Fun Sharing Activities for Kids: Autism Social Skills Games for Preschool & Kindergarten
- Autism-Talk
- Jun 30
- 16 min read
TL;DR
Teaching children to share isn't about forcing them to give away their favorite toy. It's about creating enjoyable opportunities to practice sharing time, materials, and experiences with others. In this article, you'll discover fun sharing games, art activities, pretend play ideas, and practical strategies that help preschool and kindergarten children build sharing skills through positive, play-based experiences.
Table of Contents
Why Sharing Can Be Challenging for Young Children
If you've ever watched two preschoolers reach for the same toy at exactly the same moment, you already know that sharing isn't always easy.
Many adults think of sharing as a single social skill, but it's actually much more complex than that.
Sharing isn't something children simply learn one afternoon and then master forever. Instead, it's a skill that develops gradually through hundreds—if not thousands—of everyday interactions with parents, teachers, siblings, classmates, and friends. In many ways, it's a lifelong skill that all of us continue practicing well into adulthood.
Think about your own day.
You might share your workspace with coworkers, take turns during a conversation, wait patiently while someone else uses a piece of equipment, or lend a favorite book to a friend. These are all different forms of sharing.
For young children, these situations can feel much more difficult because they require several other skills that are still developing.
Successful sharing may involve learning how to:
waiting for something you want
taking turns with another person
communicating your wants and needs
understanding that someone else would also like a turn
using flexible thinking when things don't go exactly as expected
coping with the disappointment of not getting something immediately
If a child struggles with sharing, it doesn't necessarily mean they're refusing to share. Often, they're still developing one or more of these foundational skills. For example, a child may have difficulty waiting for a turn (See this previous post for ideas), taking turns during play (See this previous post for ideas), or using flexible thinking (See this previous post for ideas) when a preferred toy isn't immediately available.
Strengthening these underlying skills often makes sharing much easier over time.
All young children are still learning to share, but many autistic children benefit from more explicit teaching, visual supports, repeated opportunities to practice, and plenty of positive experiences along the way.
If you're working on several social skills at once, you'll often find that progress in one area supports growth in another. Activities that build waiting skills, taking turns, flexible thinking, and beginning friendship skills all help create a stronger foundation for successful sharing.
The goal isn't to force children to hand over a favorite toy the moment another child asks.
Instead, we want to help children discover that sharing can be enjoyable, successful, and rewarding. As children experience positive interactions over time, sharing often becomes more natural.
Why Sharing Is More Than Giving Something Away
When many people hear the word sharing, they immediately picture one child handing a toy to another.
While that's certainly one example, sharing is much broader than simply giving something away.
Children can learn to:
share materials during an art project
share ingredients while cooking together
share toys during pretend play
share books during story time
share space while building together
share experiences during games and classroom activities
share responsibilities while completing a project together
When adults only talk about sharing after a disagreement, children can begin to associate the word share with losing something they wanted.
Instead, we can intentionally create playful opportunities where children experience sharing as something enjoyable, successful, and rewarding from the very beginning.
Another helpful strategy is to begin with materials that children are excited about but haven't yet developed a strong emotional attachment to. Brand-new stickers, craft supplies, playdough, or pretend play materials are often much easier to share than a well-loved comfort toy or favorite stuffed animal.
These early successes help children build confidence before gradually working toward sharing items that may feel more meaningful.
What Research Says About Teaching Sharing
Research suggests that prosocial behaviors such as sharing develop gradually through repeated positive social experiences, adult modeling, guided practice, and opportunities to interact with peers rather than through pressure or punishment.
Children benefit when adults intentionally create situations where they can experience successful social interactions in a supportive environment. These strategies are especially valuable for children who benefit from explicit instruction, visual supports, and repeated practice opportunities.
In other words, sharing isn't simply a rule children memorize—it's a skill they build over time.
That's exactly why playful, hands-on activities can be effective. Instead of waiting until children are arguing over a toy, we can intentionally create positive opportunities to practice sharing throughout the day.
Research suggests that sharing develops gradually through positive social experiences, adult modeling, and repeated opportunities to practice rather than through pressure or punishment.
A study published in Infancy found that young children's willingness to share develops over time as their social understanding grows (Brownell, Svetlova, & Nichols, 2009).
This also aligns with recommendations from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), which emphasizes that social-emotional skills like sharing are best developed through intentional teaching, meaningful interactions, and everyday practice.
Five Fun Sharing Activities for Preschool & Kindergarten
One of the best ways to teach sharing is by creating situations where children naturally experience the benefits of sharing instead of only talking about it after a disagreement.
Each of the activities below encourages children to practice sharing in a positive, structured way. Rather than asking children to give up a favorite toy, these activities help them discover that sharing can be enjoyable, successful, and rewarding.
