How to Deal With Shy Children

Welcoming a shy child to your class can be challenging when you are juggling a dozen other children and a hectic schedule. Finding little ways to promote their comfort and build trust between the child and yourself takes patience and fine-tuned observation skills on your part. Knowing when to give extra attention and when to give the child space is a balancing act, but in time even the shyest children come around. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

1. Ease into things. Shy children can be easily overwhelmed by too much attention. Asking question after question or drawing attention to the child can create an extremely uncomfortable environment for them. Find a routine of special questions or "helper" activities that the child can count on and is special to just the two of you.

2. Make it a point to check on them during individual activities and play. It's easy to forget a shy child is there because they are so quiet and usually don't speak up when they need something. Before you know it, they've been sitting in their seat staring at a blank piece of paper because they don't have a pair of scissors. It may seem like you're babying them for the first 2-3 weeks, but you're really building a foundation of trust that you care about them and that they are important.

3. Set up opportunities for the child to play with other shy kids as well as more outgoing kids. If you see the child playing alone or watching other kids play while looking lost or unsure of what to do with himself, take his hand and lead him to another child playing alone and say "Kevin, you look like you could use some help with those Lego's. How about if Jeffrey joins you?"

4. Allow for independent work and play during the day. This takes the stress off of the child for a little while and allows them to relax without the pressure of socializing.

5. Praise the child for small achievements. Display their artwork in the classroom, use their work and behavior as good examples for the rest of the class. In addition, be sure to keep the parents up to speed on any advancement he is making.

6. Assign them "social" roles, such as the door holder. This requires them to be "seen" and noticed by each child and provides the children with an opportunity to say "thank you" to the child.