15 Examples of Social Cues for Kids & Fun Ways To Teach Them

Navigating the social world can feel a bit like learning a new language — especially for kids who are still figuring out the dos and don’ts of interaction. 

Social cues are the “unspoken rules” that guide our communication and help us understand how to behave in different situations. They include facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and more. When kids learn to pick up on these cues, they become more confident communicators and better problem solvers in social settings.

The challenge is that not all kids pick up on social cues naturally or at the same pace. Some children may need extra guidance or practice to use them correctly. Teaching social cues can be done in structured ways, but it’s also possible (and fun) to weave learning opportunities into everyday activities — from family board game nights to casual chats in the car.

In this post, we’ll break down 15 crucial social cues that can help kids thrive in friendships, at school, and beyond. For each cue, we’ll discuss why it matters and offer creative, playful ways to teach it. 

By the end of this article, you’ll have a well-rounded toolkit for guiding your child toward more empathetic, successful interactions with others.

1. Eye Contact

Eye contact is one of the most basic and essential social cues. It’s the act of looking into someone’s eyes when you’re speaking to them — or when they’re speaking to you. It shows you’re paying attention, signals respect, and helps build trust.

Fun Ways To Teach Eye Contact

Play “Eye Spy,” but with a twist. Instead of looking for an object in the room, challenge your child to keep eye contact with you while describing something they notice about you. This could be your eye color, a funny facial expression, or the shape of your glasses. 

Another game idea is to see who can maintain comfortable eye contact the longest during a casual conversation without awkwardly staring — introducing humor can make the practice less intimidating.

2. Facial Expressions

Facial expressions are nonverbal signals that convey a wide range of emotions — everything from happiness, sadness, and surprise to anger or confusion. Recognizing these expressions helps kids respond more empathetically and appropriately to other people’s feelings.

Fun Ways To Teach Facial Expressions

Play “Emotion Charades.” Write down different emotions (happy, sad, frustrated, proud, scared, etc.) on slips of paper. Have your child pick one and act it out without speaking. Everyone else guesses the emotion. 

Switch roles so the child also guesses yours! Afterward, discuss the subtle differences between certain emotions — like how “surprised” might differ from “shocked.” This playful approach helps kids pick out nuances in facial expressions, preparing them for real-life encounters. Remember to consider their development age to ascertain what is age-appropriate.

3. Personal Space

Everyone has an invisible “bubble” that represents the amount of space they feel comfortable having between themselves and others. Kids who aren’t yet aware of personal space may stand too close or lean in awkwardly, which can make others feel uneasy.

Fun Ways To Teach Kids About Personal Space

Use a hula hoop, pool noodle, or rope to visually demonstrate the “bubble.” Have your child practice standing at different distances from you — close, medium, and far — and ask them how it feels when you’re inside or outside their bubble. Then, reverse roles. Ask them to invade your bubble and see your reaction. 

Over time, they’ll internalize how to sense others’ sense of personal space, which they can practice in social settings.

4. Body Orientation

Body orientation is about how we position our bodies when talking or listening to someone. Standing sideways or turning your back might signal disinterest. Facing someone directly often indicates respect and attention.

Fun Ways To Teach Body Orientation

Try a dance or freeze game. Put on some music and have your child mirror your body orientation while dancing. 

When the music stops, freeze in a position facing one another. Talk about how this “facing each other” stance can translate to daily conversations based on their developmental ability. If your child is reluctant to face others, use a stuffed animal or a beloved toy to practice first, gradually moving toward real-life interactions.

5. Tone of Voice

The tone of voice involves the volume, pitch, and emotion behind your words. A calm, friendly tone signals you’re open to conversation. A loud or sharp tone might send the message you’re angry or annoyed, even if you don’t mean it that way.

Fun Ways To Teach Tone of Voice

Set up a “tone telephone” game. Use cups connected by a string, or just mimic a phone call scenario. Take turns saying simple sentences like, “I had cereal for breakfast,” in different tones — happy, sad, excited, bored, or frustrated. 

Have the listener identify the tone. Then, ask how it feels if you use a tone that doesn't match what you are saying, like like yelling “Thank you!” in an angry voice. This helps kids see how the tone changes meaning, even when the words are the same.

6. Turn-Taking in Conversation

Taking turns in conversation ensures that both speakers have a chance to talk and listen. It prevents interrupting, which can be frustrating for everyone involved.

Fun Ways To Teach Turn-Taking 

Pass an object back and forth during a conversation — whoever holds the object gets to speak. Once they finish, they hand it over. Make it silly by using a fancy spoon or a funny hat. 

You could also practice “Conversation Catch” using a softball. Each time you throw the ball, you ask a question. When you catch it, you answer. This interactive approach turns learning about taking turns into a playful, memorable exercise.

7. Appropriate Volume Control

Volume control is about knowing when to speak quietly (like in a library) and when it’s okay to talk loudly (like on a playground). Kids who aren’t aware of situational norms might speak too loudly or whisper when they should project their voice.

Fun Ways To Teach Volume Control

Stage a “Volume Olympics.” Assign different areas or rooms in your home as different “zones.” In the “library zone,” everyone must whisper. In the “theater zone,” you can practice using a clear, stage-like voice. In the “outdoor zone,” you can talk more loudly. By shifting between zones, your child gets to experiment with varying volumes in a fun, structured way.

8. Active Listening

Active listening involves paying close attention to what someone is saying, often shown by nodding, offering small verbal responses (“Wow,” “Really?”), and asking follow-up questions. It’s one of the best ways to show empathy and respect.

Fun Ways To Teach Active Listening Skills

Try a family roundtable discussion where each person shares something about their day. The listener must then summarize what they heard in one sentence: “So, you felt happy when you got to color in art class today!” 

Encourage follow-up questions like “Why did that make you happy?” This exercise reinforces the idea that conversations are two-way streets, built on both talking and genuinely listening.

9. Facial Distance & Position

Facial distance and positioning refers to how close your face gets to another person’s when talking, as well as the angle of your head. Kids may not realize that getting too close can feel invasive, or that tilting their head away might signal disinterest.

Fun Ways To Teach Positioning

Engage in a playful “mirror game.” Face each other and copy each other’s head tilts and angles, keeping a comfortable gap between your faces. Talk about how it feels when you shift too close or far away. If you want to make it more interactive, use a handheld mirror to demonstrate how people see each other’s faces during conversation and what distance looks right.

10. Reading Body Language

Body language extends beyond facial expressions to include posture, hand gestures, crossed arms, or fidgeting. It’s a powerful way people communicate feelings without saying a word.

Fun Ways To Teach Body Language

Play “Detective” together. Turn on a TV show or watch a short video on mute. Ask your child what the characters might be feeling based solely on their body language. 

Look for crossed arms, slumped shoulders, or tapping feet. Pause the video at certain points and encourage your child to guess if someone is bored, angry, or happy. Then watch it with sound to see if they guessed correctly.

11. Smiling & Friendly Expressions

A genuine smile or a pleasant expression sends the signal that you’re open to interaction, happy to be there, or content. Kids who rarely smile may be perceived as standoffish, while those who overuse it might appear insincere.

Fun Ways To Teach Friendly Expressions

Engage in “Smile Practice.” Have your child look in the mirror and try different kinds of smiles — big toothy grins, soft smiles, polite smiles. Have some fun with it! Also, ask them how each smile feels and how they look.

Apply this skill to real scenarios: “Let’s give the cashier a friendly smile as we say thank you.” Reinforce these small acts of friendliness when they happen naturally.

12. Gestures and Signals

Gestures range from waving hello and giving a thumbs-up to nodding for “yes” and shaking your head for “no.” These physical signals support verbal communication and can be vital if words are unclear or the environment is noisy.

Fun Ways To Teach Gestures

Create a secret “family handshake” or a few special gestures that only you and your child know. Practice them regularly. Then, expand to more complex gestures. Practicing them in a playful context helps your child recall these gestures naturally and apply them in real-life situations.

13. Tone Matching

Tone matching is the ability to respond to the emotional tone set by someone else. If a friend is quiet and serious, you’d likely speak softly and calmly. If a friend is excited and joyful, you might show enthusiasm to match their energy.

Fun Ways To Teach Tone Matching

Act out different scenarios. For instance, pretend someone shares sad news and demonstrate how you might respond in a gentle tone. Then shift to a pretend scenario where a friend won an award — show how you match that excitement with cheerful gestures and a raised voice. Have your child try matching your tone in each scene. 

This is a helpful way for them to see that empathy can be expressed through tone matching, not just words.

14. Knowing When (and How) To Interrupt

Sometimes, kids blurt out a question or comment while someone else is talking. Interrupting at the wrong time can be rude, but there are moments when it might be necessary — like if you’re worried about safety or you’re responding to a teacher’s direct question.

Fun Ways To Teach Rules for Interrupting

Practice the “hand-on-shoulder” or “one-finger-up” rule. If your child wants to speak while you’re talking, they gently place a hand on your shoulder or raise one finger. 

You then acknowledge them with a nod, meaning, “I see you, and I’ll let you talk next.” This creates a nonverbal signal for interruption, teaching them to wait for permission to speak without losing their train of thought. Make it a game to see if you can interrupt them — switch roles and see how it goes.

15. Polite Greetings and Farewells

Whether it’s saying “Hi,” “Hello,” “Good morning,” “Goodbye,” or “See you later,” greeting people politely shows respect and willingness to connect. Strangers, friends, and adults in authority positions may each require a slightly different greeting style.

Fun Ways To Teach Greetings and Farewells

Practice greetings in a “role-play circle.” Take turns being the “guest” arriving at an imaginary party. 

Each time someone enters, everyone else greets them in a friendly tone: “Hi, nice to see you!” or “Welcome!” Then, the “guest” tries various friendly responses. Mix it up by greeting each other in silly, exaggerated voices to keep it fun. Over time, these practice runs translate into smooth, real-life greetings.

How Hero Journey Club Can Help

At Hero Journey Club, we understand that learning social cues can be especially challenging for kids and teens. 

That’s why we’ve designed engaging, interactive programs to help neurodivergent children build essential social skills in a supportive environment. Our resources focus on breaking down social situations into manageable steps, using role-playing activities, visual aids, and real-world practice to teach skills like making eye contact, interpreting body language, and understanding tone of voice.

Sign your child up for their first Hero Journey Club session today. 

Sources:

Empathy: How to Feel and Respond to the Emotions of Others | HelpGuide

7 Active Listening Techniques For Better Communication | VeryWell Mind

Supporting Communication in Those With Limited Verbal Skills | DSPD

How to Improve Your Situational Awareness | ASIS Online