem-solving skills? Teach your students the simple process of how to solve a problem along with having them review how well their solution worked or didn’t work.

Learning to problem solve is an essential skill that is used not only throughout childhood but also into adulthood. Social problem solving is the ability to change or adapt to undesirable situations that arise throughout our day. On a daily basis, a child will encounter social problems that they will need to solve. Anything from arguing with another student, to hurting a friend’s feelings, to having a difficult conversation, or working with others.

Start with Small Problems

Many of the “problems” children encounter are often small problems which the child may be over-reacting to, such as wanting a different coloring crayon or wanting to be first in line, however, these small problems are still very real to the child. Practicing problem-solving with these small problems can be a great learning opportunity. Children can practice problem-solving with a small problem which can help them learn how to handle bigger problems in the future.

Problem Solving Importance

Social problem-solving skills are critical to a child’s social interactions, personal and professional relationships. A child’s ability to handle change, cope with stress, and handle challenges improves with a child’s ability to successfully solve social problems.

The ultimate goal is that the child will be able to solve social problems all on their own, but until they can independently solve a problem they will need to learn how to communicate and self-advocate to positively solve their problems.  

Students with Autism Problem Solving

Students with autism and other social challenges need to learn to problem solve as well. These social problem-solving skills will help them throughout their childhood and into their adulthood. Children can be taught how to problem solve through a guided process of breaking down the problem and using simple steps to solve the problem. Learning specific steps to problem-solving can allow children to remember how to solve a problem when they become overwhelmed or stressed. Although learning to solve a problem independently can take some time and practice it is well worth the investment to have a child who can eventually solve most social situations in a positive manner on their own.

Make Problem Solving Easier with this Freebie!

Download yours today to get started.

Problem Solving Form

Teach your students the 4 steps to becoming a social problem-solver.

• Identify the problem. For instance, start by having your student identify the social problem.
• Create three solutions. Also, have your student come up with three different solutions that they could use to solve the problem that they identified.
• Identify the consequences. Then, identify the consequence for each individual solution.
• Pick the best solution.  Lastly, have your student identify which of their three solutions is the best choice Then have your student put into words why they think that solution is the best solution.

What we learnt about solving problems is don't freak out, if one thing doesn't work , try something else out. And work together as a team. #melthammathsweek #MELTHAMPUPILVOICE @problemsolveit pic.twitter.com/iVm1Im4Aue — yr6melthamce (@yr6melthamce) February 4, 2019

Problem Solving Review Form

After your students go through the social problem-solver have them use the social problem-solving review form.

• What happened.  For instance, after your student tried their solution have them explain what happened next.
• Review the results. Also, have your student identify whether or not their solution got them the results they wanted.
• Use this solution again. Furthermore, have your student identify whether or not they would use this solution again in the future to solve the same or similar problem.
• What would you do differently? Finally, have your student explain what they would do differently if they didn’t get the results they wanted or if they wouldn’t use that solution again in the future.

71+ Social Problem Scenarios + 6 Blank Scenarios

Use the 71 social problem-solving scenarios to have your students get great experience practicing how to solve a social problem. Also, included are 6 blank scenarios. Then laminate them so you can use them over and over again. Therefore, create social problems that the student experiences and needs help solving.

Wordless Video teaching Problem Solving

Watch this super cute wordless animation with your students and have them discuss the problem they see and how to best solve the problem.

Use this as a fun practice example to get your students started towards learning how to problem-solve.

Demonstrate Through Modeling

• Model and discuss empathy. First and foremost, children need to understand how another person might be feeling in a given situation in order to become a good social problem solver. The student needs to learn how to “stand in someone else’s shoes” for a little bit. One way you can work on this skill is during the reading time you can focus on how a particular character in the story might be feeling. Ask questions, such as, “How do they feel right now? How would you feel in that same situation? Why do you think they feel that way?”, etc.
• Model problem-solving skills as the teacher. When you are faced with a problem you can solve the problem by thinking aloud for the students to hear how you solve a problem. You can state the problem, then come up with possible solutions, then identify the possible consequences to each solution, then pick and explain why a solution is the best option. For example, you could say, “I was hoping to take the class outside for a stress walk around the track before the reading test, but the problem is that it is raining outside. I could still take you outside, but then you will get wet, or we could walk the halls, but then we’d have to be really quiet because there are other classes learning, or we could just skip the walk and take the reading test, but then you might not do as well on the test. I think based on all of those solutions the best solution will be to walk the hallway, but you guys will have to promise to be quiet so that we don’t disrupt other classes. Modeling the problem-solving process can be very helpful for the students to watch, observe, and later implement themselves.

Teach Communication

• Have students communicate how they are feeling . Teaching your students to share their emotions in a respectful way can improve their ability to problem-solve. Have students use an “I” sentence frame, such as, “I feel _____ (insert feeling word) when _____ (identify what made you feel that way).” For example, “I felt sad when Jackson broke my favorite pencil” or “I was mad when I wasn’t picked to be first in line. “This way students can communicate how they are feeling using honest and open communication. Teaching students to appropriately communicate their emotions can help solve some social problems from the beginning.

Encourage Independency

• Encourage your student to problem solve. If your student is struggling to problem solve independently encourage them to do so using open-ended questions, such as “How could you fix this problem?” “What would be a fair solution?” “What would happen if you used that solution?”, etc.
• Let the student try to problem solve independently. Give your students the space to try and solve their own problems using the guided strategies. Try not to come running to their rescue for every little problem. Some problems are small and a great opportunity for the student to learn and practice. If an adult does all of the problem solving for a student then what are they really learning. Give your students the time and space they need to practice solving small problems on their own. Of course, if it is a bigger or more serious problem then have an adult help guide the problem-solving process.
• Tell an adult. Remind your students that there are still some problems that are too big for them to solve on their own and that it is okay to get help from an adult to solve big problems. For example, if the student doesn’t feel safe, someone is being hurt physically or emotionally, or if they tried to solve a problem independently but it didn’t work and they need help. Let them know that it’s okay to tell an adult.

Teach How to Disagree and How to Make Up

• Discuss how to disagree respectfully. Remind your student that they won’t always agree with their teacher, friends, classmate, or parents and that’s okay. Even the people we like might have different opinions, interests, and likes than we do. However, even if we disagree with someone we should still treat them with respect. Treating someone with respect means to not call them names, ignore them, yell or hit them. It means that you do try to create solutions that both parties can agree with and to apologize when we hurt others’ feelings.
• Role-play how to make up. Practice in everyday life how to make up after a social problem .

Get your free social problem solver today!

I hope you and your students love this freebie!

Students are really having to stretch their brains today. It's @NSPCC #NumberDay and @problemsolveit are challenging Y9 and 10 to solve the escape room boxes. It's not as easy as it looks! The promise of a few sweet treats for the winners seems to be helping though! pic.twitter.com/AxRRJnJIv2 — CongletonHS (@CongletonHS) February 2, 2018

Have your students use task card scenarios to help them identify how they and others might feel in different social scenarios. Be sure to discuss the problem, identify possible solutions, identify the consequences of those possible solutions, and then based on those consequences pick the best solution. Make social problem-solving a game by telling the students that they are social detectives and that it is their job to use what they know about social rules to help them identify the possible and best solutions. Start practicing today with 71+ free social problem social task cards! Do your students need more practice? Be sure to check out my other freebie for 31 wordless animated videos to teach problem-solving and so much more.

Get More Problem Solving Time Saving Materials

Next, be sure to check out the following time-saving materials to continue to teach your students how to solve their social problems in addition to this freebie.

Weekly Social Pragmatics Homework

• Weekly problem-solving.   Send home a  weekly homework page  that includes a problem-solving scenario plus an idiom and a conversational practice scenario.

Restorative Justice Problem Solving Flip Book

• Restorative justice graphic visual.  Use this graphic visual to help your student  restore a social relationship  after a social problem.

Self-Advocating Role-Play Scenarios

• Self-advocating in high school.  Teach your high schoolers the process to  self-advocate  for what they need.

5th-12th Grade Life Skills Problem Solving

• Life skills problem-solving.  In addition, this  life skills differentiated bundle  includes a problem-solving lesson plan.

I recommend you read Problem Solving Wheel: Help Kids Solve Their Own Problems , 61+ Free Fillable SLP Planner Pages 2020-2021 , 430+ Free Multisyllabic Words List Activity Bundle , or 432+ Free IEP Goal Bank to Save You Time posts because they include freebies as well and who doesn’t want more freebies!

Got questions? Leave a comment. Let’s chat!

Monday 30th of January 2023

Hello! I have entered my name and email twice (yesterday & today) to receive to 71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Senarios, but I have not received anything yet. Not even an email back to mine in order to subcribe. Thanks for your help! Tracy

Melissa Berg

Tuesday 31st of January 2023

Hi Tracy, Thanks so much for reaching out! Sorry about that. We went ahead and sent you an email with the PDF attached. Wishing you all my best, Melissa

Problem Solving Skills

Tuesday 30th of August 2022

I truly love your site. Excellent colors, theme and writing. Thanks for sharing.

Laura Ricca

Monday 11th of April 2022

Tuesday 12th of April 2022

Hi Laura, I'm glad you found this resource helpful. Melissa

Modified Mental Health and Suicide Prevention - Speech Therapy Store

Monday 11th of May 2020

[…] 71+ FREE SOCIAL PROBLEM-SOLVING SCENARIOS […]

Problem Solving Wheel: Help Kids Solve Their Own Problems - Speech Therapy Store

Monday 4th of May 2020

[…] 71+ Free Social Problem Solving Task Cards Scenarios […]

Interpersonal Skills: Practical Role-Play Scenarios (Social Interaction)

• by Team Experts
• July 2, 2023 July 3, 2023

Discover the surprising power of interpersonal skills with these practical role-play scenarios for social interaction.

Overall, these practical role-play scenarios provide a comprehensive approach to developing interpersonal skills . By incorporating various communication techniques, active listening strategies, conflict resolution methods, empathy building exercises, nonverbal cues interpretation , assertiveness training sessions, teamwork collaboration activities , cultural sensitivity awareness, and feedback giving skills, participants can improve their ability to interact with others effectively. However, there are potential risks involved, such as participants struggling with certain aspects of the scenarios or unintentionally offending others due to cultural differences.

What are Effective Communication Techniques for Social Interaction?

What conflict resolution methods can help in social situations, how to interpret nonverbal cues in social settings, what teamwork collaboration activities enhance interpersonal relationships, how to develop feedback giving skills for better interpersonal communication, common mistakes and misconceptions.

11 Social Skills Worksheets for Seamless Social Interactions

And that’s okay.

All of us, at times, experience similar feelings and find making conversation difficult while we struggle to leave a good impression (MacLeod, 2018).

Social problems can be helped. Shyness and anxiety can be identified and managed, and conversation skills can be practiced and improved.

This article provides a wealth of worksheets for building and developing social skills in children, students, and adults. You can practice them individually, in counseling, and in group sessions to become socially skilled.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Relationships Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients build healthy, life-enriching relationships.

This Article Contains:

2 best social skills worksheets for adults, developing social skills: 3 worksheets for children, 4 best activities for children and teenagers, helpful worksheets for students, 3 cbt worksheets to use with clients, group counseling activities, a look at social skills training in the workplace, resources from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message.

“After you accept that you’re still going to encounter some social unease from time to time, your aim should be to become socially functional” (MacLeod, 2018, p. 48).

The following are a few worksheets that cover a wide range of social skills and considerations and, when practiced, help increase self-knowledge and social awareness.

How to Support Your Friends

Friends are a crucial part of your social network. While they can provide valuable support mechanisms for you, you must equally be there for them when they need your help (Wendler, 2020).

The How to Support Your Friends worksheet examines a situation when a friend needed your support.

• How did you respond?
• How can you help them in the long term?
• How can you practice self-care?

When providing support, it is essential that you (Wendler, 2020):

• Remain present
• Remember, this is not about you
• Offer support rather than solutions
• Accept their feelings, rather than tell them how to feel
• Try not to panic

Healthy Relationships involve both giving and receiving, and an awareness and consideration of everyone’s needs.

High- and Low-Energy Social Skills

Social skills involve a great deal of nonverbal communication , such as how we stand, how loud we speak, and even the way we tilt our heads. Such cues can provide physical indicators of empathy and help show whether we are currently high or low in energy (Wendler, 2020).

One vital way to improve our social skills is to match our energy with our partner’s or the group we find ourselves in. For example, if we enter a meeting and everyone is excited about a new product launch, low energy may mean we fail to appear part of the team.

The High- and Low-Energy Social Skills worksheet helps us consider the energy exhibited by ourselves and others and whether we match those around us.

Think of a time when a friend, colleague, partner, or group was high in energy. How did you respond? High energy or low energy?

