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Social Skills Matching Game

  1. The game can be played with 2-4 players.
  2. Place the cards face down in the middle of the players.
  3. Each player has a turn and picks up a card. The player turns the card over and acts out the activity shown on the card. (For example, if the card is hello, the child waves or says “hi “to the other players). An adult may need to help the child act out the activity.
  4. Then the player places the card on the matching square contained on his/her board.
  5. The game is over when all the players have the matching pieces on their boards.
  6. If a player turns over a card she/he already has:i.e. bubbles, she/he gives the card to a friend who does not have the card yet. The friend acts out the activity:i.e. blows bubbles and then, the player who shared the card is given another turn to find a new card.

Activities for each card:

  • Card one: Say “hi” to your friend
  • Card two: Shake hands with your friend (or the whole group)
  • Card three: Blow bubbles to a friend
  • Card four: Give a friend a high five (or the whole group)
  • Card five: Hug
  • Card six: Sing a song with your friends. The child who has the card can choose the song and everyone sings. Possible songs include: Row Row Your Boat, Ring Around the Rosie, etc.

*To facilitate socialization, it is important that an adult be involved in the game and assist

*An example of possible activity pictures depicting the activities for the matching board and cards is on page two of this document. You can create the matching board and cards using drawn pictures, magazine pictures or photographs.

Example of Pictures for Social Game Board and Cards.

(taken from the Boardmaker Program:Mayer-Johnson Co.)


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