Children's Activities to Teach Reliability
- Learning about reliability will improve a child's interaction with others.kids image by Marzanna Syncerz from Fotolia.com
Because children are impressionable, they quickly learn life values and lessons. Reliability is an important concept for children to acquire. It teaches children about self-awareness, what others expect of them and trustworthiness to complete tasks. According to education.com, with mastery of these skills, children will have better interaction with peers, sharing toys and responding appropriately in social situations. Games and other activities help children understand why people rely on them, and how they should respond. - Trust falls are an amusing way to help children develop reliability in relation to each other. This activity requires a large group of children and adult supervision. One child stands on a table or another raised platform. The group gathers beneath the table with their arms out and says together, "We support you." The child on the table stands with their back toward the group and says, "I trust you." The child falls backward and the group catches him. This activity demonstrates the ability to rely on others. After the trust fall activity hold a discussion on the importance of being there for someone who relies on you. Also address the consequences of betraying someone's trust.
- Young children can learn the concept of reliability through regular household chores. Make household chores motivational by making them into games. Tell children that whoever puts away the most toys will win an ice pop. Explain to children why you depend on them to keep their bedroom clean. Introduce small tasks like clearing the table, helping to care for pets, sorting laundry and throwing away trash. Share the consequences of a messy home and danger factors in stray toys on the floor. Create incentives for children to make their bed like an extra half hour of television. Children will feel a sense of responsibility when they understand that parents rely on them to do chores. Kids also feel a sense of pride in their belongings when they know that they are responsible for them.
- A trust chart helps children track their expectations and accomplishments. Create a chart for each child with several items that you rely on them to accomplish. Some common reliability items are earning good grades, eating fruits and vegetables, and good behavior. Talk with children about what their chart should include. Discuss what it means to rely on them to accomplish these goals. Keep track of the child's accomplishments with stars or stickers. Incentives are one of the most effective ways to teach children about reliability, according to education.com. Children will associate the tasks with a reward. They will become comfortable with people relying on them for various tasks. Using a trust chart helps to develop children with trustworthy characters.