How to Use Movement to Improve Engagement in Social Skills Groups

Diana Cortese Author

It may seem counterintuitive but if you want your students to be calm and focused, adding movement to your Social Skills Group is the way to go!

A recent study published in Frontiers in Pediatrics showed that physical movement had a positive affect not just on motor skills but cognitive achievements as well. Movement based learning is non-negotiable for children's engagement, especially in social skills groups where participation and interaction are key.

Why Movement is Essential in Social Skills Groups

If you want your students to maintain their interest in your social skills group, it is imperative that you incorporate movement. Research has consistently shown that active learning enhances engagement, retention, and overall success in social-emotional development.

Since playing outdoor games and having dance parties is not always an option, we need to get creative! Structured movement-based activities can help children with ADHD, autism, and other social communication challenges develop essential social interaction skills in a fun and natural way.

Not only is movement more fun and a welcome change from the monotony of their day, but physical activity actually triggers the release of dopamine and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are directly tied to feeling motivated and focused. This means that incorporating movement into your social skills lessons can help children stay engaged, regulate their emotions, and practice conversational turn-taking in a more meaningful way.

3 Fun and Engaging Movement-Based Social Skills Activities

1. Bean Bag Toss Conversation Starters

An easy way to include movement while building conversation skills is to use these sentence starters (e.g. "I love when..." "My favorite thing is...." "I can't stand it when...") and place them on the floor or outside on the ground. 

1. Have your students stand up and circle around the strips.

2. Give them a bean bag.

3. Let them take turns tossing the bean bag to any sentence starter they want.

4. Whatever it lands on, that child will complete the sentence and then ask that question to another peer. 

You can extend this interactive game by then encouraging the person who just answered to ask the same or a related question back to that person. This encourages social interaction, expressive communication, and peer engagement in an exciting way.

2. Social Skills Scavenger Hunts

Another super fun way to naturally incorporate movement is to have your students go on scavenger hunts!

1. Pair students up and give one an expo marker and one the scavenger hunt on a clipboard.
2. Have them search for specific items or complete small social tasks (e.g., "Find someone who has the same favorite color as you").
3. Students switch roles halfway through to ensure both partners practice communication and teamwork.

Scavenger hunts are always a hit in my social skills groups! They help children practice teamwork, problem-solving, and nonverbal communication skills while staying active.

3. Charades with Emotions

1. Have one jar with pictures or written text of emotions like "confused" or "excited."

2. Another jar with pictures or written text of actions like "ice skating" or "climbing a ladder."

3. When it is their turn, the student will pick one from each jar and act out that action while displaying that emotion through their body language and facial expression.

4. The other players can just shout out what they think the person is acting out and how they feel until they get it right!

This game gets really funny as the emotions will most often not correlate with the action! 

The Connection Between Movement and Social Learning

Movement-based activities provide a multi-sensory approach to learning, helping students improve self-regulation, cooperation, and communication skills. By incorporating these activities into your social skills groups, you are creating an engaging and effective learning environment that fosters real-world social interactions.

Learn More About Social Skills Groups

If you're looking for more guidance on creating your own social skills groups, check out my online professional development course, Social Skills Groups for 21st Century Kids. This course provides strategies, lesson plans, and research-backed approaches to help educators and therapists create engaging and effective social skills interventions.

What other ways can you get your kids moving besides playing outside games? There is always a way! Experiment with these activities and watch as your students develop stronger communication, teamwork, and social awareness skills

Categories: : movement, social skills, social skills group