Preschoolers are still learning how to navigate everyday challenges—whether it’s needing help tying their shoes, asking for a turn with a toy, or figuring out how to express their feelings. One of the most important skills they can develop at this age is learning how to ask for help when they need it.

Related resources:

• social skills activities
• social skills lessons
• social skills activities for preschoolers

This interactive activity teaches preschoolers the steps to self-advocacy by helping them sequence how to ask for what they need. Through a simple drag-and-drop game, children learn the correct order of events when seeking help, reinforcing communication and problem-solving skills.

This article will cover:

• Why teaching preschoolers to ask for help is an essential problem-solving skill
• How sequencing activities strengthen early problem-solving and communication
• A free interactive problem-solving activity that helps children practice these skills in a fun and engaging way

By the end, you’ll have a hands-on resource to teach preschoolers how to confidently and appropriately ask for help when they need it.

Why Teaching Preschoolers to Ask for Help Matters

At this stage of development, young children are eager to try things on their own but may not always know when or how to ask for help. Teaching them how to recognize when they need assistance—and how to communicate that need—helps them:

• Build confidence in speaking up for themselves
• Develop independence while still seeking support when necessary
• Strengthen their problem-solving abilities by following logical steps
• Improve social-emotional skills by understanding when and how to engage with others for help

When children have a clear process for asking for what they need, they feel more capable of handling challenges and advocating for themselves.

Interactive Preschool Activity: How to Ask for Help

This free online activity helps preschoolers practice asking for help through a simple sequencing exercise.

Students will:

• Observe a common situation where a character needs help
• Drag and drop images to put the steps in the correct order
• Learn that asking for help is a step-by-step process with a beginning, middle, and end

For example, a character may need help tying their shoes. The child will arrange images in the correct sequence:

1. The character recognizes they need help
2. The character asks a trusted friend or adult
3. The helper provides support, solving the problem

This simple sequencing reinforces the idea that problem-solving is a process and that asking for help is an important skill to practice.

Lesson Plan: How to Ask for Help

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Recognize when they need help
• Identify a trusted person to ask
• Understand the correct steps to ask for help in a clear and effective way

Step 1: Introduce the Concept of Asking for Help (5 minutes)

Start by asking students:

• When do you need help?
• Who do you ask for help at school? At home?
• What do you say when you need help?

Write their answers on the board and introduce the idea that everyone needs help sometimes, and that’s okay.

Step 2: Practice Sequencing with Real-Life Examples (10 minutes)

Use real-life examples and have students discuss the steps:

• “If your jacket zipper is stuck, what should you do first?”
• “If you need help reaching something on a high shelf, what would you do?”
• “What if you don’t understand a teacher’s instructions?”

Walk them through identifying the problem, choosing a helper, and asking for assistance.

Step 3: Interactive Activity – Sequencing How to Ask for Help (10-15 minutes)

Guide students through the online activity, helping them sequence different scenarios. Encourage them to think about each step before dragging and dropping the images into the correct order.

Step 4: Role-Playing & Discussion (10 minutes)

Have students act out different situations where they might need help. One student plays the role of the person asking for help, while another plays the helper. Reinforce that asking for help is a normal and important part of solving problems.

Step 5: Reflection & Wrap-Up (5 minutes)

End with a class discussion:

• How do you feel when you ask for help?
• Why is it important to ask the right person for help?
• Can you think of a time when asking for help made a problem easier?

Encourage students to use their new problem-solving skills throughout the day.

Want More? Access Additional Free Resources!

Everyday Speech is a no-prep digital curriculum that combines evidence-based video modeling, interactive web games, and digital and printable worksheets to make teaching social skills easy.

We offer a free 30-day trial where you can use our thousands of video lessons, worksheets, and games to teach social skills like problem-solving. 

Here’s an example video modeling lesson for teaching problem-solving from our curriculum: