Sharing is easier to learn when children can practice it in real situations, with clear expectations and room to make choices. These ten activities use play, art, food, and everyday routines to help families, teachers, and caregivers introduce turn-taking, cooperation, and asking before taking. Each idea can be adjusted for the children involved; the goal is not perfect behavior, but repeated chances to notice others and work out fair solutions.
1. Pass-and-Play Toy Turns
Choose a toy that is easy to pass, such as a soft ball, a toy car, or a large building block, and invite children to use it in turn. Say whose turn it is and what happens next, using a simple cue such as passing the ball after a roll or handing over the car when it reaches a marked spot. This makes waiting visible and predictable instead of asking a child to give up a favorite object without warning. Keep the first rounds short, and offer a different toy to use while waiting if that helps children stay involved.
2. Build One Shared Structure
Set out a collection of blocks and suggest that the group build one structure together, such as a bridge for toy animals or a house with a doorway. Give each child a practical role, like choosing the next block, placing a piece, or checking whether the structure stands, and rotate those roles as the building continues. Children have to make room for one another’s ideas and materials, so the activity gives sharing a purpose beyond simply handing something over. If disagreement starts, ask the group to name two possible ways to include both ideas, such as adding a second tower or changing the plan.
3. Make a Collaborative Drawing
Use a large sheet of paper and a small set of crayons or washable markers to create a shared picture. Each child can add a part of a scene, such as a road, garden, or pretend town, while taking turns with colors that are in demand; invite them to ask for a color and wait for it to be passed. The group can decide together where new details belong, which encourages children to listen as well as share supplies. A shared picture also gives the group something to talk about afterward, including the choices each person contributed.
4. Share Materials in a Simple Craft
Pick a craft with naturally shared supplies, such as decorating paper crowns with stickers, scraps of paper, and glue sticks. Put a manageable amount of each material in the middle rather than giving every child a complete duplicate set, then model phrases such as “May I use the glue when you are finished?” and “Here you go.” Children get a concrete reason to notice who needs a tool and to return it when they are done. Keep the project open-ended so no child has to surrender a particular item or copy someone else’s design to participate.
5. Take Turns With a Cooperative Game
Choose a simple game in which players work toward a shared outcome, such as moving all the pieces to a finish space or completing a matching board together. Before play begins, agree on a turn order and show how the game piece or spinner is passed to the next player. Because success belongs to the group, children can practice waiting and cheering for someone else without every turn feeling like a contest. If the rules are difficult to remember, use a visible pointer or pass a small token to show who acts next.
6. Prepare a Shared Snack
With an adult handling any food preparation that requires it, children can help arrange a snack on a plate or tray and offer portions to one another. They might pass napkins, ask who would like a piece, or take turns using a serving spoon, with an adult making sure everyone has a fair opportunity and honoring individual food needs. The routine connects sharing with care: children can notice what others need without being told to give away food from their own plate. Keep hygiene in mind by using clean serving utensils and avoiding shared handling of ready-to-eat food.
7. Create a Group Story
Start a story with a simple opening, such as a character finding a mysterious box, and invite each child to add the next event. Set a clear turn order so everyone knows when to contribute, and encourage children to build on the previous idea rather than replacing it. This shares speaking time and the direction of the story, which can be just as important as sharing toys. If a child is not ready to speak, let them suggest an idea to an adult or choose between two possible next events, so participation does not depend on performing in front of the group.
8. Run a Pretend Shop
Arrange a pretend shop with a few play items, baskets, and reusable paper tokens, then let children take turns being the shopkeeper and customer. The shopkeeper practices offering choices and passing items, while the customer practices waiting, asking politely, and returning objects when the play transaction is over. Switch roles so children experience both giving access to materials and asking someone else for them. An adult can model a calm response when two customers want the same item, such as offering a turn after the current customer finishes or suggesting another item for now.
9. Make a Group Obstacle Course
Use cushions, floor markers, or sturdy household objects to create a safe route that children can take one at a time. The group can share setup jobs, decide where a marker goes, and agree on how to signal that the next person may start; an adult should check the course for hazards and supervise the movement. Waiting for a clear turn helps children see that shared space belongs to everyone, not just the fastest participant. After each round, invite children to suggest one adjustment together, such as moving a marker or making room for a different way to travel through the course.
10. Practice Sharing During Cleanup
Turn cleanup into a shared task by sorting toys into labeled baskets or assigning children different areas to tidy. Demonstrate how to pass an item to the person nearest the right basket, or how to make space so another child can put something away, rather than having everyone reach for the same objects. This routine shows that cooperation includes shared responsibility, not only access to desirable toys. Give specific, encouraging feedback about the action you noticed, such as waiting for a basket or handing a piece to a classmate, so children can connect the behavior with its effect on the group.
How to Choose
Start with the kind of sharing that is hardest in the setting. If children struggle to wait for a highly wanted toy, a predictable pass-and-play routine may be more useful than a craft; if disputes often happen over ideas, a group drawing or story gives them practice negotiating choices. Think about the materials, space, and adult attention available, too. A snack activity needs close supervision and attention to food needs, while a drawing or pretend shop may be easier to adapt to a classroom table or living room.
Consider whether the activity offers a genuine choice. Sharing does not have to mean making a child hand over a personal comfort object or immediately surrender something they are using. Instead, set expectations around communal materials, turns, and asking, and explain when an item will become available. Use language children can repeat, such as “Can I have a turn when you’re done?” or “Let’s find another one while we wait.” When a child says no, help the children work out a boundary-respecting option rather than forcing an exchange.
Match the challenge to the group’s current skills. Some children do better with a visible turn marker, a short wait, or an adult narrating what happens next; others may be ready to invent rules together. Keep the activity flexible, notice whether everyone gets meaningful participation, and adjust if one child is consistently waiting or directing the group. The best choice is one that lets children practice a real skill while keeping the interaction safe, understandable, and enjoyable.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age should children start learning to share?
Children can begin practicing simple turn-taking in early childhood, but their ability to wait, understand another person’s perspective, and manage frustration develops gradually. Keep expectations realistic for the individual child, demonstrate the behavior, and offer adult support rather than treating every refusal as deliberate unkindness.
Should I make a child share a toy?
It is usually more helpful to teach sharing of communal items through clear turns than to force a child to give up something they are actively using. Set a reasonable expectation for when a turn ends, help the waiting child find another activity, and support both children in using respectful words.
What can I say when children both want the same item?
Name the problem calmly and offer a fair process: “You both want the truck. Let’s decide who has the first turn, then switch when the timer rings.” If a timer is not useful, agree on a natural stopping point, such as finishing a short trip around the play area, and make sure the children understand the plan.
How can I teach sharing without creating a competition?
Choose activities with a shared goal, such as building one structure or completing a group picture, and praise helpful actions rather than speed or winning. Give each child a meaningful contribution, and make it clear that different ideas can be included or discussed instead of competing to be the only one in charge.
What if a child refuses to join?
Do not require immediate participation. Let the child watch, offer a smaller role, or choose between two ways to help, such as passing materials or deciding what the group builds. A low-pressure invitation can make it easier to join later while still respecting the child’s choice.
Final Thoughts
Sharing is a skill children learn through practice, clear boundaries, and patient guidance. Start with an activity that fits the moment, show what fair turns and helpful requests sound like, and give children time to try those behaviors themselves. Everyday play and routines provide plenty of chances to build cooperation without expecting every interaction to go smoothly.