If you matched their energy, it showed empathy and most likely helped you mix and improve your social skills.

Note that there will be times when your circumstances or events prevent you from energy matching, and it is important to practice self-care.

The following worksheets are helpful exercises for children learning to be more socially adept and communicate successfully.

Self-Awareness for Children

Becoming more self-aware involves recognizing feelings, thoughts, and their impact on behavior (Fleming, 2021). Developing self-awareness can help children in social settings interact and be sure their needs are not overlooked.

The Self-Awareness for Children worksheet practices self-awareness and self-knowledge by asking the child (or group of children) a series of questions regarding how they are feeling and what they are thinking.

Becoming more self-aware can increase the child’s empathy and understanding of their own and others’ hopes, wishes, and needs.

Responsible Decision-Making for Children

Making a decision can be stressful, and not making one can be worse. Our choices often have social implications, building or damaging relationships, so they need to be taken carefully (Peters, 2018).

The Responsible Decision-Making for Children worksheet prompts the child to reflect on the likely social implications of their choices and how to show respect to themselves and others.

The important decisions we make can have far-reaching impacts. We should give ourselves time to gather information, consider the options and their impact, and seek the help needed.

Good Choices – Bad Choices for kids

When children have friends making bad choices that are potentially detrimental to themselves and the social groups around them, it can be all too easy to follow suit (Daniels & Rabar, 2019).

The Good Choices – Bad Choices worksheet can help children reflect on their friends’ poor decisions and how to react to the social pressure and the situation.

Download 3 Free Positive Relationships Exercises (PDF)

These detailed, science-based exercises will equip you or your clients to build healthy, life-enriching relationships.

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Activities where children visualize, role-play, or work through social interactions and engagements can develop their understanding, awareness, self-confidence, and self-knowledge.

And “like any other skill, practice makes perfect” (Daniels & Rabar, 2019, p. 13).

The following activities can be adjusted according to the child’s age and should include appropriate support and supervision (modified from Daniels & Rabar, 2019):

• Going blindfolded A lack of social skills can feel like walking around blindfolded. Find somewhere safe where the child feels comfortable. Blindfold them and ask them to attempt to make their way toward the door.

Once finished, tell them that, as with walking blindfolded, you may find you bump into things, sometimes feel lost, and need a little help as you develop your social skills.

• People watching Creating narratives can help make sense of a complex social environment. Find a safe location where you can watch people and their lives drift by (perhaps a cafe or transit station). Ask the child to choose a person or couple and make up a story about their lives, including where they are going and why.

Ask the child to say what they saw and heard that helped them make up the story.

• Questions to start conversations Striking up conversations with people they don’t know can be difficult for children (and adults too).

Sit with the child and write down a list of questions that could be helpful when starting conversations in various situations, for example:

Do you have any pets? What are their names? How was your weekend? What did you do?

Then practice the questions and conversation building in pairs.

• Throwing it back It is useful to learn how to keep a conversation going. Explain to the child that one of the easiest ways to continue a conversation is when someone asks you a question, answer it, and then throw another one back. It’s like catching and throwing a ball.

Practice making up situations, questions, and answers in pairs.

For example:

What are you up to over the weekend? I am going swimming. What about you?

It’s a simple trick and can lead to the next point for discussion.

But it takes practice, and mistakes are inevitable.

The following two worksheets consider what friendship means to the individual and help clarify their self-concept.

What Does Friendship Mean to Me?

Use the What Does Friendship Mean to Me? worksheet to reflect on why friendship is so important to the individual. While increasing feelings of relatedness and closeness, understanding friendship can also help clarify social interactions and keep individual needs in mind.

Use this awareness to appreciate your friends and recognize when people are not showing you friendship.

Self-Concept for Conversations

Conversation is easier when you can speak clearly about who you are.

Use the Self-Concept for Conversations worksheet to summarize how you think about yourself. An explicit self-concept will make it easier to introduce yourself in social situations.

Revise the answers before meeting others in a social environment. They can lead to further conversations.

How to comfort a friend who is hurting (exactly what to say) – How Communication Works

Adopting the right mindset is crucial for dealing with anxiety, shyness, and the lack of confidence that causes social discomfort (MacLeod, 2018).

It’s important to recognize that it is not always the situation that causes the problem, but our beliefs regarding that situation.

The following worksheets provide three valuable techniques for considering and replacing unhelpful thinking:

• ABC Functional Analysis By understanding both the causes and the effects of your client’s behavior , you can help them recognize social behavior standing in the way of their goals.
• Coping Styles Formulation When confronted with challenging social situations, we sometimes attempt to escape or put up defenses. Understanding the problem and the existing coping style makes it possible to develop more adaptive coping strategies.
• Graded Exposure Therapy Social situations can lead to fear and avoidance. Safe environments can be created to manage exposure and learn how to become more comfortable in difficult situations.

Sharing our insecurities

Discussing real or imagined socially awkward or difficult situations can help us understand our own and others’ fears and reflect on our coping strategies.

Within the group, discuss the following points and their impact (modified from MacLeod, 2018):

• Accept that nervousness comes from valued goals Discomfort can be put in perspective and may even be worthwhile if pursuing something meaningful.
• Accept that it’s okay to show what you are experiencing When we stop worrying whether we appear nervous or scared, anxiety loosens its grip.
• Tell people when you feel shy or insecure Most people have been through similar experiences. Casually share your concerns and move on.
• Recognize that it’s normal to get nervous There is nothing wrong with you. As humans, we are set up to have these feelings. Permit yourself to have them.

Ask the group to share experiences to normalize their insecurities.

Coping with social anxiety

A group setting is a great place to discuss complex social situations that cause anxiety and shyness. Individuals can share helpful strategies they adopt to manage difficult thoughts and feelings.

Discuss within the group how the following might help (modified from MacLeod, 2018):

• Riding out the symptoms We don’t always need to escape or avoid the situation. For example, leading up to a presentation, nervousness may boost your energy and invigorate what you share.
• Challenging your thinking Question whether the thinking that is feeding your anxiety is valid or helpful. Challenging your thoughts can reduce their effect.
• Distracting yourself Find something else to focus on. Thinking through the plot of a favorite film, playing through a cherished piece of music in your head, or thinking about your children can take the focus off what is causing you upset and give you time to become calm.
• Breathing exercises Breathing exercises where you breathe out more slowly than you breathe in can engage the parasympathetic system and settle your mind and body (Nestor, 2020). Take a few slow, deep breaths. Make the out-breath slow through pursed lips if it helps.

Ask the group to share other communication techniques that help them through social situations.

Telling a good story

Sharing personal stories can be a great way to build connections with the people you meet. However, start small. Begin with a semi-personal story and see how they react (Wendler, 2020).

Daniel Wendler (2020) suggests making the story enjoyable by sharing what was going on in your head at the time, rather than simply the facts. It will help the listener experience the narrative and build a connection with you.

Once finished, rather than continue by telling another story, share the spotlight so that everyone gets a turn.

The Telling a Good Story worksheet can help you think about the stories you could share in a social situation and identify the points to cover. Practice them with a partner or in front of the group and ask for their open and honest feedback. Not only is this practice helpful, but it provides valuable insight into what works well and what doesn’t.

Gaining valuable emotional awareness can help us relate to others personally and professionally. While emotional intelligence training benefits social skills in general, it is particularly valuable in the workplace (Goleman, 2018).

Here are some particularly relevant training options:

• Emotional Intelligence Masterclass© Our masterclass is a complete, six-module emotional intelligence training template for helping professionals to understand and use their emotions in life-enriching ways. This masterclass will provide you with all the tools, materials, and knowledge required to make an impactful difference.
• EI Masterclass: Embodied Emotional Intelligence Beyond EI teaches the principles behind emotional intelligence and how to practice them. You will learn to become more aware of what provides meaning in your own life while regaining control.

17 Exercises for Positive, Fulfilling Relationships

Empower others with the skills to cultivate fulfilling, rewarding relationships and enhance their social wellbeing with these 17 Positive Relationships Exercises [PDF].

Created by experts. 100% Science-based.

Improving social skills makes it possible to strengthen communication with friends, family, and colleagues and build stronger, enduring relationships.

Why not download our free emotional intelligence tool pack and try out the powerful tools contained within? Some examples include:

• Building Emotional Awareness Use this valuable script and audio to foster your emotional intelligence by mindfully attending to current emotional states.
• Decoding Emotions by Analyzing Speech, Body, and Face Accurately perceiving and understanding people’s emotions is a core component of emotional intelligence.

Other free resources include:

• Conflict Resolution Checklist This 10-item checklist is a valuable method for ensuring conflict is resolved.
• TRAPS to Avoid and TIPS for Success Adopt these helpful tips to avoid closed thinking and put in place productive, positive, and receptive communication

More extensive versions of the following tools are available with a subscription to the Positive Psychology Toolkit© , but they are described briefly below:

• Small Talk to Build Connection

This tool helps people connect through practicing small talk with people they don’t yet know.

Many of us opt to keep to ourselves rather than strike up a conversation with a stranger, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

• Step one – Identify the reasons for avoiding small talk.
• Step two – Choose a context for engaging in small talk.
• Step three – Find a topic for making the connection.
• Step four – Find a time and a place to practice the approach.

The final stage is to evaluate the success of the approach.

• Team Branding

Perceived, rather than actual, team branding is crucial for effective team performance.

We can foster team interactions by creating team identity.

• Step one – In small groups, identify the team’s strengths.
• Step two – Gather all the responses into cohesive headings.
• Step three – Assign each small group a task such as creating a team name, slogan, mission statement, etc.
• Step four – Have each team present their findings.

Reflect on the new team identity.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others build healthy relationships, this collection contains 17 validated positive relationships tools for practitioners. Use them to help others form healthier, more nurturing, and life-enriching relationships.

Feeling socially uncomfortable – shy, nervous, and awkward – can prevent us from reaching our social and professional potential.

While it is something all of us have faced, we can work through it and build skills for seamless social interactions.

First, we must recognize that we are not likely to remove all of our insecurities. Second, we should remind ourselves that all of us feel a degree of discomfort at times, and it does not have to ruin social engagement.

Importantly, we should remember that social interactions require balance. Taking turns with the spotlight is crucial, and so is focusing on the needs of the parties involved.

We must also consider energy levels, self-awareness, the choices we make, and our self-concept if we are to build lasting, deep relationships with those we meet.

While getting to know new people is not easy, the investment is worthwhile, and practice will make it easier.

This article contains plenty of worksheets and tools to get you started and maintain your journey toward building the social skills to lead the life that is right for you. Good luck.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Relationships Exercises for free .

• Daniels, N., & Rabar, S. (2019). Social skills activities for kids: 50 Fun activities for making friends, talking and listening, and understanding social rules . Rockridge Press.
• Fleming, S. (2021). Know thyself . Basic Books.
• Goleman, D. (2018). The first component of emotional intelligence. In Self-awareness (pp. 1–10). Harvard Business Review Press.
• MacLeod, C. (2018). The social skills guidebook: Manage shyness, improve your conversations, and make friends, without giving up who you are . Author.
• Matson, J. (2018). Handbook of social behavior and skills in children . Springer.
• Nestor, J. (2020).  Breath: The new science of a lost art . Penguin Books.
• Peters, S. (2018). The silent guides: Understanding and developing the mind throughout life . Lagom.
• Wendler, D. (2020). Improve your social skills . Author.

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Home » Blog » General » Navigating Real-Life Situations: Social Problem Solving Scenarios PDF

Navigating Real-Life Situations: Social Problem Solving Scenarios PDF

As we navigate through life, we encounter various social situations that require problem-solving skills. Whether it’s resolving conflicts, making decisions, or understanding others’ perspectives, social problem-solving skills play a crucial role in our daily interactions. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of social problem-solving skills and how social problem solving scenarios PDFs can be a valuable tool in developing these skills.

Understanding Social Problem Solving

Social problem solving refers to the process of identifying, generating, evaluating, and implementing solutions to social challenges. It involves a series of steps that help individuals navigate real-life situations effectively. Let’s break down the components of social problem solving:

• Identifying the problem: The first step is to recognize and define the problem at hand. This requires individuals to accurately perceive the situation and understand the underlying issues.
• Generating possible solutions: Once the problem is identified, individuals need to brainstorm potential solutions. This step encourages creativity and critical thinking.
• Evaluating and selecting the best solution: After generating multiple solutions, individuals must evaluate each option based on its feasibility and potential outcomes. The goal is to select the most effective solution.
• Implementing the chosen solution: Once a solution is chosen, individuals need to put it into action. This step involves effective communication, collaboration, and decision-making.
• Reflecting on the outcome: Finally, individuals should reflect on the outcome of their chosen solution. This reflection helps them learn from their experiences and make adjustments for future situations.

