Sharing and forgiveness are important lessons for kids in private kindergarten. They help children develop a sense of empathy, make new friends, and learn to accept that another person’s things are off-limits until given permission. Here are 3 ways children can be taught the value of sharing, and you are certain to find new ones of your own.
1. Caring is Sharing
Talk to preschool children about the people that have shared things with them such as food or toys. Ask the children how it made them feel to be shared with and then talk about people they care about and want to give that same special feeling with. By showing them how to associate the good feeling that came from someone sharing with them to actions they can perform themselves, you empower children to be more outgoing and considerate.2. Gifts and Friendships
Wrap an empty box with decorative paper, bows, and any other bright decorations that seem appropriate. This is the friendship box and only one child can hold it at a time, but it has great power. To play the game, the first child offers the box to someone else and says, “I want to share this with you because...” followed by something they like about the person they are giving it to. Then the new holder repeats the process. Each child may only receive the box once, so no one will be left out or favored. They can like the person’s smile, or the way they wear their hair, or even the color of the other child’s shoes. It doesn’t matter what they like about the other child so much as the act of sharing their feelings.3. Sharing Ideas and Knowledge
Montessori classrooms have mixed age groups, and one of the reasons Maria Montessori set it that way was so that older, more experienced children can assist and teach the younger ones. But that assistance is also a form of sharing, and it amounts to children accepting responsibility for their community. The same concept applies to the local community, where kind deeds and thoughtful gestures can really brighten up someone else’s day.Learning the value of sharing enhances the relationships between children, families, and communities. Children are developmentally ready to learn the art of sharing by the time they enter kindergarten, as they develop empathy and learn that they have the ability to make someone else a little happier.
