Social skills scenarios for 6–8 year olds: 37 real-life situations

By the Life Scenario team · Updated · For children 6–8

37 short situations that suit children aged 6 to 8, sorted by skill: taking turns in a board game, a friend who wants to borrow a toy again, a goal that didn’t count. Read one with your child, ask “What would you do?” and let them answer in their own words.

Every scenario here has an age range that covers the whole of 6–8, and each one shows that range. They are grouped by the main skill they practise.

The scenarios were written by the Life Scenario team together with child psychologists, and each one appears here exactly as it does in the game. To make a free printable, use your browser’s Print command: the page prints as a plain list.

Skills on this page: Self-control (10) · Empathy (2) · Courage (5) · Social awareness (3) · Self-awareness (4) · Resilience (3) · Confidence (2) · Optimism (2) · Belonging (2) · Honesty and integrity (4)

Self-control: 10 scenarios

  1. Interrupted conversations

    Ages 6–10

    Your parents are talking on the phone, and you really want to tell them something exciting. What’s the best way to handle it?

    Also practises: focus, social awareness

    Practise this one: Interrupted conversations

  2. Nervous Performer

    Ages 6–12

    Your teacher asks if anyone wants to perform a talent for Friday’s class. You’re interested but nervous others will laugh. What do you do?

    Also practises: courage, confidence

    Practise this one: Nervous Performer

  3. Classmate poker!

    Ages 6–14

    Your classmate keeps poking others with a pencil and making jokes during quiet time. He pokes someone and they yell "ouch". The teacher asks if anyone saw what happened. What do you do?

    Also practises: social awareness, responsibility

    Practise this one: Classmate poker!

  4. Cousin's Tall Tales at the Family Gathering

    Ages 6–14

    At a family gathering, your cousin starts making up stories about school to impress the adults. You know they’re not true. Everyone seems amazed. What do you do?

    Also practises: empathy, relationship skills, integrity

    Practise this one: Cousin's Tall Tales at the Family Gathering

  5. Gift Surprise

    Ages 6–14

    At a family party, you’re given a gift by someone you don’t know well. You don’t like it — and everyone is watching. What do you do?

    Also practises: empathy, relationship skills, responsibility

    Practise this one: Gift Surprise

  6. Juice Spill Giggles

    Ages 6–14

    Someone apologises quickly after spilling juice all over your artwork, but keeps laughing about it later. What do you do?

    Also practises: confidence, social awareness, resilience

    Practise this one: Juice Spill Giggles

  7. Mismatched Shoes

    Ages 6–14

    You rush to put on your shoes at school and realise too late that you’re wearing mismatched ones. A classmate points it out to the whole class and laughs. What do you do?

    Also practises: confidence, self-awareness, optimism

    Practise this one: Mismatched Shoes

  8. Nervous notes

    Ages 6–14

    Before your piano recital, you get nervous and want to drop out. Your parent and teacher both encourage you. What do you do?

    Also practises: empathy, relationship skills, responsibility

    Practise this one: Nervous notes

  9. Taking Turns

    Ages 6–14

    You’re playing a board game and another student keeps skipping your turn by mistake. It’s happened twice. What do you do?

    Also practises: resilience, confidence

    Practise this one: Taking Turns

  10. When Mistakes Make Us Giggle

    Ages 6–14

    In maths class, your teacher asks for an answer and you give the wrong one. Some of your friends giggle behind you. What do you do?

    Also practises: social awareness, focus, responsibility

    Practise this one: When Mistakes Make Us Giggle

All self-control scenarios, for every age

Empathy: 2 scenarios

  1. Friend Chooses Who to Sit With in Lunch Line

    Ages 6–14

    In the cafeteria line, your friend says he only wants to hang out with certain kids. Another student standing nearby hears and looks hurt. What do you do?

    Also practises: relationship skills, courage, social awareness

    Practise this one: Friend Chooses Who to Sit With in Lunch Line

  2. Why Won’t My Friend Talk?

    Ages 6–14

    Your best friend hasn’t spoken to you all day and seems upset. You didn’t do anything wrong — at least you think you didn’t. What do you do?

    Also practises: relationship skills, integrity, social awareness

    Practise this one: Why Won’t My Friend Talk?

All empathy scenarios, for every age

Courage: 5 scenarios

  1. Is This Video too Old for Us?

    Ages 6–11

    At a friend’s house, they start watching a YouTube video that says “for ages 12+.” No adults are around. What do you do?

    Also practises: empathy, integrity, self-control, responsibility

    Practise this one: Is This Video too Old for Us?

  2. Friend Wants to Borrow New Toy After Last Time's Accident

    Ages 6–12

    Your friend asks to play with your new toy, but the last time they broke one. They promise to be careful. What do you do?