Whether you're a teacher, therapist, or parent, remember that the goal isn't perfection. Every successful interaction helps build confidence and lays the foundation for future social relationships.
1. Sharing Passport Adventure
Skills Practiced: Sharing, communication, waiting, taking turns, following directions, interacting with peers
This is a fun way to practice sharing if you have any kids that enjoy pretend play activities.
Give each child a pretend passport before beginning the activity. Around the classroom, set up several simple sharing stations. At each station, children complete a small sharing challenge before earning a stamp or sticker in their passport.
Some ideas include:
Share crayons at an art table
Sharing blocks at a block station
Take turns adding pieces to a train track.
Share toy animals while creating a pretend zoo.
As children visit each station, they experience many successful opportunities to share without feeling pressured.
By the end of the activity, children aren't simply hearing the words "good sharing." They've experienced sharing over and over again in different ways.
Why it works
Children stay motivated because they're working toward filling their passports while repeatedly practicing sharing in short, manageable activities. The movement between stations also helps keep young learners engaged and provides multiple successful opportunities to practice sharing in a variety of situations.
2. Playdough Sharing Activity
"We have one big ball of playdough. What should we do?"
Skills Practiced: Sharing, communication, flexible thinking, problem solving, cooperation, and decision making
This is a wonderful activity for helping children discover that there are many different ways to share.
Rather than beginning with prepared playdough, invite the children to help make a dough together.
There are many easy no-bake playdough recipes available online, and preparing it as a group creates even more opportunities to practice communication, taking turns, following directions, and working cooperatively.
Once the playdough is finished, hold up the large ball of playdough and ask:
"We have one big ball of playdough. What should we do?"
Encourage children to brainstorm different ideas. There isn't one "right" answer. Instead, the goal is to help children recognize that sharing can happen in many different ways.
Visual supports can make this discussion even more meaningful. They don't have to be elaborate—even quickly drawing a few simple choices on a piece of paper or a dry erase board can help children understand their options. For example, you might draw pictures showing:
Divide the playdough so everyone has their own piece.
Take turns using one large piece.
Build one creation together.
Trade colors or tools with a friend.
You can also extend the activity by giving each child a different playdough material. For example, one child might have all of the playdough, another all of the rolling pins, another the cookie cutters, and another the playdough stamps.
Then ask questions such as:
Does this seem fair?
Should one person keep everything?
What are some different ways we could share these materials?
Would different ideas work for different situations?
As children discuss and experiment with different solutions, they begin to understand that sharing isn't always about doing the exact same thing every time. Sometimes it makes sense to divide materials so everyone has their own. Other times, taking turns, trading, or creating something together may work even better.
Why it works
This activity teaches children that sharing is flexible. Rather than memorizing one rule, they learn to think about different ways to solve social situations, communicate with others, and choose a sharing strategy that works for the people and materials involved.
3. Sticker Book Sharing
Skills Practiced: Sharing, flexible thinking, making choices, communication
This activity is a good activity if you have students that are reluctant to share materials or toys that they have an attachment to, it is often easier to begin by sharing something you have just been handed that you will be trading, rather than giving up a highly preferred object.
Give each child a blank sticker book or small folded booklet. Instead of giving every child identical stickers, give each child a sheet of different stickers
For example:
one child receives dinosaur stickers
another receives vehicle stickers
another receives animal stickers
another receives ocean stickers
another receives food stickers
Children are then encouraged to fill their sticker book by asking for stickers from friends and sharing their own stickers with friends. They can walk around the room sharing stickers with one another until everyone's books contain a colorful variety.
These positive early experiences build confidence and help children discover that sharing doesn't always mean losing something important. In fact, everyone usually ends up with something even better than they started with—a sticker book filled with a fun assortment of stickers from their classmates.
Why it works
Beginning with high-interest, low-attachment materials allows children to experience successful sharing before gradually working toward sharing items that may feel more emotionally meaningful.
4. Sharing Ball Toss
Skills Practiced: Sharing, communication, turn taking, listening, vocabulary development, and social interaction
This simple game is a fun way to reinforce the many different things children can share.
Have the children sit or stand in a circle with one soft ball. One child begins by gently tossing the ball to a friend. When that child catches the ball, they name something they could share before tossing it to another classmate.
Children might say things like:
a toy
crayons
a book
a ball
playdough
blocks
stickers
bubbles
a swing
a game
The game continues until the group can't think of any more ideas. You'll probably be surprised by how many examples children come up with as they begin listening to one another and building on each other's ideas.
Providing visual supports can make the activity even more successful. Consider placing picture cards in the center of the circle or showing photographs of familiar classroom materials to give children ideas.
Visual supports can help children who are still developing language skills, learning English, or benefiting from additional prompts.
For pre-verbal children or those with limited verbal language, the visuals can also become their response. Instead of naming something they could share, children can simply point to a picture of an item they could share, allowing everyone to successfully participate at their own communication level.
