{"h1":"How can I support my child's Social development?","faq":[{"a":"Yes. Playing side by side rather than directly together is completely normal and valuable between 12 and 36 months. It's an important step toward cooperative play, which develops more around age three.","q":"Is parallel play normal for my toddler?"},{"a":"Shyness and warming up slowly are very common at this age. Keep social outings short and low-pressure, stay nearby as a safe base, and let your child join in at their own pace. Mention persistent concerns at your next developmental check.","q":"My toddler is shy around other children — should I worry?"},{"a":"Real, face-to-face back-and-forth with you teaches social skills far better than screens. For toddlers, prioritise interactive play and conversation; keep screen time limited and watch together when used.","q":"How much do screens affect social development?"}],"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-i-support-my-child-s-social","title":"How can I support my child's Social development?","entity":{"key":"social-toddler","kind":"ability","name":"Social","slug":"social-toddler"},"lenses":[{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"Parent","value":"parent"},{"kind":"age","label":"Toddler","value":"toddler"},{"kind":"domain","label":"Social","value":"social"},{"kind":"intent","label":"Home Support","value":"home_support"},{"kind":"lifecycle","label":"Act","value":"act"},{"kind":"route","label":"Behaviour-Therapy","value":"behaviour-therapy"},{"kind":"empowerment","label":"Family Empowerment","value":"family_empowerment"}],"parent":{"key":"abilities","label":"Abilities"},"related":[{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-i-support-my-child-s-socialization","title":"How can I support my child's Socialization?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-a-teacher-support-a-child-working-on-social","title":"How a Teacher Can Support a Toddler's Social Skills"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-i-help-my-child-learn-to-social-at-home","title":"How can I help my child learn to social at home?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-i-help-my-child-with-learn-to-social-skills-at-home","title":"How can I help my child learn social skills at home?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-i-help-my-child-learn-to-social-skills-at-home","title":"How can I help my child learn social skills at home?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-i-help-my-child-with-learn-to-socialization-at-home","title":"How can I help my child learn socialization at home?"}],"summary":"Support your toddler's social skills through warm, everyday back-and-forth — turn-taking games, naming feelings, parallel play with other children, and following your child's lead. Social learning between 12 and 36 months happens in small repeated moments of connection, and you are already your child's richest classroom.","answer_md":"*Every wave goodbye, every shared giggle, every moment your toddler looks to you to check 'is this okay?' — that is social development unfolding, and you are already its richest classroom.*\n\n## In short\nYou support your toddler's social skills best through warm, everyday back-and-forth — turn-taking games, naming feelings, playing alongside other children, and following your child's lead during play. Between 12 and 36 months, social learning happens in tiny, repeated moments of connection, not formal lessons. Keep it playful, predictable and full of praise for trying.\n\n## How to support social skills at home\n**Make connection a game**\n- Play peek-a-boo, rolling a ball back and forth, and simple turn-taking — these teach the rhythm of \"my turn, your turn\".\n- Get down to your child's eye level and follow what *they* find interesting; join their play before you lead it.\n- Narrate feelings: \"You're happy!\", \"That made you cross.\" Naming emotions helps a toddler understand others.\n\n**Build everyday social practice**\n- Arrange short, low-pressure playtimes with one other child; parallel play (playing side by side) is normal and valuable at this age.\n- Use simple pretend play — feeding a doll, talking on a toy phone — to rehearse social ideas.\n- Praise effort: \"You shared the blocks — lovely!\" Specific praise grows the behaviour you want.\n\n## The science\nWithin the ICF framework, this sits under [interpersonal interactions and relationships (d7)](/social-toddler). Responsive, serve-and-return interaction is one of the most evidence-backed drivers of early social-emotional growth — the everyday give-and-take of your attention literally shapes developing pathways. Where a toddler needs extra help, [behaviour therapy](/behaviour-therapy) builds these skills through structured, playful practice.\n\n## The Pinnacle way\nDevelopmental measurement supports care planning; diagnosis requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. under qualified clinician care — what you do at home is genuine, valuable support, not assessment. Learn more about the [AbilityScore®](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated) and how it tracks your child's progress against their own baseline.\n\n## Trusted sources\nAligned with WHO ICF interpersonal-relationships guidance, CDC \"Learn the Signs. Act Early.\" milestones, and AAP HealthyChildren social-emotional resources.\n\n**Next step —** try one turn-taking game today, and to discuss your child's social development with our team, reach Pinnacle on WhatsApp: +91 91001 81181.\n\nThis is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","canonical":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-support-my-child-s-social","editorial":{"reviewed_at":"2026-06-11T20:12:18.613642+00:00","reviewed_by":null,"developed_by":"SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network"},"alternates":[{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-support-my-child-s-social","lang":"en","indexable":true}],"dimensions":[{"key":"abilities","label":"Abilities"}],"meta_title":"Support Your Toddler's Social Skills at Home","meta_robots":"index, follow, max-image-preview:large","everyday_tip":"Pick one 10-minute turn-taking game a day — rolling a ball, peek-a-boo, or stacking blocks 'my turn, your turn'. Follow your child's lead and celebrate every try.","published_at":"2026-06-10T12:32:00.111278+00:00","reading_paths":[{"key":"understand","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"what-is-social-in-child-development","title":"What is Social in child development?