    Also practises: relationship skills, empathy, social awareness

    Practise this one: Friend Wants to Borrow New Toy After Last Time's Accident

  3. Balancing Secrets and Safety

    Ages 6–14

    A friend shares something serious with you at recess and asks you not to tell anyone. Later, it seems like they might need help. What do you do?

    Also practises: relationship skills, empathy, social awareness

    Practise this one: Balancing Secrets and Safety

  4. Friends in a Tiff

    Ages 6–14

    Two of your friends stop talking and want you to 'choose sides.' What do you do?

    Also practises: relationship skills, empathy, social awareness

    Practise this one: Friends in a Tiff

  5. Toy Trouble

    Ages 6–14

    You're at your friend’s house and you borrow their toy and accidentally break a piece. They haven’t noticed yet. What do you do?

    Also practises: empathy, integrity, responsibility

    Practise this one: Toy Trouble

All courage scenarios, for every age

Social awareness: 3 scenarios

  1. Echoes of the Coach

    Ages 6–14

    During PE, your teammates repeat what the coach says in a mocking tone. The coach hasn’t noticed. You’re not sure if it’s funny or rude. What do you do?

    Also practises: relationship skills, confidence, resilience

    Practise this one: Echoes of the Coach

  2. Left Out of Sleepover

    Ages 6–14

    You hear your classmates talking about a weekend sleepover but you are not invited. What do you do?

    Also practises: relationship skills, courage, empathy

    Practise this one: Left Out of Sleepover

  3. When Laughter Hurts

    Ages 6–14

    During group work, one classmate makes a loud, rude comment about someone’s idea. The group laughs. What do you do?

    Also practises: courage, empathy, relationship skills

    Practise this one: When Laughter Hurts

All social awareness scenarios, for every age

Self-awareness: 4 scenarios

  1. Friend's Success

    Ages 6–14

    Your best friend wins an award you also applied for. You’re happy for them — but when everyone congratulates them, you feel a sting in your chest and catch yourself saying, “It’s fine, I didn’t even want it.”

    Later, you realise you did really want it, and you feel a bit jealous. What do you do?

    Also practises: empathy, resilience

    Practise this one: Friend's Success

  2. The Goal that didn't count

    Ages 6–14

    You kick the ball into the goal during a family soccer game, but your older brother says it didn’t go in — even though you think it did. Everyone’s watching. What do you do?

    Also practises: integrity, self-control

    Practise this one: The Goal that didn't count

  3. The Participation Medal

    Ages 6–14

    At a fun family race, you don’t win a medal — but your little brother does. You feel jealous when everyone cheers for him. How should you respond?

    Also practises: optimism, self-control, social awareness

    Practise this one: The Participation Medal

  4. Whispers and Glasses

    Ages 6–14

    You overhear a whisper about someone’s new glasses looking ‘weird.’ The student hears it too and goes quiet. What do you do?

    Also practises: self-control, confidence, courage

    Practise this one: Whispers and Glasses

All self-awareness scenarios, for every age

Resilience: 3 scenarios

  1. Group work isn't fun

    Ages 6–10

    Your teacher announces a new group project and says,

    “You can choose your own teams.”

    Within seconds, everyone starts pairing up. You turn around — the classmates you usually work with already grouped together without asking you.

    Someone glances at you and says,

    “Sorry, our group’s full.”

    You feel your face burn.

    You could go ask to join another group, but the thought of being rejected again makes your stomach twist.

    You consider pretending you’d rather work alone — but deep down, you don’t want to.

    What do you do?

    Also practises: belonging, confidence, optimism

    Practise this one: Group work isn't fun

  2. It doesn't add up!

    Ages 6–10

    You’re working on a tricky maths problem in class. You try a few times but keep getting the answer wrong. Some classmates finish quickly. You feel frustrated and want to give up. What do you do?

    Also practises: confidence, self-awareness, focus

    Practise this one: It doesn't add up!

  3. Team Captain

    Ages 6–14

    Your cousin is chosen as team captain even though you’ve played longer. You feel it’s unfair. What’s the best way to handle your feelings?

    Also practises: self-control, belonging

    Practise this one: Team Captain

All resilience scenarios, for every age

Confidence: 2 scenarios

  1. Quiet no more

    Ages 6–14

    At school, people call you “the quiet one.”

    You hear it so often that even when you want to speak up, you stop yourself because “quiet” feels like your role.

    But lately you’ve started to wonder if you’ve let that label decide too much about you.

    Also practises: self-awareness, courage

    Practise this one: Quiet no more

  2. Tryout Nerves

    Ages 6–14

    You’ve practiced for weeks to make the school sports team. On tryout day, you miss your first shot — then your second. You can feel everyone watching. Your coach frowns and writes something on their clipboard.