Benefits of Social Problem Solving Scenarios

Engaging in social problem solving scenarios offers numerous benefits, both for individuals and their social-emotional development. Let’s explore some of these benefits:

• Enhancing critical thinking skills: Social problem solving scenarios require individuals to think critically and analyze various aspects of a situation. This process helps develop their ability to make informed decisions and solve complex problems.
• Developing empathy and perspective-taking abilities: By engaging with different scenarios, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of others’ perspectives and develop empathy. This skill is essential for building positive relationships and resolving conflicts.
• Improving communication and collaboration skills: Social problem solving scenarios often involve working with others to find solutions. This collaborative process helps individuals improve their communication, teamwork, and negotiation skills.

Introducing Social Problem Solving Scenarios PDF

A social problem solving scenarios PDF is a collection of real-life situations that individuals can use to practice their problem-solving skills. These scenarios are designed to simulate common social challenges and provide individuals with opportunities to navigate them effectively. They often include prompts, questions, and suggested solutions to guide the problem-solving process.

These PDFs can be used in various settings, such as classrooms, therapy sessions, or even at home. They are suitable for individuals of all ages and can be tailored to specific social-emotional learning goals.

There are several resources available online where you can find social problem solving scenarios PDFs. Websites like EverydaySpeech offer a wide range of scenarios that cover various social situations. These resources are often categorized based on age group, skill level, or specific topics, making it easier to find scenarios that suit your needs.

Tips for Navigating Real-Life Situations Using Social Problem Solving Scenarios PDF

Now that you have access to social problem solving scenarios PDFs, here are some tips to help you effectively navigate real-life situations:

• Familiarize yourself with the scenarios: Take the time to read and understand the scenarios before engaging in problem-solving discussions. This will ensure that you are well-prepared and can guide others through the process.
• Encourage active participation and discussion: Create a safe and inclusive environment where individuals feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. Encourage active participation and facilitate meaningful discussions to explore different perspectives.
• Guide individuals through the problem-solving process: Use the steps of social problem solving (identifying the problem, generating solutions, evaluating and selecting the best solution, implementing the chosen solution, and reflecting on the outcome) as a framework to guide individuals through the scenarios. Ask open-ended questions to stimulate critical thinking.
• Foster reflection and learning from the scenarios: After navigating a scenario, encourage individuals to reflect on the outcomes and discuss what they have learned. This reflection helps consolidate their problem-solving skills and prepares them for future social challenges.

Social problem-solving skills are essential for navigating real-life situations effectively. By engaging in social problem solving scenarios, individuals can enhance their critical thinking, empathy, communication, and collaboration skills. Social problem solving scenarios PDFs provide a practical and accessible tool for developing these skills.

So, why not start incorporating social problem solving scenarios PDFs into your social-emotional learning journey? Take the first step by accessing a free trial of EverydaySpeech’s resources. Start your EverydaySpeech free trial today and unlock a world of social problem-solving opportunities!

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Problem Solving Games, Activities & Exercises for Adults

Here is our list of the best problem solving games, activities and exercises for adults.

Problem solving games are activities that require players to use critical thinking skills to solve puzzles. Example activities include escape rooms, Sudoku, and murder mysteries. The purpose of these exercises is to sharpen reasoning and decision-making skills in group settings and to do team building with employees.

These activities are a subset of remote team games , found in problem solving books , and are similar to team puzzles , team building brain teasers and team riddles .

This article contains:

• team building problem solving activities for employees
• free problem solving games for adults
• virtual problem solving activities for students
• group problem solving activities
• problem solving team builders

Here we go!

List of problem solving games & activities

From word and number puzzles to role-playing games, here is a list of inexpensive and free problem solving team builders that help groups practice the art of critical thinking and compromise.

1. Espionage! (Team Favorite)

For an exciting game of social deduction, check out Espionage! This thrilling experience will put your team’s wits and instincts to the test.

Espionage! offers the following:

• a 90-minute session led by an experienced host
• undercover teams of agents and spies
• challenging puzzles, tasks, and maneuvers
• team conversations to help uncover secret identities

The best part is we will bring all the necessary game materials to your preferred location. If you are interested in boosting communication and critical-thinking skills within your team, then consider Espionage!

Learn more about Espionage!

2. Art Heist: The Vanishing of Van Gogh (Hosted)

You can turn your team into skilled detectives with Art Heist: The Vanishing of Van Gogh! In this captivating mystery, participants will locate the stolen artwork, The Bedroom .

Key features of this experience include:

• a 90-minute adventure led by a world-class host
• detailed puzzles, clues, and mysteries to unravel
• trails of evidence and hidden secrets
• group discussions to find the art

Additionally, you can include a cocktail kit to spice up your event. Through Art Heist, you will enhance your team’s ingenuity and problem-solving skills!

Learn more about Art Heist: The Vanishing of Van Gogh .

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3. War of the Wizards (Popular)

With War of the Wizards, teams roleplay as minions of powerful wizards to vanquish forces of evil. Participants will play thrilling games and go on a quest to restore harmony to the realm!

War of the Wizards offers the following:

• a 90-minute journey guided by a distinguished host
• immersive storytelling that transports players into a magical realm
• engaging activities like world-building, role-playing games, and storytelling
• opportunities for forming alliances, facing challenges, and going on quests

Through the power of imagination and teamwork, your team can overcome tasks and participate in an epic fantasy battle. To improve communication and bonds, include War of the Wizards in your agenda!

Learn more about War of the Wizards .

Sudoku is one of the most popular free problem solving games for adults. The objective of this game is to fill each box of a 9×9 grid so that every row, column, and letter contains each number from one to nine. The puzzle makes a great team challenge. To play Sudoku on Zoom, screen share the game board. Then, turn on the annotation features. Using the add text functions, participants can fill in the numbers on the grid.

We made a starter puzzle you can use in your next meeting or virtual team bonding session:

Here are more online Sudoku puzzles .

5. Crossword puzzles

Crossword puzzles are word games that ask players to fill in words based on clues. Words interconnect, and players must think critically about the surrounding words to select the right phrase for the space.

You can use an online crossword puzzle maker to create a custom puzzle. Here are a few themes you may want to consider:

• teammates’ tastes and interests
• company knowledge and history
• industry terms and trends

Or, create a miscellaneous puzzle just for fun.

We made a sample puzzle you can use for your game:

To complete puzzles during online meetings, you can use the share screen function and add text through annotations.

Or, subscribers can play the New York Times’ daily crossword puzzle virtually . Dictionary.com also offers a free daily online crossword puzzle .

Check out more vocabulary games .

6. Online Escape Rooms

Escape rooms are timed games that get groups working together to solve puzzles. Traditionally, players enter a locked room and must complete all puzzles in an hour or two to unlock the door. However, groups can also play escape rooms online.

Digital escape rooms typically come in one of two forms: in a Zoom room and led by a host, or in a choose-your-own adventure format via Google Forms or websites. To play escape rooms virtually, enter a video meeting and follow the prompts, or screen share the Google Form and work out the puzzles together.

Check out our full list of online escape rooms .

7. Murder Mysteries

Murder Mysteries are story-based games that ask players to take on the roles of suspects or detectives while trying to identify a killer. These games often involve reading lines from a script, searching for clues, and occasionally solving puzzles to get hints.

These games make participants pay attention to conversations, analyze other characters’ behavior, and search for hidden meaning in the script. Players must use their powers of observation and logic to unravel the mystery.

Check out our list of Zoom murder mystery games .

8. Treasure Hunts

Treasure hunts are scavenger hunts with intention. While virtual scavenger hunts often ask players to collect random items, treasure hunts require participants to locate clues that lead to other prompts and hints. The game typically ends with players finding a treasure or solving a mystery, sometimes both.

The treasure hunt can have a specific theme such as secret agent missions or a hunt for pirate treasure, or you can run a more general hunt. Teammates can either compete simultaneously via Zoom call, or can play the hunt on an app individually and compete to beat each other’s scores.

Check out our list of treasure hunt apps .

9. Poem or story challenge

Most team building problem solving activities for employees revolve around science, math, and logic. Poem/story challenges rely on writing skills and are sure to appeal to the language lovers on your team.

Each player receives a limited word bank to use to create a story or poem. Then, players have a few minutes to craft their pieces. Afterward, everyone reads out or screen shares their creations.

Here are a few word challenge activities you can do remotely:

• Found poems or stories : Participants make poems or stories out of words they find by visiting websites, searching emails, glancing out the window, or taking a walk or drive around the neighborhood.
• Random word generators : Teammates use a random word generator to populate a word bank, and must use each word in the poem or story.
• Poetry magnets : Group members make poems using poetry magnets. You can send poetry magnet sets to employees and assemble the verses on a cookie pan during a Zoom call. Or, teammates can play with poetry magnets online .
• Page poems: Participants receive one page of a book or magazine, and must make a poem or story by blocking out other words so only the chosen text remains visible. This activity is part storytelling, part art, since story crafters can illustrate the pages as part of the design.
• Ransom note stories or poems : Players cut out letters from magazines and must form new words to make poems and stories. Or, players can receive a mix of random letters, form words, and run the text through a ransom note generator .

These activities are suitable for teams and individual players.

10. Moral challenge

Some problems are ethical rather than factual. Moral judgment plays just as important a role in the decision-making process as technical prowess. Players can flex their moral problem-solving skills by tackling ethical dilemmas or social puzzles.

Here are some social problem solving games online:

• Moral machine
• Scruples – the game of moral dilemmas
• Morality play

To play these games, either download the apps, or pull up the website and then screen share the prompts. These games are best played when discussed as a group, because the more belief systems and opinions, the harder an issue is to resolve. These exercises provide practice for real-life conflict resolution.

You can find similar challenges on our list of online personality tests .

11. Frostbite

Frostbite is a group game that hones team leaders’ communication skills while sharpening teammates’ listening and cooperation skills. The premise behind the game is that a group of explorers gets caught in a snowstorm and must build a shelter. Frostbite has paralyzed the leaders’ hands and snow-blinded the rest of the team. The leader must give the team instructions to build a tent that can resist arctic winds.

To play Frostbite, each teammate wears a blindfold. Then, the leader gives directions. Once the structures are complete, players turn on a fan to test whether tents can withstand the wind.

Frostbite is usually an in-person game, however you can also play virtually. In the remote version of the game, teammates construct tents out of cards and tape, while the leader surveys the scene on screen.

This exercise demonstrates the challenges of leading remotely, as teams need to operate with minimal oversight or supervisor observation. Therefore, instructions need to be clear and direct to be effective.

Check out more team building games .

12. Virtual Hackathons

Hackathons are events where participants have a set amount of time to design and pitch a new product or solution. This type of event originated in the programming world and is often used to create new apps, however you can apply the game to any industry or school subject.

Virtual hackathons are online versions of the event. Teams enter the competition, then work with each other via virtual meeting software or remote work communication platforms to design the solution. At the end of the competition, teams pitch ideas to a panel of judges and a winner is decided.

To run a virtual hackathon, first announce the theme of the event and collect sign-ups. So that no teams work ahead, hint at the general idea of the issue, and only explain the precise problem when the event begins. Then, give teams anywhere from a few hours to a few days to complete the project.

Discover more virtual hackathon ideas .

13. Improv games

Improv games are excellent problem solving activities. These exercises force participants to think and respond quickly to keep scenes moving in a logical and entertaining way.

Here are some good problem solving improv games:

Banned words : Performers cannot say certain words. Scene partners will conceive of situations that encourage the actors to use those words, and the actors must find alternatives, such as using synonyms or taking the scene in a new direction.

Scenes from a chat : Audience gives a suggestion for a scene, and players act the scene out. Though it’s a fictional and often ridiculous scenario, actors must react to the situation and solve the problem in order for the scene to end.

Miracle cure : Miracle cure is a quick-moving exercise that follows a simple format. One player declares, “I have a problem.” Another player responds, “I have a….[random object.]” The first player then replies, “great! I can use the [random object] to….” and describes how they will solve the problem.

Check out more problem-solving improv games .

14. Spaghetti Tower

The spaghetti tower is a classic team building game. Participants gather uncooked spaghetti and marshmallows, and must construct the tallest freestanding tower.

During the in-person version, players must construct one tall freestanding tower. However, for the virtual version of the game, players construct individual towers. You can send groups to breakout rooms for the build, then reconvene in the main room for judging. Teams are judged on three main factors: number of towers, height, and uniformity.

This version of the game not only tests the structural integrity of the tower, but also consistency and quality control. This exercise teaches teams to align and collaborate remotely, and produce a consistent product even when far apart.

15. What Would You Do?

What Would You Do? is a simple situational game that challenges participants to react to different circumstances. To play this game, read prompts one by one, and then ask participants to respond with gameplans. You can use the polling or raise hand feature to vote for the best option.

