The social skills that are important for first grade build heavily on the social-emotional milestones that your child began to develop in kindergarten. The main focus in first grade with relation to social needs is the ability to communicate and interact.

Here are 20 social skills that have been vital for first graders:

1. Shows confidence in self and demonstrates a sense of self-worth.

2. Follows rules and routines at home and in kindergarten

3. Uses materials purposefully and respectfully

4. Comfortably adapts to changes

5. Shows eagerness and curiosity as a learner

6. Sustains attention to a single task over a period of time

7. Works, plays and shares with others

8. Interacts easily with familiar adults

9. Participates in group activities

10. Respects the feelings and rights of others

11. Uses words to resolve conflicts

12. Seeks adult help when needed

13. Your child may be starting to discriminate between fact, fiction and fantasy.

14. Begins to step outside of self to see things from another’s point of view.

15. Relates well to encouragement for acceptable behaviors. Many teachers refer to this as their students were “caught being good.”

16. They are enthusiastic, energetic and competitive.

17. They are social and may begin to have a best friend.

18. Thrive on encouragement and can be crushed on small criticism.

19. They can be bossy.

20. They may begin to test the limits of authority.