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-social-represent-developmentally-and-when-is-a-delay-in-it-clinically-significant","title":"What Social represents developmentally and when delay is significant","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"which-icf-functioning-domain-does-social-map-to-in-early-childhood","title":"Which ICF functioning domain does Social map to in early childhood?","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"Understand the subject","total":3},{"key":"signs","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-a-delay-in-social-mean-for-my-child","title":"What does a delay in Social mean for my child?","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"Recognise signs & concerns","total":1},{"key":"assess","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"how-is-social-assessed","title":"How is Social assessed?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-is-social-scored-on-the-abilityscore","title":"How is Social scored on the AbilityScore?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-is-in-the-green-zone-for-social-what-does-that-mean","title":"My child is in the green zone for Social — what does that mean?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-is-in-the-red-zone-for-social-what-does-that-mean","title":"My child is in the red zone for Social — what does that mean?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-an-abilityscore-of-0-100-in-social-mean-for-my-child","title":"What does an AbilityScore of 0–100 in Social mean for my child?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-an-abilityscore-of-100-200-in-social-mean-for-my-child","title":"What does an AbilityScore of 100–200 in Social mean for my child?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-an-abilityscore-of-200-300-in-social-mean-for-my-child","title":"What does an AbilityScore of 200–300 in Social mean for my child?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-an-abilityscore-of-300-400-in-social-mean-for-my-child","title":"What does an AbilityScore of 300–400 in Social mean for my child?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-an-abilityscore-of-400-500-in-social-mean-for-my-child","title":"What does an AbilityScore of 400–500 in Social mean for my child?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-an-abilityscore-of-500-600-in-social-mean-for-my-child","title":"What does an AbilityScore of 500–600 in Social mean for my child?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-an-abilityscore-of-600-700-in-social-mean-for-my-child","title":"What does an AbilityScore of 600–700 in Social mean for my child?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-an-abilityscore-of-700-800-in-social-mean-for-my-child","title":"What does an AbilityScore of 700–800 in Social mean for my child?","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"Understand assessment","total":16},{"key":"therapy","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-a-teacher-support-a-child-working-on-social","title":"How a Teacher Can Support a Toddler's Social Skills","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-is-in-the-amber-zone-for-social-what-should-we-do-next","title":"My child is in the amber zone for Social — what should we do next?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-s-social-abilityscore-is-0-100-what-are-the-next-steps","title":"Social AbilityScore 0–100 — Next Steps for Parents","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-s-social-abilityscore-is-100-200-what-are-the-next-steps","title":"Social AbilityScore 100–200 — What Are the Next Steps?","reason":"Same 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Next Steps for Your Child","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-s-social-abilityscore-is-800-900-what-are-the-next-steps","title":"Social AbilityScore 800–900 — What Are the Next Steps?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-s-social-abilityscore-is-900-1000-what-are-the-next-steps","title":"Social AbilityScore 900–1000 — Next Steps","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"Explore therapy & support","total":16},{"key":"home","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-i-support-my-child-s-socialization","title":"How can I support my child's Socialization?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-i-help-my-child-with-learn-to-social-skills-at-home","title":"How can I help my child learn social skills at home?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-i-help-my-child-with-learn-to-socialization-at-home","title":"How can I help my child learn socialization at home?","reason":"Linked from this 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If by 18–24 months your toddler rarely shares attention, doesn't point, or seems uninterested in other children across settings, mention it at your next developmental check.","authority_links":[{"url":"https://www.cdc.gov/child-development","label":"CDC · Learn the Signs. Act Early."},{"url":"https://www.healthychildren.org","label":"AAP · HealthyChildren social-emotional development"},{"url":"https://www.who.int/standards/classifications/international-classification-of-functioning-disability-and-health","label":"WHO · ICF interpersonal interactions (d7)"}],"last_reviewed_at":"2026-06-10T12:32:00.111278+00:00","meta_description":"Warm, simple ways to grow your toddler's social skills — turn-taking games, naming feelings, parallel play and following your child's lead. Parent-friendly","related_materials":[],"related_techniques":[]}