Here are some problem solving scenarios for adults or kids to use in the game:

• Zombies attack and you have to find a place to hide.
• You are at the zoo and the animals escape. Which one do you try to corral back into the pen first?
• After waiting in line for hours, someone cuts in front of you last minute. The person appears to be visually and hearing impaired, and doesn’t notice your protests. An official announces that due to diminishing supply, this individual will be the last in line to be served.
• You are eating a meal with important clients and/or your partner’s parents, and you want to impress. The individuals make you a dish that does not fit within your dietary restrictions, but you do not speak the same language and cannot explain why you do not want to eat.
• An imposter has infiltrated the organization, who looks, speaks, and behaves exactly like you. How do you convince your peers that you are the original?

For similar dilemmas, check out this list of Would You Rather? questions.

16. Desert Island Survival

Desert Island Survival is a game that challenges players to prioritize. The premise is that players have been stranded on an island, and must decide what order to perform survival steps.

Here are the possible actions:

• Set up shelter
• Explore the island
• Try to signal for help
• Make weapons for self-defense
• Build a raft to escape the island
• Start a fire
• Choose a group leader
• Search for other survivors

All group members must agree on the order of the steps. Players should explain the reasoning for the order of each step while ranking the actions.

Another version of the game involves players receiving a list of 15 to 20 items, and selecting five or so to bring to the island. You can also vary the location of the game, substituting remote islands for destinations like outer space or the distant past.

17. Choose Your Own Adventure

Choose Your Own Adventure stories enable readers to determine the outcome of the story by making decisions. Each action has a consequence that takes the tale in a different direction. Participants can try to guess how the story may unfold by talking through the different choices. When completing the activity in a group setting, the majority of the team must agree on an action before moving forward in the story.

There are a few ways to facilitate these activities online:

• Play an online role playing video game
• Watch an interactive movie like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
• Read from a Choose Your Own Adventure book on Zoom
• Click through a Choose Your Own Adventure platform
• Create your own story using a Google Form

Whichever way you choose to do the exercise, you can use the screen share feature in your virtual meeting software so that listeners can more easily follow along.

18. MacGyver

MacGyver is a show where the hero escapes sticky situations by improvising tools out of unlikely materials. For example, in one episode the hero makes a telescope out of a newspaper, magnifying lens, and a watch crystal.

To play MacGyver, you can either list three to five objects participants can use, or challenge players to use items that are within arms reach.

Simply state a desired end result, such as “a way to open a locked door,” or “a getaway vehicle,” and then ask teams to explain what they will build and how they will build it. To make the activity more collaborative, you can give teams five or ten minutes in breakout rooms to strategize and design a prototype.

19. Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a roleplaying game where players pretend to be magical figures and creatures. One player serves as the dungeon master, who guides the game, while the other players pick characters and make decisions to move the story forward. Upon choosing a course of action, players roll a twenty-sided die to determine whether or not the plan succeeds. The game is story-based, the possibilities are nearly limitless, and truly creative problem solving options arise. Also, since gameplay is mostly verbal, Dungeons & Dragons is an easy activity to do over Zoom.

Here are the basic rules for Dungeons & Dragons .

20. Pandemic

Pandemic is a game that pits players against the forces of nature in a race to contain and control disease outbreaks. At the beginning of the game, each player receives a role such as containment specialist or operations expert. Participants must carry out the duties of their roles by choosing appropriate actions. Pandemic is a great game for groups because each team member has a clear part to play, and players must collaborate and work together instead of competing against each other.

To play the game online, you can use a Pandemic game app , or talk through the exercise while one attendee moves and displays pieces on the board.

Note: The subject of this game might hit too close to home for some players, considering recent history. You can find games with similar mechanics that deal with different subject matter, such as Forbidden Island.

Check out more team building board games .

21. Model UN

Model UN is one of the best virtual problem solving activities for students. This exercise casts participants in the role of international diplomats who must negotiate to solve realistic problems. Each player assumes the role of a country ambassador and must form alliances and propose solutions to solve crises.

Here are some sample Model UN scenarios:

• Human rights violation by powerful country
• Food shortage
• Disease epidemic
• Technology privacy violations
• Civil war branching into surrounding countries
• Natural disasters

Depending on the size of the group, participants either take on the part of an entire government of a country, or play a certain role within the government. To carry out the activity on Zoom, players can take turns giving speeches, message other countries privately via the chat, meet in breakout rooms to form alliances or have more intimate discussions, and use the polling feature to vote on propositions.

If politics does not resonate with your group, then you can alter the exercise by applying the same activity structure to a different theme, such as the Justice League, movie characters, business board members, or reality TV stars.

The main purpose of the exercise is to research, talk through problems, and compromise. As long as these elements are present, then the specifics of the setup do not matter.

There are many types of problem solving activities for adults. You can do online problem solving games, which require a different skill set than in-person problem solving. For instance, communication must be much clearer and more abundant when group members are far apart and unable to demonstrate or pick up physical cues.

Though many problem solving games include props and in-person elements, there are many games you can play together online. These exercises work well as educational tools as well as team bonding accelerators. Upon completion, participants are likely to feel a sense of accomplishment and increased confidence. These games are also great practice for real life conflict resolution, creative thinking and team building.

Next check out this list of connection games , this collection of crime-solving games , and this post with conflict resolution games .

We also have a list of the best decision making books and a list of team building problems for work .

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FAQ: Problem solving activities

Here are common answers to questions about group problem solving activities.

What are problem solving games?

Problem solving games are challenges that ask players to think critically and use logic to overcome issues or answer riddles. Examples include sudoku, murder mysteries, and spaghetti towers. These games are also known as “problem solving exercises”, “problem and solution games” and “group problem solving activities.”

What are the best problem solving games for groups?

The best problem solving games for groups include online escape rooms, moral challenges, and improv games.

What are some good problem solving team building activities for students?

Some good problem solving activities for students include crossword puzzles, choose your own adventure stories, and model UN.

How do you play problem solving games online?

The best way to play problem solving games online is to join a video call meeting to talk through the issue. Using the screen sharing and digital whiteboard features helps participants visualize the problem more clearly. Breakout rooms give teams the chance to discuss the issue more intimately.

Author: Angela Robinson

Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com. Team building content expert. Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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Promoting Social-Emotional Development Through Preventing and Resolving Conflicts

Conflicts are bound to happen from time to time, but staff members can take important steps to make these conflicts teaching opportunities. This lesson will teach you strategies you can help staff use in classrooms and programs. It will also offer strategies to help you model the problem-solving process. You will practice observing and providing feedback to staff members about the ways they handle and prevent conflicts.

• Teach staff members strategies for preventing and responding to conflicts.
• Model a problem-solving approach to conflicts.
• Observe and provide feedback on staff members’ approaches to problems and conflicts.

According to Joseph and Strain (2003), children must have the words to describe feelings before they can learn how to correctly perceive feelings in themselves and others. A beginning vocabulary may limit a child’s emotional expression to words like “happy” or “mad” or “sad,” and he or she can miss subtle gradations of in-between feelings because they do not have the labels and definitions for those emotions. A more complex feeling vocabulary allows children to make finer discriminations between feelings, to communicate better, and to engage in discussions about their personal experiences with the world. However, simply having these words in their vocabulary is not enough to ensure adequate social and emotional learning. Adults also need to assist children in the development of emotional regulation and problem solving.

Telling a child to stop a certain behavior or to calm down will not likely result in any long-term behavior changes because the adult is still managing the child’s behavior. It is much more effective to model and teach social and emotional skills to help children deal with their feelings, problems, and interactions with others. This, in turn, will lead to a richer and more fulfilling experience. This lesson will describe the strategies that will help children learn these important social-emotional skills. This lesson will also describe ways to help staff prevent conflicts and how staff should respond when problems arise.

Preventing Conflicts

According to the Committee for Children ( http://www.cfchildren.org/ ), positive guidance and discipline promote children's self-control, teach them responsibility, and help them learn to make thoughtful choices. Inconsistent or harsh discipline that includes physical force, threats, and negative comments may interfere with healthy development. Some tips for positive discipline:

• Pay attention to what children do right. Children thrive on positive attention and are more likely to repeat a behavior if you notice it and comment on it.
• Use consistent, caring consequences for unacceptable behavior. The consequences should be reasonable, directly related to the misbehavior, and respectful of the child.
• Give the message that mistakes are a chance for learning.
• Offer choices whenever possible to provide practice in making decisions.

Teaching the Social Skills Children Need to Solve Problems in Your Programs

Sometimes, children have simply not learned the social skills to handle a situation appropriately in a child development or youth program. In these cases, adults can plan ways to teach new skills intentionally. For One method is through intentional teaching of social skills with individuals or small groups. These lessons can be planned or impromptu. For example, adults can plan ahead by rehearsing some strategies to handle disappointment before a potentially disappointing incident occurs. In a typical social skills lesson, a specific skill is introduced, broken down into steps, and practiced. Role playing between adults and children or between children and children allows for the practice of the new skills in a safe environment.

Adults and children can practice the skill steps until they are nearly automatic, as this will increase the likelihood that children will utilize the skills during stressful a situation. Skills to be taught should be chosen based on individual or group needs. Some examples of skills that may need to be explicitly taught are turn-taking, sharing, organization, independence, expressing feelings, and accepting responsibility. Of course, behaviors that are dangerous or unsafe, such as hitting, biting, or running away, should be addressed first. As children are learning new skills, it is important to reinforce any attempts at using those skills.

Adults who make an effort to model appropriate behavior set a good example for children to follow. Mirroring a child’s feelings can help him or her understand what is occurring. For example, if a child is angry, it can be helpful to say, “I can tell you are very angry. I would be angry, too, if someone did that to me.” This tells the child you are listening and understand how frustrating the situation is. It is always important to focus on the positive behaviors you are seeing in children rather than focusing on the negative or mistakes they may make.

Just as children need multiple experiences to learn a new skill in reading or math, they should also have ample opportunities to practice any new social skills. Learning takes time. Adults who are patient and remember that setbacks are natural are more likely to build strong relationships and to see improvements over time.

Structure and predictability

The way the classroom and program space is structured can prevent conflicts. Carefully planned transitions, meaningful rules and expectations, and a thoughtful daily schedule all help children, youth, and staff navigate their days smoothly. Children will know which behaviors are expected and which behaviors are unacceptable, and adults will be able to focus their attention on building strong relationships. This will result in a more positive environment for everyone.

Transition procedures

Carefully planned transition procedures can help minimize stress and conflict. It is important to teach these procedures to children and to practice them until they are automatic. By focusing on one transition procedure to be used across all settings, children will know what to expect. If children have problems during specific times of the day, before or after specific activities, or with particular adults, you will want to take a moment to examine whether or not more structure could help to alleviate the situation and prevent future problematic behaviors.

One effective strategy is to play a three- or four-minute song every time a major transition is scheduled. After some practice, children will know that the end of the song signals when they will need to be transitioned into their assigned areas. Allowing children to suggest and vote on an appropriate song to be played for transition can become a social skills lesson in choice, compromise and consensus. Songs can be changed weekly, with suggestions for the next week’s song written in a designated place. If children choose an inappropriate song, turn it into an impromptu social skills lesson about positive song content and lyrics.

Rules and expectations

When there are clear rules or expectations in a space, children and youth know the boundaries of their behaviors. Effective rules aren’t just about safety. They’re also about emotional connections and relationships. Think about rules as agreements that help everyone be their best selves in the program—staff included! Every classroom and program should have three to six rules and expectations that are stated positively. Holding a group meeting to discuss what rules and procedures should be implemented can provide children with a voice in the decision-making process and increase the likelihood of compliance. Children often have good ideas and a good sense of fairness, though it is not uncommon for them to offer suggestions for rules that are negatively stated. Some examples may include, “No shouting” or “No running” or “No hitting.” Be sure to write down the suggestions of each student verbatim. After everyone has had a chance to offer a suggestion, begin to group similar items together. Then, help children to restate the rules and expectations using positive language. Using the examples above, “No shouting” could be positively restated as “Use your inside voice.” “No running” could be positively restated as “Walk.” And “No hitting” could be positively restated as “Safe hands and feet.” Once three to six rules and expectations have been decided on by the group and implemented, reinforce children that model the appropriate behavior. Refer to the rule and expectations frequently throughout the day, especially when a problem arises, at the beginning of an activity, or when transitioning.

Daily schedule

Posting a daily schedule informing children of what is to be expected for the day can provide structure and predictability, which can help to reduce disappointment, conflict, and stress. Although the daily schedule should remain fairly consistent, staff may update it each day to communicate the specific activities available (e.g., to share the different choices offered for children within the learning areas/centers that day). Referring to the schedule throughout the day and allowing children to cross off items as they are completed, helps reinforce executive functioning skills, such as independence, goal setting, and task completion. Changes to the daily plan should always be discussed and reflected in the daily schedule to prevent any surprises.

