Practicing social skills, especially being friendly, helps kids with learning disabilities make friends.

Friendliness leads to friendship for people of all ages. Here are some ways for kids to practice being friendly:

1. Join a club with kids of like interests, such as boy scouts or girl scouts. When kids can talk about the same thing with some knowledge and enthusiasm they are most likely to lose self-consciousness and relax. Then those around them will, too.

2. Take time to help children develop a hobby they are interested in and can then show to family and other kids - enjoyment is contagious. Model painting is very popular with boys and a couple of kids can work alongside each other after school or weekends in a play date. They don't have to have much conversation, rather each work on their projects and have each other's company. This is a hobby that can easily be transported to school for 'show and tell' - another opportunity for reaching out and communicating.

3. Go out for a team sport such as cycling, swimming or soccer. Especially with soccer there is lots of player interaction. And I remember those pizza parties afterward occasionally where the kids would take over a long picnic-style table at Rusty's and really hoop it up. Lots of friendships were made with my kids and their friends in both soccer and Little League - both my son and daughters.

4. Encourage play dates where you take a couple of kids on an outing to the zoo or nice park equipment where there is action and things to entertain without having to fully rely on constant conversation with each other. It is a way to ease into more and more interaction with peers.

5. Volunteer at your kids' school - you'll see better how your children are interrelating in their classrooms. Even a small amount of time on a regular basis gives you a bird's eye view of the situation in the classroom. If you're a working parent helping in the early morning at school, perhaps with attendance or collecting lunch money, or even helping kids out of their coats and boots allows time to see how your kids are interacting with others.

In summary, reaching out in friendliness is a big step toward making friends. And, participating in play dates, group outings, clubs and team sports are ways to learn about the give and take in successful relationships, and precursors to forming friendships.

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Article by Susan Kramer