Preschoolers are just beginning to learn conversation skills. They may talk over others, change the subject suddenly, or focus only on what they want to say. These patterns are common at this age—but with structured support, students can begin to build the skills that make back-and-forth conversation possible.
The Interactive Matching Activity: My Conversation Skills gives students a hands-on way to explore key conversation behaviors using simple visuals and guided matching. It’s designed to help preschoolers recognize what good conversations look like and practice identifying the behaviors that support them.
In this post, you’ll find:
- An overview of the interactive activity and what it teaches
- A step-by-step lesson plan for classroom or small-group use
- Strategies for modeling and extending learning throughout the day
Why Teach Conversation Skills in Preschool?
Even before preschoolers master full sentences, they are participating in conversations every day. These early exchanges—during play, snack time, or circle time—build the foundation for later social success. But most students need help learning what makes a conversation work.
This lesson focuses on three core behaviors:
- Taking turns talking – Giving others a chance to speak, not talking over them.
- Talking about the same topic – Keeping your response connected to what was just said.
- Talking about things you both like – Finding shared interests to build connection.
These are not intuitive for all learners. That’s why direct instruction, visuals, and modeling are key to helping students recognize and practice these behaviors in the moment.
Interactive Activity: My Conversation Skills
The Interactive Matching Activity: My Conversation Skills teaches three essential communication behaviors:
- Taking turns talking – Giving others a chance to speak and waiting for your turn
- Talking about the same topic – Making sure your response connects to what the other person said
- Talking about shared interests – Finding things you both like to talk about together
Students match simple illustrations to each skill and talk through what they see. The interactive format keeps learning visual and hands-on, which is ideal for preschool learners still developing pragmatic awareness. Each prompt is designed to spark conversation and reinforce the idea that conversations are shared, connected, and cooperative.
Lesson Plan: Teaching Preschool Conversation Skills
This 30-minute lesson works well in small groups or as a whole-class activity. It combines direct teaching, hands-on interaction, and real-life practice.
1. Introduction to Conversation Skills (5 minutes)
Begin by asking:
- “What is a conversation?”
- “Why do we talk with other people?”
Use examples from the classroom. Say:
- “When you’re building with blocks and your friend says something back, that’s a conversation.”
- “When we take turns sharing ideas at circle time, we’re having a conversation.”
Introduce the three key skills:
- Taking turns talking
- Talking about the same topic
- Talking about things you both like
Use hand motions or icons to help students visualize each skill. Repeat each definition and give a simple example.
2. Interactive Matching Activity (10 minutes)
Open the Interactive Matching Game and project it for the group or use it on individual devices.
Explain how it works: “You’ll see pictures of kids talking. Your job is to match each picture to the skill it shows.”
Walk through the first example together. After each match, pause and ask:
- “What are they doing in this picture?”
- “Why is that a good conversation skill?”
Encourage students to explain their thinking and relate it to their own experiences.
3. Role-Playing and Practice (10 minutes)
Once students understand each skill, bring them to life with role-play.
Try the following setups:
- One child holds a toy. Another asks about it, and they practice taking turns.
- Create a pretend scenario where two students discover they both love dinosaurs.
- Use felt boards or storybooks to cue familiar topics, then help students stay on topic during discussion.
Model correct and incorrect examples. Let students decide: “Was that a good conversation?”
4. Group Discussion and Reflection (5 minutes)
Gather students and ask:
- “What did we learn about having a conversation?”
- “What can we do to help our friends talk with us?”
You can chart their responses with icons or visuals. Reinforce that these skills help us listen, connect, and learn about others.
Supporting Generalization
To reinforce these skills throughout the day:
- Use visual cue cards for each skill during group time
- Praise students when you notice them using conversation behaviors: “I love how you waited your turn to talk. That helps the conversation keep going.”
- Build in short daily warm-ups using the matching game or conversation prompts related to play and classroom routines.
Why This Resource Works
This interactive activity helps young learners identify and reflect on core social behaviors that are often assumed but rarely taught directly. It supports early language goals, turn-taking practice, and social participation in group settings.
Because it’s visual, engaging, and easy to repeat, it’s a strong tool for introducing these skills and revisiting them often.
In the vibrant world of preschool, developing basic conversation skills is as essential as learning the ABCs. As Pre-K teachers, we play a crucial role in nurturing these skills early on. This blog post introduces a lesson plan focused on teaching preschoolers about conversation sharing, expressing personal likes, and discussing common topics. Our “Free Interactive Conversation Skills Activity for Preschool” is an invaluable tool for this topic.
The Importance of Conversation Skills in Preschool
Why Teach Basic Conversation Skills?
Conversation skills lay the foundation for social interaction and emotional intelligence. For preschoolers, learning how to communicate effectively is key to building relationships, expressing themselves, and understanding others.
Lesson Plan Overview
Objective: To teach preschoolers basic conversation skills using interactive activities.
Materials Needed: Free Interactive Conversation Skills Activity for Preschool
Duration: 30 minutes.
The Lesson Plan
1. Introduction to Conversation Skills (5 minutes)
- Start with a simple explanation of what a conversation is and why it’s important.
- Introduce three basic conversation skills: conversation sharing, talking about likes, and discussing similar topics.
2. Interactive Matching Activity (10 minutes)
- Use the “Free Interactive Conversation Skills Activity for Preschool.”
- Children match pictures to the correct skill.
- Facilitate discussions about each match and what it represents.
3. Role-Playing and Practice (10 minutes)
- Engage children in role-playing scenarios to practice each conversation skill.
- Use storybooks and props to create relatable situations.
4. Group Discussion and Reflection (5 minutes)
- Wrap up with a group discussion about what they learned.
- Encourage children to share their thoughts on using these skills in daily interactions.
Conclusion
Teaching basic conversation skills to preschoolers is an exciting and rewarding journey. By using our “Free Interactive Conversation Skills Activity for Preschool,” you can create a fun and engaging learning environment that fosters early social development. These skills are not just about talking; they’re about connecting, understanding, and thriving in a social world.
Sample Video
Students learn best from watching real students their own age model skills. Try out this sample video-modeling lesson below. We offer our entire Social-Emotional Learning platform free for 30 days here!
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Nurturing Social-Emotional Growth: Preschool Social Skills Videos
Nurturing Pragmatic Skills in Preschool: Engaging Activities for Social Communication