Notice how this visual schedule is consistent but is also flexible in that it provides information about the specific areas or activities open at different points in the day (for example, the “blocks and trucks” and the “sensory table” are open at arrival on this day). In this classroom, the teachers also use post-it notes for helpful reminders to themselves about tasks that need completed at different points in the day, or goals they are currently working on in their classroom. You can read more about supportive daily schedules in the Learning Environments and Positive Guidance courses.

Responding to Conflicts: Teaching Problem Solving

What is problem solving and conflict resolution.

Learning to think of alternative solutions and resolving conflicts are important social skills for children and adults. Problem solving and conflict resolution are important skills for making and keeping friends. Teaching children to problem solve can help reduce impulsive behavior and aggression and help children self-regulate and talk about emotions. When children are able to solve problems and resolve conflicts with peers, they are more likely to have positive interactions with peers, make and keep friends, and have more positive transitions within and between programs. Problem solving and conflict resolution involves self-regulation, communication, identifying and talking about emotions, and working together with other children.

Strategies for teaching

Children can learn problem solving and conflict resolution in a step-by-step process. Most children learn these important skills best when they are broken down in a few simple steps. The steps can be directly taught and reviewed throughout the day. Having visual reminders (posters) around the room or program also helps children remember to use the steps when problems arise.

Introduction: Responding to Conflicts

Here are the steps you can teach staff members to use with children:

Step 1. What is my problem?

Step 2. Think, think, think of some solutions.

Step 3. What would happen if...? Would it be safe? Would it be fair? How would everyone feel?

Step 4. Give it a try!

https://challengingbehavior.cbcs.usf.edu/docs/SocialEmotionalSkills_problem-solving-steps_poster.pdf

Step 1: Identify the problem and feelings. Ask: What is my problem and how do I feel?

The first step in problem solving is helping children and youth identify that there is a problem. Children may get upset or angry when a problem arises. When a child is angry or upset, start by having the child take deep breaths and calm down. Youth may need to step away from the situation, journal, or use other calming strategies. Once the child or youth is calm, help them talk about what is happening and share what they are feeling. It may be helpful to use visual cues and modeling to help children calm down and talk about their feelings. First, you might model the words or help children identify how they are feeling with visuals, like the ones from the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI).

For example, help the child identify or state the problem:

• “They won’t give me a turn on the swings”
• “She took my paintbrush”
• “I’m angry”

Step 2: Identify solutions. Ask: What can I do?

Help children or youth identify several solutions for the problem. Depending on the age of the children, they may need help thinking of different solutions. Use pictures and stories and model how to talk about finding solutions. You might also write down the solutions. Help children think of many different solutions that might work. Staff members can help the children create “classroom-solution toolboxes” with pictures and reminders of potential solutions. Children can then get a toolbox when there is a problem and identify solutions that might work. Eventually, children can use the toolbox by themselves when problems arise. Children might even create their own toolboxes. Here are common solutions that could be included in a toolbox:

• Take deep breaths and calm down
• Get a teacher
• Ask your friend to share
• Ignore what happened
• Wait a couple minutes
• Find another friend or toy
• Say, “Stop”
• Play together
• Play with a different friend, toy or activity

Problem solving is also a great opportunity for collaboration with families. Work with staff to consider sending home the Solution Kit: Home Edition  from NCPMI.

Step 3: Identify consequences. Ask: What might happen?

After helping children come up with solutions, help them think about the consequences of each solution. Help the children talk about how things might work out if they tried each solution. For example, have the children ask, “What might she do?” “Is it safe?” “How would he feel?” and “Is that OK in this space?” Help the children identify which solution might be best to try first. However, remind the children that the solutions do not always work out as we want them to; they might have to try out more than one solution before the problem is resolved. It also is important for children to think about what to do when a solution does not work.

Step 4: Try it out! Ask: Does it work?

Once a child has identified which solution to try, help them try it out. Support the child and remind them that they might have to try out more than one solution before the problem is resolved. Help the child to stay calm while trying possible solutions. Children might get frustrated when solutions do not work right away. Help them practice staying calm and trying different solutions.

• “I asked for a turn and he said no”
• “I waited three minutes and he still won’t share”
• “I ignored him and he didn't stop”

These statements indicate a child has tried a solution, but it was not successful.  Ask children what else they could try.  Prepare staff to help children repeat steps 2 (identifying possible solutions) and 3 (considering consequences) when their solutions are unsuccessful.

Accommodations

Some children will need more specific teaching to learn problem solving. For example, some children might need extra visuals of the problem-solving steps or might need a teacher to help them each time a problem occurs. Children with social emotional delays or challenging behaviors might need specific, individualized plans for teaching problem solving. You can help each child make a solution toolkit with personalized pictures showing the solutions being practiced. A problem-solving board or script might be helpful for children who need extra prompts to remember the problem-solving steps. You can use real pictures, drawings or words to describe the problem-solving steps and solutions. Finally, some children might need extra motivation to learn to solve problems. For example, you might use a sticker chart and give children a sticker or star for every time they use the problem-solving steps or for every solution they think of.   

Think about your role in preventing and responding to conflicts. There are several ways you can support staff members:

• Model positive approaches to behavior in your interactions with all staff, children and families. This means stating directions or requests positively. You might be tempted to tell a staff member something like, “Stop turning in your plans late.” Instead you could say, “Make sure you turn in your plans by Thursday at 3 p.m.”  To a family you might say, “Please move your car to the pick-up spaces” instead of “No parking in the fire zone.” It also means offering staff members choices (e.g., which training they want to attend, which goal they want to discuss first at a meeting).
• Model conflict-resolution strategies between children. When you see a conflict, use the vocabulary of problem solving. Step in and say, “It looks like there’s a problem here. What is the issue?” Walk the children through the problem-solving steps. For younger children, provide a few solutions they could try. For older children, guide them through the brainstorming process.
• Model conflict-resolution strategies between staff members. Conflicts are bound to happen at some point in the program. Ask staff members about the problem and model active listening skills. Remain calm and give staff members strategies to help them remain calm. Brainstorm solutions to the problem together, talk about the outcomes for each party, negotiate a solution, and follow-through to make sure problems are solved.
• Look out for bias. Even if you think you know what happened, seek information from everyone involved in the conflict. Listen without making assumptions about who is in the wrong. Speak up immediately when you see bullying or discrimination. 
• Model adult coping skills. Practice deep breathing and exercising. Laugh every day. You can even tell yourself calming positive statements (“I can handle this.” “I am stronger than this is hard.”). Make sure staff members see you using these strategies during difficult situations.
• Notice progress and positive behaviors. When you see staff members help children solve conflicts, celebrate. Have a staff-recognition board in the staff room or create a staff newsletter to recognize positive efforts. Consider leaving little notes for staff members who have worked hard to handle a difficult situation or who have gone through an emotional event. Write encouraging words and describe the effort you saw them make. Don’t forget to reward children, too. Comment on all the positive behaviors you see in the hallways. Tell children, “You are walking so quietly down the hall” or “Thank you for holding the door for your mom.”

Problem solving can be a complex strategy for staff members to use. Although opportunities for problem solving occur many times a day, it can be difficult to recognize them. This section is designed to help you recognize opportunities for problem solving. First you will read a scenario that took place in a classroom. You will then read a “better” scenario in which the same staff member used an opportunity for problem solving. Finally, you will read what you could say to help staff move from the first scenario to the second scenario.

Problem Solving Scenarios

Use the menu at the left or the pager below to cycle through scenarios.

The Problem Solving activity gives you a chance to practice working with staff members around problem solving. Choose a staff member who comes to you with concerns about his or her classroom or who has a number of conflicts in the room regularly.  Together, brainstorm problems that are most likely to occur during the activities and routines and identify ways to teach children to solve these problems. Work together to identify ways to teach children to solve each of the problems. After you have finished, reflect on the process. Follow-up to observe and provide feedback on how they are using the strategies. Think about how you can use this process with other staff members and how you can help staff members be intentional about supporting problem solving.

Problem Solving

You should be prepared to help staff plan to teach problem solving to children. Read the Resources for Resolving Conflicts and Promoting Social Problem Solving handout. It provides tips for teaching problem solving along with a list of resources.

Resources for Resolving Conflicts and Promoting Social Problem Solving

Demonstrate.

Afterschool Alliance (2016). Incorporating restorative justice in afterschool.  https://afterschoolalliance.org/afterschoolsnack/Incorporating-restorative-justice-in-afterschool_01-22-2016.cfm

Center on the Social Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL). Problem-solving steps .  http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/resources/strategies.html#teachingskills

Cultivate Learning (n.d.). Expanded learning opportunities: Two minute tips for conflict resolution . https://cultivatelearning.uw.edu/expanded-learning-opportunities/

Extension Alliance for Better Child Care: A Part of the Cooperative Extension System. (2020).  Ways child care providers can teach young children to resolve conflicts . https://childcare.extension.org/

Gartrell, D. (2012). Education for a Civil Society: How guidance teaches young children democratic life skills .  Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Hemmeter, M.L., Ostrosky, M., & Fox, L. (2021). Unpacking the pyramid model: A practical guide for preschool teachers. Brookes Publishing.

HighScope.  Conflict in Early Childhood Programs .  https://highscope.org/topic/conflict-resolution/

Joseph, G. E., & Strain, P. S. (2003). You’ve got to have Friends (Module 2; Handout 2.3: Social Emotional Teaching Strategies). The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning . University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  http://earlyliteracylearning.org/TACSEI_CELL/project_files/content/level_3/pdf/3_10dCSEFELfriendsarticle.pdf  

National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI). https://challengingbehavior.cbcs.usf.edu/

Eat, Sleep, Wander

5 Examples of Problem Solving Scenarios + ROLE PLAY SCRIPTS

Problem-solving is an essential skill in our daily lives. It enables us to analyze situations, identify challenges, and find suitable solutions. In this article, we’ll explore five real-life problem-solving scenarios from various areas, including business, education, and personal growth. By understanding these examples, you can develop your problem-solving abilities and effectively tackle challenges in your life.

Examples of Problem Solving Scenarios

Improving Customer Service Scenario:

A retail store is experiencing a decline in customer satisfaction, with clients complaining about slow service and unhelpful staff.

Solution : The store manager assembles a team to analyze customer feedback, identify key issues, and propose solutions. They implement a new training program focused on customer service skills, streamline the checkout process, and introduce an incentive system to motivate employees. As a result, customer satisfaction improves, and the store’s reputation is restored.

Enhancing Learning Outcomes Scenario:

A high school teacher notices that her students struggle with understanding complex concepts in her science class, leading to poor performance on tests.

Solution : The teacher reevaluates her teaching methods and incorporates active learning strategies, such as group discussions, hands-on activities, and real-world examples, to make the material more engaging and relatable. She also offers additional support sessions and resources for students who need extra help. Consequently, students’ understanding improves, and test scores increase.

Overcoming Procrastination Scenario:

An individual consistently procrastinates, leading to increased stress and reduced productivity.

Solution : The person identifies the root cause of their procrastination, such as fear of failure or lack of motivation. They establish clear goals and deadlines, break tasks into manageable steps, and use time management tools, like the Pomodoro Technique , to stay focused. By consistently applying these strategies, they successfully overcome procrastination and enhance their productivity.

Reducing Patient Wait Times Scenario:

A medical clinic has long wait times, leading to patient dissatisfaction and overworked staff.

Solution : The clinic’s management team conducts a thorough analysis of the appointment scheduling process and identifies bottlenecks. They implement a new appointment system, hire additional staff, and optimize the workflow to reduce wait times. As a result, patient satisfaction increases, and staff stress levels decrease.

Reducing Plastic Waste Scenario:

A local community is struggling with an excessive amount of plastic waste, causing environmental pollution and health concerns.

Solution : Community leaders organize a task force to address the issue. They implement a recycling program, educate residents about the environmental impact of plastic waste, and collaborate with local businesses to promote the use of eco-friendly packaging alternatives. These actions lead to a significant reduction in plastic waste and a cleaner, healthier community.

Conclusion : These five examples of problem-solving scenarios demonstrate how effective problem-solving strategies can lead to successful outcomes in various aspects of life. By learning from these scenarios, you can develop your problem-solving skills and become better equipped to face challenges in your personal and professional life. Remember to analyze situations carefully, identify the root causes, and implement solutions that address these issues for optimal results.

• See also: 4 Medical Role Play Scenarios: Prepare for the Real Thing
• See also: 3 Financial Advisor Role Play Scenarios: Practice Your Skills!
• See also: 3 Insurance Role Play Examples
• See also: 3 Workplace Scenarios for Role Play

Role Play: Improving Customer Service in a Retail Store

Objective : To practice effective problem-solving and communication skills in a retail setting by addressing customer service issues and finding solutions to improve customer satisfaction.