    You start to think, "Maybe I’m just not good enough." What do you do?

    Also practises: courage, resilience, self-awareness

    Practise this one: Tryout Nerves

All confidence scenarios, for every age

Optimism: 2 scenarios

  1. Costume Parade: Rainbow Unicorn Meets Superheroes

    Ages 6–10

    It’s Costume Parade Day at school! You decided to dress as a rainbow unicorn, because you love bright colors and magical things. When you arrive, some kids laugh a little at your costume. You feel a bit shy and wonder if you should’ve worn something “cooler.” Your teacher announces that everyone will walk across the stage to show off their costume. You're next. What do you do?

    Also practises: belonging, confidence

    Practise this one: Costume Parade: Rainbow Unicorn Meets Superheroes

  2. Bright Colors, Big Decisions

    Ages 6–14

    It’s pyjama day and you forgot. Everyone else is in bright colors. You've gone to school with your normal school uniform. What do you do?

    Also practises: courage, empathy, self-awareness

    Practise this one: Bright Colors, Big Decisions

All optimism scenarios, for every age

Belonging: 2 scenarios

  1. Project Mix Mash!

    Ages 6–10

    Your teacher puts you in a group for a big project, but everyone already seems to have friends in the group except you. They start talking about plans from last year that you don’t know about. You want to join your old group because you know them. What do you do?

    Also practises: courage, self-control, relationship skills

    Practise this one: Project Mix Mash!

  2. Friendships choices

    Ages 6–14

    A new student sits alone at lunch. You want to sit with your usual group, but you also don’t want the new kid to feel left out. What do you do?

    Also practises: empathy, courage

    Practise this one: Friendships choices

All belonging scenarios, for every age

Honesty and integrity: 4 scenarios

  1. Swapped Goody Bags

    Ages 6–10

    You accidentally grabbed your friend’s birthday goody bag instead of yours. Theirs had something special in it that you like. What do you do?

    Also practises: courage, empathy, social awareness

    Practise this one: Swapped Goody Bags

  2. When Friends Dare You to Be Mean

    Ages 6–10

    At recess, a friend dares you to say something mean to another student “as a joke.” A few others are watching. What do you do?

    Also practises: empathy, social awareness

    Practise this one: When Friends Dare You to Be Mean

  3. Classmate Copy

    Ages 6–12

    A classmate keeps asking to copy your math's homework. You like them and don’t want to cause trouble. What do you do?

    Also practises: courage, empathy, relationship skills

    Practise this one: Classmate Copy

  4. Meal was.....

    Ages 6–14

    You’re having dinner at your friend’s house. Their parent serves food that you really don’t like, but everyone else is eating and saying how good it is. Your friend’s mum looks at you and asks, “Do you like it?”

    Also practises: social awareness, courage

    Practise this one: Meal was.....

Honesty scenarios for kids, with a strong answer for each

How to use these with 6–8 year olds

What children this age can usually manage

Most children this age can follow a short story and say what they would do next, especially when the setting is one they know, like the playground, a party or the family table. Fairness and what a grown-up thinks matter a lot to them. Guessing what someone else feels but hasn’t said, or holding two feelings at once, is often still hard, so keep the questions concrete.

How long to spend

Five minutes and one scenario is plenty. Stop while your child still wants another go. Coming back to the same scenario a week later is fine, and many children like knowing what is coming.

How to prompt

  1. Read the scenario to your child, then ask “What would you do?” and wait. A one-line answer is a good answer.
  2. If they are stuck, offer two choices and let them pick, for example “Would you ask for your turn, or tell the teacher?”
  3. Ask about one feeling at a time: “How does your friend feel now?” If naming feelings is new, point to faces in a picture book together.
  4. Act it out with toys or puppets. Answering for a teddy is often easier than answering for yourself.
  5. Finish by saying the line they chose together, once, and leave it there.

Questions parents and teachers ask

What social skills should a 6 to 8 year old be practising?

Taking turns, joining a game, losing without a meltdown, owning up to small mistakes, saying sorry and noticing when a friend is sad. The scenarios on this page cover these in places children of this age know: school, playdates and family gatherings.

Can my child use these if they can’t read well yet?

Yes. Read the scenario to them and let them answer. Working out what to do is the part that matters, and the reading can come later. In the game, sit with them and read the situation together.

Why are some of these scenarios on the 9–11 page too?

Many situations, like taking turns or being left out of a sleepover, work across a wide range of ages. Each scenario shows its own range, and this page lists the ones whose range covers 6, 7 and 8.

Are any of these too much for a 6 year old?

A few ask a lot, such as a friend who shares a worrying secret and a video meant for older children. Read those yourself first and choose when to use them. The board game, family race and party scenarios are gentler places to start.

Guides for parents of children this age

More scenario lists

The whole scenario library