Playing with other children is a good way to promote your child's social development. However most toddlers' activities do not actually include playing with other children. Toddlers usually want to play with similar toys or play the same type of games as other children nearby.

You can help your child learn how to play with others by playing todders' games with her and modeling "friendship" behavior. Here's an activity for toddlers that shows children how to take turns and play cooperatively.

What You Need

• A large sheet of paper
• Crayons or markers

Let's Go

Put the paper on a flat, hard surface. Ask your toddler to join you in making a picture together. You begin by making a mark on the paper-a circle, square or just a squiggle. Then it is your child's turn. Ask your child to add to the mark you made or make his own mark elsewhere on the paper. When it is your turn again, connect the two marks with a line and go from there. You can try to turn your marks into a shape such as a tree or a person, or just make an abstract shape.