Scenario : A retail store is experiencing a decline in customer satisfaction, with clients complaining about slow service and unhelpful staff.

Characters :

• Store Manager
• Sales Associate
• Assistant Manager

Role Play Script:

Scene 1 : Store Manager’s Office Store Manager: (Addressing the Assistant Manager and Sales Associate) I’ve noticed that our customer satisfaction has been declining lately. We’ve received several complaints about slow service and unhelpful staff. We need to address these issues immediately. Any suggestions?

Sales Associate : I’ve observed that the checkout process can be quite slow, especially during peak hours. Maybe we can improve our system to make it more efficient?

Assistant Manager : I agree. We could also implement a new training program for our staff, focusing on customer service skills and techniques.

Scene 2 : Staff Training Session Store Manager: (Addressing the entire staff) We’re implementing a new training program to improve our customer service. This program will cover effective communication, problem-solving, and time management skills. We’ll also introduce an incentive system to reward those who provide exceptional service.

Scene 3 : Retail Floor Customer: (Approaching the Sales Associate) Excuse me, I can’t find the product I’m looking for. Can you help me?

Sales Associate : (Smiling) Of course! I’d be happy to help. What product are you looking for?

Customer : I need a specific brand of shampoo, but I can’t find it on the shelves.

Sales Associate : Let me check our inventory system to see if we have it in stock. (Checks inventory) I’m sorry, but it seems we’re currently out of stock. However, we’re expecting a new shipment within two days. I can take your contact information and let you know as soon as it arrives.

Customer : That would be great! Thank you for your help.

Scene 4 : Store Manager’s Office Assistant Manager: (Reporting to the Store Manager) Since we implemented the new training program and made changes to the checkout process, we’ve seen a significant improvement in customer satisfaction.

Store Manager : That’s excellent news! Let’s continue to monitor our progress and make any necessary adjustments to ensure we maintain this positive trend.

More Examples of Problem Solving Scenarios on the next page…

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30 Problem Solving Scenarios for Speech Therapy Practice

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Problem solving scenarios.

• Your friends came over to your house for a movie night. One of your friends brought another friend so there are more people than you planned for. You want to pass out the drinks but you only have five cans of soda and you need 6 for everyone to have one. What could you do?
• After basketball practice you go back to the locker room with your team to shower and change. When you are done dressing, you can't find your shoes. What could you do?
• You have been waiting all day for lunch to come because you are starving. Finally class gets over and you get to go to lunch. Except when you go to get to your lunch, it's not there. You probably left it at home. What could you do?
• There is a guy in your class who is always mean to you. He always bumps you when he walks by and he calls you names. He knocks stuff out of your hands and makes you feel stupid. You don't think you can take it anymore. What could you do?
• You really want to invite this new girl/guy to come to your birthday party, but you have never talked to them before. You are worried they will say no. What could you do?
• You rode the bus to school today and on the way in people are pointing and laughing at you. You go in the bathroom and see that you have pink gum all over the back of your pants. What could you do?
• You wake up and see that your alarm never went off. So you are starting your morning 15 minutes later than you planned. It is a really important day at school and you cannot be late. What could you do?
• You are giving a group presentation in front of class and it's your turn to talk. All of the sudden you sneeze. You cover it with your hand, but now your hand is full of stuff you sneezed out. What could you do?
• You are eating dinner at a fancy restaurant with your parents and their friends. You have a really messy dinner and accidentally flip a noodle into the lady's lap. They are busy talking and don't notice it. What could you do?
• You are taking a test and there is no talking allowed. You are writing your answers on the paper and your pencil breaks. What could you do?
• You are taking a test and the guy behind you asks you for help. He wants to know what you put for question number two. What could you do?
• You are at a birthday party and you have waited in line for a long time for your turn to hit the pinata. It is finally going to be your turn and it looks like the next hit will break the pinata. But you suddenly have to go to the bathroom. What could you do?
• You are hanging outside with your friend and she decides to pick your neighbor's flowers. She gives you the pretty handful of flowers and right then your neighbor opens the door. She asks you why you picked her flowers. What could you do?
• You borrowed your sister's skates one day without asking and they broke while you were using them. What could you do?
• You are eating at a friend's house and the mom piles your plate full of food. It looks really good and you want to eat it all but you can't because you just ate a snack. What could you do so you don't hurt her feelings?

SEE ALSO:   The Best Free App for Speech Therapy

• Your teacher was working at her desk.  You wanted to ask her a question, but she didn't see your hand raised. What should you do?
• You started to do your work, but you weren't sure if you were doing it right. What should you do?
• You were playing tether-ball and were the champion so far.  In the next game, you slightly touched the rope.  Only one student saw you touch the rope. What will you do?
• The teacher is giving directions, but your friend sitting next to you keeps talking.  You can't hear the directions. What should you do?
• You didn't do your homework.  Your teacher was upset with you. What should you do?
• You finished eating and felt a burp coming. What are you going to do?
• You were waiting to swing.  When it was your turn, another boy jumped in front of you and took the swing. What would you do?
• You waited a long time, but your mom didn't come to pick you up after school. What should you do?
• A bully threatened to beat you up after school. What should you do?
• A boy on the playground keeps pushing you and making you mad. What would you do?
• You were sitting in class doing your work and you hear the fire alarm. What should you do?
• An adult you didn't know came on to the playground and asked if you would help look for his lost dog. What would you do?
• You forgot your lunch at home. What would you do?
• The person sitting behind you keeps tapping your chair with his foot. What should you do?
• You finished your work early. What should you do?

This list of functional words was professionally selected to be the most useful for a child or adult who has difficulty with problem solving scenarios.

We encourage you to use this list when practicing at home.

Home practice will make progress toward meeting individual language goals much faster.

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are only able to see students/clients 30-60 mins (or less) per week. This is not enough time or practice for someone to handle Problem solving scenarios.

Every day that your loved one goes without practice it becomes more difficult to help them. 

SEE ALSO:   The Best Books for Speech Therapy Practice

We know life is busy , but if you're reading this you're probably someone who cares about helping their loved one as much as you can.

Practice 5-10 minutes whenever you can, but try to do it on a consistent basis (daily).

Please, please, please use this list to practice.

It will be a great benefit to you and your loved one's progress.

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67 Thoughtful Social Skill Activities for Adults to Help You Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

• Post author: Shweta Gautam
• Post published: August 25, 2023
• Post category: SELF IMPROVEMENT
• Post comments: 0 Comments

Social skills are your ability to interact and communicate with others effectively . These are the skills that build and maintain your relationships, both personally and professionally. From making friends to succeeding in the workplace, they play a crucial role in your everyday lives, 

Developing strong social skills can improve your overall wellbeing and enhance the quality of your life.

While some people find it easy to socialize, others have a hard time building the momentum to stay consistent and open up with their peers. 

Whether it is at home or the workplace, some people prefer to stay in their lane and not let others get into their zone of comfort. 

However, studies suggest that poor social skills are not very reliable in the long run. They can lead to loneliness and unwanted stress which can result in poor health both physically and mentally Hence, it is important to step out of your comfort zone and mingle with others. 

If you are one of those people who have a hard time opening up and connecting with the people around you, you are at the right place. This blog will help you overcome your challenges and indulge in social skill activities that will make it easier for you to step out of your comfort zone and feel more included in your environment. 

Social skills are an important set of skills that everyone must learn and implement in their day-to-day life. 

We are social beings, it is in our nature to be socially compatible and interact with the people around us. Thus, l et’s understand what makes social skills such an important part of your life. 

Why are Social Skills Important? 

Social skills are at the core of human interaction. When you lack social skills, you cannot convey your emotions and hear other people. 

Poor social skills can cause social isolation which can make you unseen, unheard, and neglected which can take a toll on you in the long run. Hence, you need to develop your social skills and become more included in your environment.  

Effective communication is the center of social skills. It involves both verbal and nonverbal aspects, such as listening, speaking, body language, and facial expressions. 

Good communication helps you to express yourself clearly, understand others’ perspectives, and build meaningful connections. 

Social skills also include other important skills like emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, teamwork, empathy, problem-solving, active listening, and more.

Social skills are your set of abilities that allow you to interact authoritatively and harmoniously with others in various social settings. 

Developing strong social skills is also important for your personal and professional success.

In your personal life, social skills enable you to build and maintain healthy relationships , establish strong social connections, and navigate social situations with ease. 

Strong social skills mean you have effective communication skills, understanding, and empathy that foster better connections and deeper bonds with others. They also enhance your self-confidence, self-esteem, and overall well-being.

In the professional realm, social skills are highly valued and sought after by employers. They contribute to successful teamwork, leadership, and collaboration. 

Strong social skills enable you to build professional networks, communicate effectively with your colleagues and clients, and navigate workplace dynamics. Also, these skills are essential for presenting yourself confidently and persuasively, they aid in your self-advocacy at the workplace. All this can leave a positive impression on your peers and seniors and help you in advancing your career.

3 Benefits of developing social skills

Developing social skills offers numerous benefits. Here are 3 important benefits of building social skills in your everyday life: 

1. You maintain relationships better 

With the right social skills, you can establish and maintain lifelong relationships. Strong social skills enable you to connect with others on a deeper level, building trust, understanding, and mutual respect. This leads to stronger friendships, better romantic relationships, and more harmonious interactions with your colleagues and acquaintances.

2. You grow with personal and professional success 

In the workplace, good communication and teamwork skills are highly valued. They promote effective collaboration and help you resolve conflicts. This inevitably leads to a more productive and positive work environment. 

Outside of work, social skills can open doors to new opportunities, expand your networks, and enhance your social presence. 

3. You have better mental health and emotional well-being. 

Social skills enable you to navigate social situations with confidence, reducing anxiety and stress. They teach you to be more empathetic and understanding, which allows you to connect with others on a deeper level and build a strong support system. 

Ultimately, developing social skills also leads to increased self-esteem, improved self-awareness, and overall personal growth.

Why are Social Skills Important in Adults? 

While social skills are often associated with childhood development, they continue to evolve throughout your lives. As an adult, you can actively work on improving your social skills through various activities and practices. This is how you can enhance your interpersonal relationships, advance your career, and lead to more fulfilling lives.

Contrary to popular belief, social skills can be developed and improved at any age, including adulthood. 

While socialization plays a significant role in developing these skills during childhood and adolescence, adults can also enhance their social abilities through intentional practice and engagement in various activities. 

Whether it’s in personal or professional settings, adults can benefit greatly from actively working on their social skills.

Recognizing the importance of social skills, adults can take proactive steps to develop and refine their social skills.

You can do this by engaging in specific activities that provide opportunities for practice, reflection, and growth, ultimately leading to stronger social connections and improved overall well-being.

What is the Importance of Social Skills in Your Personal and Professional Life? 

Social skills are vital in both personal and professional settings. In your personal lives, they enable you to form meaningful connections and build strong relationships. Whether it’s making friends , finding a romantic partner, or maintaining a healthy family dynamic , social skills play a crucial role in all these aspects of your life. 

In the professional world, social skills are highly valued by leaders and can greatly impact your career success. Effective communication, teamwork, and conflict-resolution skills are essential for collaboration and productivity in the workplace . Networking and building professional relationships can also lead to career advancements and new opportunities.

Overall, social skills are a valuable asset in all aspects of life. They contribute to your happiness and well-being, help you navigate social situations with ease, and lead to personal and professional growth.

68 Social Skill Activities You Can Practice 

Now that we have understood the importance of social skills, let’s explore some activities that can help you to develop and enhance these skills. 

The following activities are designed to target different aspects of your social skills and help you to improve them.

3 Icebreaker activities for building social connections

Icebreaker activities are a great way to break down barriers and initiate conversations in a comfortable and relaxed setting. They help you to create a sense of camaraderie and build a foundation for further social interactions. Some popular icebreaker activities include:

1. Two Truths and a Lie: Each person shares two true statements and one false statement about themselves. The group tries to guess which statement is the lie, sparking conversations and laughter.

2. Human Bingo: Participants are given bingo cards with different characteristics or experiences (e.g., “Has traveled to another country” or “Plays a musical instrument”). They must find people in the group who match each characteristic. The goal is to encourage interaction and discovery.

3. Name and Fact: Here participants introduce themselves by stating their name and sharing an interesting fact about themselves. This helps in breaking the ice and sparking conversations based on shared interests or experiences.

These icebreaker activities create a relaxed and engaging environment, encouraging participants to interact, connect, and lay the foundation for further social skill development.

4 Communication activities for improving verbal and nonverbal skills

Good communication skills are essential for effective social interactions. These communication activities are designed to enhance both your verbal and nonverbal communication skills, promoting effective expression and understanding among people.

These activities encourage active listening, clear articulation, and nonverbal cues recognition. Here are a few communication activity ideas:

1. Active Listening Pairs: Participants pair up and take turns sharing a personal story. The listener practices active listening skills by summarizing and reflecting on what they heard. This activity promotes empathy, understanding, and effective communication.

