Social skills games for kids: 12 games and what each one practices
Life Scenario team · Published · Ages 6–14
What are good social skills games for kids?
Good social skills games include Life Scenario, which we make (a child answers real-life situations in their own words), charades (reading body language), Twenty Questions (asking and listening), Guess Who? from Hasbro (yes-or-no questions) and Outfoxed! from Gamewright (a cooperative mystery, ages 5 and up). Choose the game whose rules contain the skill your child needs.
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Key takeaways
- A game practices a social skill when the skill is in the rules: you cannot play Twenty Questions without asking and listening.
- Most of these games need nothing but people. Five are boxed games from named publishers.
- Cooperative games, where everyone wins or loses together, are the easier start for a child who hates losing.
- Pick one line to practice per game, such as “Whose turn is it?”, and let the rest of the game be a game.
- A game at home is practice. It does not fix a group at school that keeps leaving your child out.
How to choose a social skills game
Start from the moment your child finds hard, then look for a game that makes them do that thing. A child who talks over people needs a game where listening decides who wins. A child who melts down when they lose needs many small losses that do not matter. Raising Children Network, the Australian parenting site, makes the same point in plainer words: games at home give children the chance to practice friendship skills, and board games help with taking turns.
Variety matters more than the perfect game. The same site suggests mixing board games, ball games, games of skill, games of chance and cooperative games such as charades. It also notes that children find it easier to lose a game of luck than a game of skill, because losing at luck says nothing about you. So for a sore loser, begin with dice and work up to strategy.
Keep in mind what play is for. The American Academy of Pediatrics describes play as something that improves children's ability to plan, get along with others and manage emotions. That happens through playing. A game that is stopped every two minutes for a lesson stops being play.
A game for practicing what to say
Life Scenario, the game made by the team behind this page, belongs on the list as a different kind of game. A child aged 6 to 14 hears a short real-life situation, such as a classmate skipping their turn, and answers in their own words. The game then gives feedback written by AI, and the child can try again. It practices the words themselves. It does not replace playing with real people, which is where turn-taking and losing are actually learned.
6 social skills games that need no equipment
Simon Says. One player gives instructions, and the others follow only when the instruction starts with “Simon says”. It practices listening to the whole sentence and stopping yourself, which is the hard part for an impulsive child. Let your child be Simon half the time.
Charades. One player acts out a word or film title without speaking, and the others guess. The actor has to think about what other people can see, and the guessers have to read a face and a body. It is also a game where nobody is really out.
Twenty Questions. One player thinks of an object, and the others have twenty yes-or-no questions to find it. Good questions build on the last answer, so a child who usually waits for their turn to speak has a reason to listen.
Back-to-back drawing. Two players sit back to back. One describes a simple picture and the other draws it from the description, asking questions as they go. Then compare the pictures. It shows a child, without a lecture, that what was clear in their head was not clear to the other person.
Story chain. Each player adds one sentence to a shared story. The only rule is that your sentence has to follow from the one before. It practices building on someone else's idea instead of replacing it.
Would You Rather, with a reason. Take turns asking a question with two choices, and each person says which and why. Then add a second round: say one thing you understand about the other person's choice. That is disagreeing politely in miniature.
5 board and card games that practice social skills
Snakes and Ladders. A game of pure luck with no publisher to speak of; any edition works. Because the dice decide everything, it is a safe place to practice waiting for a turn and saying “good game” after a loss.
Guess Who? (Hasbro). Each player picks a mystery character and asks yes-or-no questions to work out the other player's character. It is a two-player game, so it suits one parent and one child, and it rewards asking a useful question and remembering the answer.
Outfoxed! (Gamewright, ages 5 and up). Gamewright calls it a cooperative whodunit: players move around the board collecting clues and rule out suspects together before the guilty fox escapes. Everyone wins or loses as a team, so the conversation is “what should we do next?” and nobody gloats.
Forbidden Island (Gamewright, ages 10 and up). A cooperative game in which a team collects four treasures from an island that is sinking under them. Players have to plan several moves ahead together, which means proposing a plan, hearing a different one and settling on one.
