Adjectives such as shy, passive, withdrawn and anti-social are usually used to describe introverted children. Still, even though they might be shy and have trouble communicating their thoughts and feelings to others does not necessarily mean that they would not like to share their observations with the world and take part in fun activities like other kids.
The key is to provide the perfect activity an introverted child would enjoy, without pushing them too much to do something they do not feel comfortable with. This approach would only backfire. A responsible parent of an introverted child should pay close attention to the child’s interests and behavior to eventually help the child fit in, or simply cope with different surroundings.
Use the creativity
This is not a general rule, but introverted children are often thought to be more introspective. They think a lot, have good creativity potential and perceive the world around them in a more artistic and spiritual way. Therefore, a good activity for these children would definitely be something creative, like painting, drawing and colouring, depending on the age of the child.
With this type of fun pastime, kids are not only able to enjoy themselves but express their personality and perception as well, which is a good start for verbal expression later on. What’s more, children who devote a lot of their time to artistic activity such as drawing can also enter competitions where they can possibly win or at least spend time doing something they love with other children, without too much pressure of being in a group.
Let them read
A lot of introverted children would list reading as their favourite hobby. Therefore, it is essential that the parents do not try to pressure the kids to put the book down and go out and play. If this is something that a child thoroughly enjoys, it should be turned into an advantage. Even regular visits to the library can make a child more open to others.
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Moreover, activities like Read-a-Thon and Spelling Bee contests base their success on previous reading time, and a child who reads a lot can easily win and feel accepted in this kind of environment. If they are not pressured, they could even start winning in games based on their written word. Not to mention that kids who read a lot from an early age are bound to develop great vocabulary and a way of expressing themselves later in life.
Encourage the mind
Furthermore, it is not surprising that a big number of introverted children enjoy logic tasks and other games where they need to use their minds to solve problems. Parents should nurture this child’s potential gradually. A relaxed start with puzzles can always lead to improvement in social behavior with puzzle solving play dates where children do not have to talk a lot to each other at first.
Setting up some Internet educational games is also a good way to let the child play with other kids without the anxiousness of being with others face to face. A positive parental attitude can undeniably provide a child with more security in trying some more challenging games, such as Sudoku games, and even trying their luck in solving these problems with other children and winning the competitions. Slowly, they will get used to being with other kids that share similar interests to them thus having a common ground to make friends.
The important thing for every parent with introverted children is to be patient and not try to make them do things ‘like other normal children’. Introverted kids need to learn that things that they like and enjoy doing are perfectly acceptable and that there is no reason to feel ashamed of them, since they can turn those interests into something valuable they excel at and are respected for.
Sophia Smith is a freelance writer from Brisbane, Australia with huge interest in beauty and DIY projects. She could be described as beauty addict and life lover. She writes mostly in beauty and lifestyle related topics, mainly through blogs and articles. Sophia is regular contributor at High Style Life.
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.