2. Mirror Mirror: Participants work in pairs, taking turns leading and following each other’s movements. The leader performs a series of simple actions, and the follower mirrors those actions. This activity enhances nonverbal communication and the ability to interpret and respond to nonverbal cues.

3. Picture Perfect: Participants are divided into groups and given a set of pictures. Each group selects one picture and describes it to the other groups without showing it. The other groups must recreate the picture based solely on the description, highlighting the importance of clear and precise verbal communication.

4. Charades: This classic game requires participants to use body language and gestures to communicate words or phrases without speaking. It encourages nonverbal communication and creativity.

These communication activities provide you the opportunities to practice and improve your communication skills, building better understanding and connection with others.

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3 emotional intelligence activities for understanding and managing emotions.

Emotional intelligence is your ability to recognize, understand, and manage your own emotions, as well as those of others. These activities help you to develop emotional intelligence:

1. Emotion Charades: Participants act out different emotions without using words, challenging others to guess the emotion being portrayed. This activity enhances emotional recognition and empathy.

2. Journaling: Encourage the participants to journal their thoughts and emotions regularly. This will build a habit of reflecting on your feelings and developing self-awareness and emotional management skills.

3. Empathy Circle: In this game, participants form a circle and take turns sharing a personal experience. The rest of the group listens actively and then reflects on what they heard, focusing on understanding and empathizing with the speaker’s emotions.

These emotional intelligence activities will enhance your ability to understand and manage your own emotions while fostering empathy and connection with others.

5 Conflict resolution activities for dealing with interpersonal challenges

Conflict resolution skills are essential for maintaining healthy relationships. These activities focus on resolving conflicts constructively and respectfully:

1. Role Play Mediation: Participants engage in role-play scenarios where they act as mediators, helping resolve conflicts between two people. This activity allows participants to practice active listening, empathy, and effective communication skills in a controlled setting.

2. Win-Win Negotiation: Participants are divided into pairs and given a scenario that involves a potential conflict. Each participant must advocate for their interests while seeking a win-win solution through negotiation and compromise. This activity promotes problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills.

3. Group Problem-Solving: Participants work together in small groups to solve a complex problem or complete a challenging task. This activity encourages cooperation, brainstorming, and finding common ground to reach a shared goal.

4. Role Play: Participants act out scenarios that involve conflicts and practice resolving them through active listening, understanding different perspectives, and finding mutually beneficial solutions.

5. The Circle of Perspectives: Participants sit in a circle and take turns sharing their thoughts and perspectives on a particular topic or issue. This activity promotes empathy and understanding of diverse viewpoints.

These conflict resolution activities will equip you with the skills necessary to manage conflicts effectively, maintaining healthier relationships and a more positive social environment. 

5 Team building activities for practicing collaboration and cooperation

Team building activities promote effective collaboration and cooperation. They encourage you to work together towards a common goal and build trust, communication, and synergy within a group. Here are a few team-building activity ideas:

1. Trust Fall: Participants form pairs, with one person falling backward and the other catching them. This activity builds trust and fosters a sense of reliance on one another.

2. Escape Room: Participants work together to solve puzzles and find clues to escape a locked room within a time limit. This activity enhances teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills.

3. Minefield: Participants are blindfolded and placed in pairs. One person is blindfolded and must navigate through a “minefield” (a designated area with obstacles) guided only by the verbal instructions of their partner. This activity promotes trust, clear communication, and teamwork.

4. Escape Room: Participants are locked in a themed room. They must work together to solve puzzles, find clues, and escape within a time limit. This activity requires effective communication, problem-solving, and collaboration skills under pressure.

5. Tower Building: Participants are divided into teams and given limited supplies (e.g., straws, tape, paper) to build the tallest freestanding tower. This activity encourages teamwork, creativity, and effective resource allocation.

These team-building activities promote collaboration, trust, and effective communication, allowing individuals to develop strong teamwork skills.

4 Networking activities for expanding social circles

Networking activities are designed to expand your social circles and build professional relationships. They establish professional connections and enhance their networking skills. These activities encourage introductions, conversations, and relationship-building in various settings. Here are a few networking activity ideas:

1. Networking Bingo: Create a bingo sheet with different networking objectives (e.g., “Exchange business cards,” “Have a conversation with someone from a different industry”). Participants mingle and try to achieve each objective, striking it off on their bingo sheet as they go.

2. Speed Networking: Participants form pairs and have a designated time to introduce themselves, exchange information, and discuss their professional interests. After the time is up, participants rotate and repeat the process with a new partner. This activity promotes efficient networking and conversation skills.

3. Industry Panel Discussion: Organize a panel discussion with professionals from a specific industry. Participants have the opportunity to ask questions, share insights, and connect with panelists and fellow attendees. This activity facilitates networking, knowledge sharing, and relationship-building within a professional context.

4. Professional Development Events: Attend conferences, workshops, or seminars related to your field of interest. Engage with other professionals and exchange ideas, fostering new connections and opportunities.

These networking activities create opportunities for individuals to expand their professional networks, gain industry insights, and enhance their networking skills.

5 Empathy-building activities for enhancing understanding and compassion

Empathy is your ability to understand and share the feelings of others. These empathy-building activities aim to understand and relate to the emotions and experiences of others. These activities promote perspective-taking, active listening, and compassion. Here are a few empathy-building activity ideas:

1. The Empathy Walk: Participants pair up and one person blindfolds themselves while the other guides them through a designated route. The blindfolded person relies on the instructions and guidance of their partner, experiencing trust and empathy for their perspective.

2. Life Maps: Participants create visual representations of their life journeys, highlighting significant events and experiences. They then share their life maps with others, promoting understanding, empathy, and connection.

3. Role Reversal: Participants pair up and take turns role-playing a situation or scenario from each other’s perspectives. This activity encourages you to see things from different points of view, fostering empathy and understanding.

4. Storytelling Circle: Participants take turns sharing personal stories that evoke emotions. The group actively listens and provides support, builds empathy, and understanding.

5. Random Acts of Kindness: Encourage participants to perform small acts of kindness for others, such as buying a coffee for a stranger or volunteering at a local charity. These acts promote empathy and compassion.

These empathy-building activities enhance individuals’ ability to understand and relate to others’ experiences, fostering compassion, and building stronger connections.

4 Problem-solving activities for improving decision-making skills

Problem-solving skills are essential for navigating social situations effectively. They improve your ability to analyze situations, identify solutions, and make effective decisions. 

Problem-solving activities promote critical thinking , creativity, and collaboration. Here are a few problem-solving activity ideas to help:

1. Brainstorming Session: Participants come together to generate a list of ideas or solutions for a specific problem or challenge. This activity encourages creative thinking, collaboration, and open-mindedness.

2. The Marshmallow Challenge: Participants are divided into teams and given a set of materials (e.g., spaghetti, tape, string) to build the tallest freestanding structure that can support a marshmallow on top. This activity promotes teamwork, problem-solving, strategic thinking, collaboration, and adaptability.

3. Case Study Analysis: Participants are presented with a hypothetical case study or real-life scenario that requires analysis and decision-making. They work individually or in groups to identify the problem, analyze the available information, and propose solutions.

4. Scavenger Hunt: Organize a scavenger hunt where participants work together to solve riddles and find hidden objects. This activity encourages problem-solving, communication, and teamwork.

These problem-solving activities develop individuals’ critical thinking, decision-making, and creativity, enabling them to approach challenges with confidence and effectiveness.

4 Active listening activities for better communication and understanding

Active listening is a crucial component of effective communication.  Active listening activities focus on enhancing your listening skills, promoting better understanding, and strong communication. These activities encourage attentive listening, clarification, and empathy. Here are a few active listening activity ideas for you:

1. Reflective Listening Pairs: Participants pair up and take turns sharing a personal story or experience. The listener practices reflective listening by summarizing and reflecting on what they heard, focusing on understanding and empathy.

2. Group Listening Circle: Participants form a circle, and one person shares a personal story or experience. The rest of the group listens attentively without interrupting or providing feedback. This activity promotes active listening and empathy.

3. Listening Walk: Participants go for a walk in pairs or small groups, focusing on listening to the sounds around them. After the walk, they discuss what they heard and how it made them feel. This activity encourages mindful listening and awareness.

4. Story Retelling: One person shares a story, and the listener must retell the story accurately. This activity promotes attentive listening and comprehension.

These active listening activities enhance your ability to listen attentively, understand others’ perspectives, and communicate effectively.

4 Role-playing activities for practicing social interactions

Role-playing activities provide a safe space to practice and improve social interactions through simulated scenarios. Here are a few role-playing activity ideas:

1. Job Interview Role Play: Participants pair up and take turns playing the role of the interviewer and the interviewee in a simulated job interview. This activity allows you to practice answering questions, and conveying your skills and experience while being confident and showcasing professionalism.

2. Conflict Resolution Role Play: Participants engage in role-play scenarios where they act out various conflict situations and practice resolving them through effective communication and problem-solving. This activity enhances conflict resolution skills and empathy.

3. Customer Service Role Play: Participants take turns playing the role of a customer and a customer service representative in simulated scenarios.

4. Social Scenarios: Create various social scenarios, such as meeting new people or resolving conflicts, and have participants act them out. This activity allows for practice and improvement of social skills.

These activities promote effective communication, empathy, and problem-solving. 

2 Body language activities for improving nonverbal communication

Nonverbal communication, such as body language and facial expressions, plays a significant role in social interactions. These activities aim to improve nonverbal communication skills:

1. Mirroring: Participants pair up and take turns mirroring each other’s body language, gestures, and facial expressions. This activity enhances your observation and nonverbal communication skills.

2. Charades with a Twist: Participants play charades, but instead of using only their bodies, they incorporate facial expressions and subtle body language cues. This activity encourages participants to be more aware of their nonverbal communication.

While these activities may feel controlling, they improve your non-verbal communication by making you more mindful of your movements.  

2 Self-Confidence activities for overcoming social anxiety

Self-confidence is essential for successful social interactions. Here are some activities to help you focus on building self-confidence:

1. Positive Affirmations: Participants create a list of positive affirmations or mindset quotes and repeat them daily. This activity helps you to reframe negative self-talk and promotes self-confidence.

2. Public Speaking Club: Join a public speaking club or organization where you can practice speaking in front of others in a supportive environment. This activity builds confidence and improves public speaking skills.

Self-confidence is the root of every interaction, whether personal or professional. These activities will take you out of your comfort zone and make you more confident every time you practice them. 

2 Public speaking activities for improving presentation skills

Public speaking skills are valuable in both personal and professional settings. These activities help improve presentation skills:

1. Impromptu Speeches: Give participants random topics and a short amount of time to prepare a speech. This activity enhances quick thinking, organization, and delivery skills.

2. Presentation Critique: Participants deliver short presentations, and the group provides constructive feedback on content, delivery, and body language. This activity helps improve presentation skills through peer evaluation.

I remember doing both these activities during college and they are a big help for you to step out of your comfort zone and build on your speaking skills too. 

2 Cultural awareness activities for promoting inclusivity and diversity

Cultural awareness promotes inclusivity and understanding of diverse backgrounds. These activities aim to develop cultural awareness:

1. Cultural Potluck: Participants bring dishes from their respective cultures to share with the group. This activity encourages conversations about different traditions, customs, and cuisines.

2. Cultural Competency Training: Attend workshops or training sessions that focus on cultural competency, diversity, and inclusion. These activities provide insights into different cultures and foster understanding.

These are fun activities that give you the chance to get acquainted with other cultures and traditions and be more open to accepting them. 

2 Time management activities for balancing social engagements

Balancing social engagements can be challenging. Hence it becomes important to improve your time management skills . These activities will help do exactly that:

1. Time Tracking: You can track your daily activities and notice how much time you spend on each. This activity will promote self-awareness and help you to identify areas where your time can be better managed.

2. Prioritization Exercise: You can create a list of tasks or social engagements and prioritize them based on importance and urgency . This activity enhances decision-making and time-management skills.

These activities will promote time management in your daily life and will also help you to understand the value of time. 

2 Mindfulness activities for being present in social interactions

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment . These activities promote mindfulness in social interactions:

1. Mindful Conversations: Encourage yourself to engage in mindful conversations , focusing on being fully present and actively listening without judgment.

2. Mindful Eating: Organize a mindful eating activity where everyone can savor each bite of food, paying attention to taste, texture, and the experience of eating together.

As you run behind your goals, pausing for a while and being mindful of your thoughts and movements will only help you appreciate your progress more. Thus, make sure you practice mindful listening and mindful eating a little more in your daily life. 