Codenames (Czech Games Edition, ages 10 and up, four or more players). Two teams each have a spymaster who gives one-word clues pointing at several words on the table. To give a good clue you have to think about what your teammates know and how they will read it. It works well with a mix of children and adults.
6 things your child can say during a game
1.“I think it's my turn.”
For when a turn gets skipped. It assumes a mistake, so the other player can fix it without feeling accused, and it is short enough to say calmly.
2.“Can you say that another way?”
For back-to-back drawing or any unclear instruction. It teaches a child that asking again is a normal move and that guessing in silence is the riskier one.
3.“What do you think we should do?”
For cooperative games like Outfoxed! or Forbidden Island. It hands the next idea to a quieter player and stops one child running the whole team.
4.“Can we check the rule?”
For a disputed move. It points both players at the rule book instead of at each other, which keeps a disagreement about the game from turning into one about the person.
5.“Good game.”
For the end, win or lose. Two words a child can get out even when they are cross, and the habit carries straight over to recess and team sport.
6.“Do you want to go first this time?”
For the start of the next round. Offering first turn is a small generous act that costs little in a short game and is noticed by the other player.
Games give your child the turn-taking. The words for when something goes wrong in a game are a separate skill. In Life Scenario your child hears a moment like this one: you're playing a board game and another student has skipped your turn twice by mistake. They answer in their own words, get gentle feedback and can try again.
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What not to say (and what to say instead)
| Instead of | Try | Why |
|---|---|---|
| “This game will help your social skills.” | “Want to play Guess Who? after dinner?” | A child who hears that a game is treatment will play it like treatment. An invitation to play is enough. |
| “See, you never listen.” | “I missed that too. Ask me again?” | A mismatch in a game belongs to both players. Blaming one child turns a funny mistake into a verdict. |
| “Stop being a sore loser.” | “Losing stings. Good game. Rematch?” | Naming the feeling and offering the next round gives the child a way through. The label only gives them something else to be upset about. |
| “I'll let you win so you don't cry.” | “Let's play one where the dice decide.” | Losing every time teaches nothing and winning every time teaches nothing. A luck game gives fair wins and small losses. |
What do I say when a game ends in tears?
Stop the game and skip the lesson. “That was a rough one. Let's have a drink and decide later if we finish.” Raising Children Network advises helping a very upset child calm down first, and talking about what to do next time once they are calm. A child in tears cannot use advice.
Later, pick one thing for next time and practice it before the game starts: “If you lose a round, what are you going to say?” Rehearsing “good game” while calm is what makes it available when it counts. If losing is the main problem, there is a separate page on games that teach good sportsmanship, and another for when losing at video games turns into rage.
If your child plays well at home and falls apart with other children, the missing piece is using the skill under pressure. That gap has its own guide: the child who knows what to say but doesn't say it. And if the difficulty is getting into a game at school at all, start with what to say when kids won't let them play.
What if games at home are not enough?
What if my child cheats or changes the rules?
Go over the rules before you start and ask your child to agree to them. If it happens mid-game, pause and say the rule once: “One card per turn. Do you want to keep playing that way?” If they cannot, end the game calmly and try a shorter one tomorrow.
What if one child always takes over?
Choose a game with fixed roles, such as Codenames, or give each player a job in a cooperative game. Make “What do you think we should do?” the line of the day for the child who leads.
What if my child refuses to play at all?
Let them choose the game, or let them watch a round first. Some children will join a cooperative game when they would never risk a competitive one. A refusal is information about how losing feels to them.
When should I ask the school or a professional?
If your child wants friends and is turned away most days, or cannot get through any game with other children without a meltdown, tell the teacher what you see at home and ask what they see at school. A school counselor or your child's doctor can advise on next steps if it continues.
