Developing positive play skills sets a strong foundation for healthy friendships and positive peer interactions, especially in Pre-K and Kindergarten. Many young students require explicit opportunities to practice the social language and routines involved in joining play with others. The “Practicing Asking a Friend to Play Activity” provides a practical, no-prep resource tailored to this essential area, making it easier for educators and support staff to cultivate these skills directly within the classroom or therapy setting.

What Are Play Skills?

Play skills refer to the abilities that enable children to engage with peers, share materials, take turns, follow group rules, and use appropriate language to initiate, sustain, and wrap up shared activities. Foundational play skills include knowing how to ask someone to play, joining ongoing games, responding positively or assertively when invited to play, and coping with turn-taking or minor frustrations during play. At the Pre-K and Kindergarten levels, these skills are closely related to the development of early friendship and group cooperation abilities.

Simply telling children to “play nicely” is often not enough. Many young learners benefit from explicit instruction, supportive visuals, and structured practice of these social language patterns. The “Practicing Asking a Friend to Play Activity” uses concrete scenarios and clear prompts to guide students step-by-step in learning how to invite others into play, respond appropriately, and reflect on these experiences.

Why Teach Play Skills?

Directly teaching play skills in early childhood settings creates multiple benefits, including:

• Laying the groundwork for making and maintaining friends
• Improving cooperative group behavior and reducing social isolation
• Building self-esteem and communication skills
• Decreasing the likelihood of social misunderstandings and peer conflicts
• Empowering students to advocate for themselves and others during play
• Helping students navigate peer rejection or disappointment in a healthy way
• Fostering a positive classroom environment that values inclusion
• Supporting pragmatic language development critical for future academic and life success

Children do not automatically possess the social tools needed to enter or sustain group play, especially those who have social communication challenges, are new to group settings, or have limited peer modeling at home. Intentional practice with resources like the “Practicing Asking a Friend to Play Activity” bridges the gap between knowing about sharing or turn-taking and actively applying these skills with peers in real situations.

Lesson Plan: Using Practicing Asking a Friend to Play Activity

The “Practicing Asking a Friend to Play Activity” is a no-prep printable tool featuring story-based scenarios, discussion questions, and structured participation opportunities.

Below are suggested steps to maximize the instructional impact with Pre-K and Kindergarten students, whether working in whole group, small group, or one-on-one.

Step 1: Introduce the Concept of Inviting Peers to Play

Begin with a whole group discussion or a focused small group talk. Explain that playing with friends is a special way to have fun together and get to know new people. Emphasize that sometimes friends are waiting for someone to join them or need help inviting others. Display the first page of the activity and ask students if they have ever wanted to play with someone but were not sure how to ask. Allow several students to share experiences.

Use visuals from the PDF to highlight:

• Examples of phrases for inviting a friend to play (“Would you like to play with me?”)
• How it feels to be invited and how it feels to be left out

Encourage students to note the importance of kind words, friendly body language, and smiling or making eye contact when inviting someone to play.

Step 2: Model the Skill With Visuals and Anchoring Language

Demonstrate how to ask a friend to play using toy props, puppets, or student volunteers as role players. Read aloud the sample scenarios from the activity sheet, such as “You see a friend playing with blocks and want to join.” Ask the group, “What could you say? How should your face and body look?”

Practice together as a group, chorally repeating sample invitation phrases such as:

• “Can I play with you?”
• “Would you like to play with me?”
• “Do you want to play tag together?”

Display or post these phrases in the classroom as visual reminders. Ask a volunteer to demonstrate inviting someone to play, then swap roles to allow multiple students to practice both extending and receiving invitations.

Step 3: Guided Practice Using the Activity Sheets

Distribute copies of the “Practicing Asking a Friend to Play Activity” sheets. Review the illustrated scenario on the first page. Guide students through the thought bubbles and prompt them to imagine what characters might say or feel. Facilitate discussion around each question from the activity, such as how to respond if a friend says yes or if the friend is not ready to play.

Incorporate the “Let’s Practice” section by pairing up students. Assign one as the inviter and one as the invitee. Each pair takes turns using the sample phrases and then switching roles. Staff can circulate to provide support, feedback, or encouragement. Reinforce positive social language, clear speaking, polite refusal, and persistence in trying again later if a peer cannot play immediately.

Step 4: Group Debrief and Reflection

Bring students back together for a brief group debrief. Prompt reflection using the discussion questions from the activity:

• How did it feel to ask someone to play?
• What made it easier or harder?
• How did you feel when someone invited you?
• What could you do if a peer says “no” or cannot play right now?

As students respond, affirm all attempts and help link the conversation to real-life examples in the classroom. Summarize that everyone has the right to invite others to play, and it feels friendly to both ask and be asked.

Step 5: Plan for Application During Free Play

Encourage students to use the phrases and social routines practiced during the next recess or center time. Post the anchor visuals near the play space or provide a small prompt card to students who may need reminders. Staff can intentionally watch for students initiating play invitations and offer praise or gentle support if needed. Keep the focus on effort and growth rather than perfection.

Supporting Play Skills After the Activity

Skill development continues well after an initial lesson, particularly for young children with evolving pragmatic and emotional regulation abilities. Sustaining progress requires environmental support, frequent modeling, and ongoing opportunities for generalization. Here are some ways to continue supporting play skills:

• Embed social language reminders into daily class routines, using anchor charts or posted visuals from the activity.
• Offer gentle prompts during free play or group projects, such as: “What could you say to invite her to join you with the blocks?”
• Recognize and praise students for positive play invitations. Try, “I noticed you invited someone new to play today. That was kind.”
• Facilitate buddy or small group rotations to ensure all students practice inviting as well as being invited.
• Read picture books about friendship and group play, linking story events to play skill language.
• Collaborate with caregivers to share strategies and phrases so that students can practice at home with siblings or family members.
• If a student is struggling with peer interactions, schedule brief individual or small group check-ins to rehearse or problem-solve common scenarios.
• Celebrate all efforts to include others, highlighting the importance of kindness and friendship within the classroom community.

Wrapping Up: Celebrating Growth in Friendship Skills

Consistent, structured practice using resources like the “Practicing Asking a Friend to Play Activity” enhances both the confidence and competence of young students as they navigate the social world of school. Making invitations to play is a foundational friendship skill that supports self-expression, empathy, and community belonging. Educators and clinicians play a critical role by teaching, modeling, and reinforcing these skills in daily routines. When children feel empowered to initiate play, respond to peers kindly, and problem solve minor setbacks, the groundwork is laid for long-term peer relationships and school success. Continued collaboration among school teams ensures that all students receive the targeted support needed to thrive both in and out of the classroom.