2 Stress management activities for navigating social situations

If excessive stress has become a part of your life, stress management should be given its space too. Stress management skills are crucial for navigating social situations effectively. These activities help manage stress:

1. Breathing Exercises: Teach participants deep breathing exercises to use in stressful situations. This activity promotes relaxation and helps manage anxiety.

2. Guided Meditation: Lead participants through a guided meditation focused on releasing stress and cultivating a calm mindset. This activity enhances relaxation and stress management skills.

These stress management activities will help you to navigate stressful situations with grace and ease. 

2 Assertiveness activities for expressing thoughts and feelings effectively

Assertiveness is the ability to express thoughts, feelings, and needs clearly and respectfully. These activities focus on developing your assertiveness:

1. Role-playing Assertiveness: Participants act out scenarios where they practice assertive communication, expressing their thoughts and feelings without holding back.

2. Assertiveness Journal: Encourage participants to keep an assertiveness journal where they reflect on assertive interactions they had and areas for improvement.

These activities will make you more assertive and bold with your perspectives and decision-making. 

2 Empowerment activities for building self-esteem

Building self-esteem is essential for healthy social interactions. These activities promote self-esteem:

1. Strengths and Achievements: Have participants create a list of their strengths and past achievements. This activity helps boost self-esteem and builds a positive self-image .

2. Self-Compliments: Encourage participants to give themselves daily compliments or write self-affirmations. This activity promotes self-love and self-acceptance.

These empowerment activities make you feel more accomplished. They develop self-compassion as you go through the challenges of your daily life. 

2 Reflection activities for self-awareness and personal growth

Reflection activities increase your self-awareness and personal growth. These activities promote introspection and self-reflection:

1. Journal Prompts: Provide participants with thought-provoking journal prompts, such as “What are my strengths and weaknesses in social situations?” or “How do I handle conflicts?” This activity encourages self-reflection and self-awareness. Here are +200 Journal Prompts to help you.

2. Personal Development Plan: Guide participants in creating a personal development plan, outlining their goals for improving social skills and the steps they will take to achieve them.

These self-reflection activities will contribute to your sense of self and belonging as you sit down to understand yourself better. They also show you aspects of your personality that might have been hidden all along. 

2 Social skill activities for the workplace

Social skills are critical for success in the workplace. While all the activities mentioned in this blog can be adopted in any workplace, here are two activities designed specifically to focus on developing social skills in professional settings:

1. Networking Events: Attend industry-specific networking events and practice introducing yourself, engaging in conversations, and exchanging contact information.

2. Collaborative Projects: Engage in collaborative projects with colleagues, actively practicing teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Practicing social skills in the workplace helps you by getting you out of the awkwardness and promoting better interactions with your colleagues. 

2 Social skill activities for relationships and dating

Social skills are essential for building and maintaining healthy romantic relationships . These activities focus on developing social skills for relationships and dating:

1. Couples Game Night: Organize a game night for couples to encourage communication, teamwork, and bonding between them.

2. Active Listening Dates: Plan dates with your partner where the focus is on active listening and sharing experiences, promoting understanding and connection.

There is nothing like “knowing it all” when it comes to love and romantic relationships. And if you wish to build a successful relationship , you can never get enough of knowing your partner better in different ways. 

2 Social skill activities for community involvement

Engaging in community activities promotes social skills and connections. These activities focus on community involvement:

1. Volunteer Work: Participate in volunteer activities that align with your interests, allowing you to meet new people and contribute to your community.

2. Community Events: Attend local events and engage in conversations with fellow attendees, to establish better connections and community engagement.

Community involvement brings you closer to your neighborhood and community. It promotes peace and harmony among people who share common interests and preferences. 

Developing and enhancing social skills is an ongoing process that can greatly impact our personal and professional lives.

By engaging in these social skill activities you can different skills, one at a time, and build your personality with consistent efforts.

I hope you enjoyed reading about social skills and how you can develop them in yourself as an adult.

If you loved what you read, don’t forget to share this with someone who can derive value from it.

Also, I would love to know which is your favorite social skill activity from the list.

Mine is definitely journaling, which is yours?

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Social Studies Scenarios for adults

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Social Mettle

Adequately Intriguing Group Problem Solving Activities for Adults

Problem solving is one of the most basic skills to learn, be it in the professional or personal context. There are numerous problem-solving activities you can adopt and hone this skill thus.

The fact is that any situation, function, activity (and whatever other context you can think of) will have the emerging of problems at one point or the other in its course. Nothing can function smoothly from beginning to end. In that way, problems are a natural part of life, no matter what context they are placed under. The most effective thing to do therefore, is to develop the skills of problem solving. An innate understanding of how to tackle any problem head on will give one the confidence that no matter what situation they find themselves in, they have the capacity to come out of the same.

Learning the varied skills of problem solving especially helps in the professional world because one is required to work in a group for the sake of a bigger goal. While there are several ways in which problem-solving tactics can be learned, in this article we will focus on some of the most effective group problem-solving activities for adults.

Problem Solving Group Games

Why group games? For the simple reason that there is nothing quite as effective as games, to get one to learn the basics of problem solving. When you put it in the form of games, it takes the pressure off ‘learning’ something. You enjoy playing it instead and learn in the process. It’s as simple as that.

Blind Man’s Web

This game requires a lot of concentration, the ability to instruct correctly and to not crumble under pressure. Divide the group into teams of equal members. Provide them with a ball of wool that they have to use to create a web. Ask the teams to make the web in the designated area provided for them, without using any tapes or the like. Once the teams are done creating their individual webs, switch the teams into a different web so that the difficulty level increases.

Blindfold one member of the team and let him at the web, while his team members have to give him instructions on how to go about solving the web and retrieving the line of wool as is. Give them a calculated amount of time for solving this one. The team that manages to solve the web first, wins.

The No-Crack Egg

Divide the group into teams of equal numbers. Provide each of these teams with materials like straws, newspapers, cello tape, string, cardboard material and 1 raw egg. The objective of the game is to prepare an egg cover using the items provided, such that when the egg is thrown from a height of 15 feet, it should not crack.

Let’s Round Up

Divide the group into teams with equal members. Ask each team to stand in a circle. Now ask them to extend their right hand and grab hold of the right hand of another member in the team. Once everyone has done that, ask them to do the same with their left hand. When the group is all tied up like so, give them a time of 10-15 minutes in which they have to free themselves and form a circle again. The only condition? They can’t let go of their hands while they are doing that. A person needs to keep a watch on everyone while they are doing the exercise. If anyone’s hand slips out, the team is disqualified. The team that manages to free themselves and form a circle first, wins.

List of To-Dos

A take on the scavenger hunt game, this one provides for a whole lot of entertainment while bringing the skills of problem solving into the picture. The group is divided into teams and they are provided a list of to-do activities that they have to solve to get to the big prize. These activities are a mix of both – simple and tough. List activities like solving a puzzle, writing a poem on a particular theme, physical activities like retrieving a packet from the company lobby, drinking 5 glasses of milk, etc. This activity requires for continued levels of motivation to last throughout the course of the exercise. The team that manages to stay motivated and work through the tension and adrenaline rush to complete all the activities, wins.

Situational Skit

Write down a couple of situations that deal with everyday events. It could be any simple situation like dealing with an incompetent salesperson or dealing with an irate customer over the phone – anything that is challenging. Write in as many characters in the situation as possible. Divide the people in groups and then ask each group to pick out chits. Each group is given a calculated time to prepare a skit based on the situation. A panel of judges will judge the best act. This activity requires tremendous planning skills and the ability to handle a stressful situation.

Balloon Relay

The group is divided into teams of equal members. Each team is provided with a number of deflated balloons, water, water guns and an empty bucket. The objective of the game is that some members fill the balloons with water and then throw it over to their team members (who are standing at a calculated distance from them). They have to catch the balloons and put it in the bucket. It might seem to be a very simple game, but there will be that time until the team learns just how much water to fill in the balloon, how to throw it and the best technique to catch it so that the balloon doesn’t burst. The team that manages to learn and follow this will have less bursting of balloons and a higher chance of winning.

Duplicating Blocks

This is a simple problem-solving activity and one that most of us have played in our childhood. Divide the group into teams and provide them with building blocks and a model that they have to duplicate in a given time frame. The team that manages to do that first, wins. Keep the difficulty level high for more effect. The key is to be able to work with so many people giving so many instructions all together.

Group problem-solving activities can be of several kinds, and depending on the group that you’re dealing with, you can choose some that will suit the group in question in the best possible manner.

Leaving the fun quotient aside, these games truly help develop the required skills for problem solving.

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Teaching Social Problem-Solving with a Free Activity

February 3, 2018 by pathway2success 5 Comments

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Kids and young adults need to be able to problem-solve on their own. Every day, kids are faced with a huge number of social situations and challenges. Whether they are just having a conversation with a peer, working with a group on a project, or dealing with an ethical dilemma, kids must use their social skills and knowledge to help them navigate tough situations. Ideally, we want kids to make positive choices entirely on their own. Of course, we know that kids don’t start off that way. They need to learn how to collaborate, communicate, cooperate, negotiate, and self-advocate.

Social problem solving skills are critical skills to learn for kids with autism, ADHD, and other social challenges. Of course, all kids and young adults benefit from these skills. They fit perfectly into a morning meeting discussion or advisory periods for older kids. Not only are these skills that kids will use in your classroom, but throughout their entire lives. They are well worth the time to teach!

Here are 5 steps to help kids learn social problem solving skills:

1. Teach kids to communicate their feelings. Being able to openly and respectfully share emotions is a foundational element to social problem solving. Teaching I statements can be a simple and effective way to kids to share their feelings. With an I statement, kids will state, “I feel ______ when _____.” The whole idea is that this type of statement allows someone to share how their feeling without targeting or blaming anyone else. Helping kids to communicate their emotions can solve many social problems from the start and encourages positive self-expression.

2. Discuss and model empathy. In order for kids to really grasp problem-solving, they need to learn how to think about the feelings of others. Literature is a great way teach and practice empathy! Talk about the feelings of characters within texts you are reading, really highlighting how they might feel in situations and why. Ask questions like, “How might they feel? Why do you think they felt that way? Would you feel the same in that situation? Why or why not?” to help teach emerging empathy skills. You can also make up your own situations and have kids share responses, too.

3. Model problem-solving skills. When a problem arises, discuss it and share some solutions how you might go forward to fix it. For example, you might say, “I was really expecting to give the class this math assignment today but I just found out we have an assembly. This wasn’t in my plans. I could try to give part of it now or I could hold off and give the assignment tomorrow instead. It’s not perfect, but I think I’ll wait that way we can go at the pace we need to.” This type of think-aloud models the type of thinking that kids should be using when a problem comes up.

4. Use social scenarios to practice. Give a scenario and have kids consider how that person might feel in that situation. Discuss options for what that person might do to solve the problem, possible consequences for their choices, and what the best decision might be. Kids can consider themselves social detectives by using the clues and what they know about social rules to help them figure out the solution. These are especially fun in small groups to have kids discuss collaboratively. Use these free social problem solving cards to start your kids off practicing!

5. Allow kids to figure it out. Don’t come to the rescue when a child or young adult has a problem. As long as it’s not a serious issue, give them time to think about it and use their problem-solving skills on their own. Of course, it’s much easier to have an adult solve all the problems but that doesn’t teach the necessary skills. When a child comes to you asking for your help with a social problem, encourage them to think about it for five minutes before coming back to you. By that point, they might have already figured out possible solutions and ideas and might not even need you anymore.

If you are interested in helping your kids learn social problem solving skills right away, consider trying out these Social Problem Solving Task Cards . They highlight real social scenarios and situations that kids can discuss. The scenarios include a variety of locations, such as in classrooms, with family, with friends, at recess, and at lunch. This set is targeted for elementary-age learners.

Of course, older kids need social problem solving skills, too! If you work with older kids, you will love these Social Problem Solving Task Cards for Middle and High School Kids. These situations target age-appropriate issues that come up in classes, with friends, with family, in the hallway, in the cafeteria, and with online and texting.

Remember that teaching social problem skills does take a little bit of planning and effort, but it will be well worth the time! Kids will use these skills to help them make social decisions in their everyday lives now and in the future!

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February 22, 2018 at 12:03 am

Thank you for sharing>

March 3, 2018 at 8:59 am

Good thought ful

March 20, 2018 at 9:24 pm

They are not free

March 21, 2018 at 8:58 am

They are! Here is the link (it’s listed under number 4): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-Social-Problem-Solving-Task-Cards-2026178 I also have a paid version with a bunch more cards (for both elementary and older kids), but that will give you the freebie. Enjoy!

July 15, 2018 at 3:41 am

Awesome way to teach the skill of social problem solving.

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⭐ Kristina 💖 SEL & Executive Functioning 💻 Blogger at www.thepathway2success.com 👩‍🏫 Special Educator turned Curriculum Specialist Links here 👇

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