What to say at 6–8, 9–11 and 12–14
| Age | What changes | Line to try |
|---|---|---|
| 6–8 | Short games with clear turns: Simon Says, Snakes and Ladders, Guess Who? and Outfoxed!. Young children find formal rules hard, so keep rounds quick and waits short. | “Is it my turn now?” |
| 9–11 | Games where talking decides the result: Twenty Questions, back-to-back drawing, charades, Would You Rather with reasons. This is the age to practice disagreeing about a rule without falling out. | “Can we check the rule?” |
| 12–14 | Team games that respect their age: Codenames and Forbidden Island. Play as equals and let them explain the rules to you. Teenagers practice more when nobody calls it practice. | “What's your plan? Mine was different.” |
Key terms
- Cooperative game
- A game in which all players work toward one goal and win or lose together, such as Outfoxed! or Forbidden Island.
- Game of chance
- A game decided by luck, such as Snakes and Ladders. Losing says nothing about the player, which makes it easier to take.
- Game of skill
- A game decided by the players' choices, such as chess. Losing feels more personal, so it is a later step for a child who struggles with it.
- Turn-taking
- Waiting while someone else acts or speaks, then acting yourself. It is the base of both games and conversation.
Give your child 5 free practice scenarios
No card to start. No subscription, ever.
Try one short round together. Your child hears a situation such as a classmate skipping their turn in a board game for the second time, says what they would do, and gets gentle feedback with a chance to try again. You get a few prompts for a short conversation afterward.
Start practising freeQuestions parents ask
What are some fun games to teach social skills?
Charades for reading body language, Twenty Questions for asking and listening, back-to-back drawing for giving clear instructions, and cooperative board games such as Outfoxed! for working as a team.
What are examples of social games?
Any game that needs another person and some talking: Simon Says, Guess Who?, charades, Would You Rather, Codenames, card games and most board games. Solo puzzle games and most single-player video games are not social games in this sense.
Are board games good for social skills?
They can be. Board games make children wait for a turn, follow shared rules and cope with losing. The game does not do the teaching alone, though. Children pick up the habits when an adult plays fairly, names the rule calmly and says “good game” at the end.
Which social skills games work for a child who hates losing?
Start with cooperative games such as Outfoxed!, where the group wins or loses together, and luck games such as Snakes and Ladders, where a loss is nobody's fault. Move to games of skill later.
What do I say when my child cheats at a game?
State the rule once and offer a choice: “One card per turn. Do you want to keep playing that way?” Avoid “you're a cheater”. If the cheating continues, end the game without a speech and play again another day.
What do I say when my child refuses to play?
Offer a choice instead of an instruction: “Charades or Guess Who?” or “Do you want to watch one round first?” Let them leave after one game. Children who are allowed to stop are more willing to start.
Are there social skills games for teenagers?
Yes. Codenames and Forbidden Island are both listed by their publishers for ages 10 and up. Team games that need planning or clue-giving suit 12 to 14-year-olds better than anything labelled as a social skills game.
Sources
- Raising Children Network (Australia) — How to help your child make friends (2025): Games and activities at home give school-age children the chance to practice friendship skills; board games help children practice taking turns.
- Raising Children Network (Australia) — Playing fair: tips for kids & parents (2025): Children benefit from a variety of games, including cooperative games like charades; children find it easier to lose a game of luck than a game of skill; a very upset child should be helped to calm down before talking about what to do next time.
- American Academy of Pediatrics / HealthyChildren.org — The Power of Play: How Fun and Games Help Children Thrive (2023): Play can improve children's abilities to plan, organize, get along with others and regulate emotions.
- Gamewright — Outfoxed! (product page, opened 2 October 2026) (accessed 2026): Outfoxed! is a cooperative whodunit game for ages 5 and up in which players gather clues and work together to find the guilty fox before it escapes.
- Gamewright — Forbidden Island (product page, opened 2 October 2026) (accessed 2026): Forbidden Island is a cooperative game for ages 10 and up in which a team works together to capture four treasures from a sinking island.
- Czech Games Edition — Codenames (product page, opened 2 October 2026) (accessed 2026): In Codenames two rival spymasters give one-word clues to help their teammates identify their agents among 25 word cards; the game is listed for ages 10 and up and 4 to 8 or more players.
- Hasbro — Guess Who? Classic Game: official rules and instructions (opened 2 October 2026) (accessed 2026): In Guess Who? each player chooses a mystery character and uses yes-or-no questions to work out the other player's mystery character.
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