This activity can also become a wonderful language-building game. If children get stuck, the teacher can offer simple clues instead of giving the answer.
For example:
"I'm thinking of something you play with."
"I'm thinking of something you use at school."
"I'm thinking of something you can read."
"I'm thinking of something you can color with."
"I'm thinking of something you can build with."
These clues encourage children to think, expand their vocabulary, and continue generating new ideas while keeping the game fun and engaging.
As children become more confident, encourage them to think beyond objects. Can we share our time? Can we share space while building together? Can we share an experience by playing a game with a friend? These conversations help children understand that sharing can happen in many different ways.
Why it works
This activity encourages children to think about sharing in a broader way while practicing communication, listening, and turn taking. It also provides natural opportunities to build vocabulary, strengthen language skills, and reinforce that there isn't just one way to share.
The more examples children can think of, the more likely they are to recognize opportunities to share throughout their day.
5. Share Bear
Skills Practiced: Sharing, recognizing kind behaviors, positive peer interactions, communication, and social awareness
A share Bear is a fun way to draw students attention to other student who are sharing as well as celebrating children who are.
Choose a stuffed teddy bear (or another favorite plush toy) to become your classroom's Share Bear. Explain that Share Bear loves to notice children who are sharing with their friends. Throughout the day, watch for children demonstrating sharing behaviors, such as sharing toys, books, art supplies, helping a friend, or even sharing space during an activity.
When you notice a child sharing, allow them to keep Share Bear for a short time. Let the child know that one of the most important aspects of being the share bear holder is you have to watch very carefully to spot other people who are sharing. When the timer goes off you then select someone you saw sharing.
Invite them to explain why they chose that friend by saying something like:
"I picked you because I saw you sharing your crayons."
If children need support, help them notice examples of sharing around the room and celebrate all kinds of sharing—including sharing toys, materials, space, ideas, or helping others. The goal is to keep the activity encouraging rather than competitive and to make sure every child has opportunities to both receive and pass Share Bear.
Why it works
Share Bear helps children notice and recognize positive social behaviors throughout the day. As children begin choosing classmates who have been sharing, they become more aware of kindness, generosity, and cooperation. It also encourages children to explain why someone was chosen, reinforcing what sharing looks like in many different situations.
6. Book Sharing Library
Skills Practiced: Sharing, responsibility, communication, caring for others' belongings, conversation skills, and friendship building
One of the most meaningful ways to practice sharing is by inviting children to share something that is special to them.
For this activity, ask each child to bring one favorite book from home to share with the class for a few days. Encourage families to choose a book their child enjoys but wouldn't mind sharing with classmates.
Before placing the books in your classroom Book Sharing Library, label each one with its owner's name so they can easily be returned at the end of the activity.
Take time to talk about what it means to borrow something that belongs to someone else.
Discuss how we can show kindness and respect by taking good care of borrowed books, returning them when we're finished, and thanking our friends for sharing.
Throughout the week, invite children to browse the Book Sharing Library and borrow books to read during independent reading time, with a friend, or during centers.
Encourage children to talk about why they chose their favorite book and what they enjoy most about the story. These conversations help children build friendships while practicing communication skills.
If a family is unable to send a book from home, simply add a classroom book to the library so every child has the opportunity to participate.
Why it works
This activity helps children experience what it feels like to share something meaningful while also learning to respect other people's belongings. Because children are borrowing books from one another, they naturally practice responsibility, gratitude, and caring for shared materials. It also creates authentic opportunities for conversation, helping children connect with classmates through stories they enjoy.
Looking for Ready-to-Use Sharing Activities?
If you'd rather spend your time teaching than creating materials from scratch, I've put together a comprehensive Sharing Activities & Games resource filled with printable lessons, games, visuals, worksheets, and hands-on activities designed specifically for preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary learners.
The resource includes many of the ideas featured in this article, along with teacher directions, lesson plans, photo examples, visual supports, and print-and-go materials that make it easy to start practicing sharing right away.
👉 You can find the complete Sharing Activities & Games resource here:
Practical Tips for Teaching Sharing
Teaching sharing doesn't have to involve tears, power struggles, or constantly reminding children to "be nice." In fact, some of the most successful sharing experiences happen when adults intentionally create environments where sharing feels natural, enjoyable, and rewarding.
Here are some strategies that have worked well for me over the years.
1. Start with High-Interest, Low-Attachment Materials
Children are often much more willing to share something they've just received than a treasured toy they've loved for months or years.
That's one reason activities using stickers, art supplies, playdough tools, or classroom materials can be so successful. These items are exciting, but children usually haven't formed a strong emotional attachment to them yet.
Building confidence with these materials often makes it easier to practice sharing in other situations later.
2. Practice Sharing Before Conflicts Happen
One of the biggest mistakes adults make is only talking about sharing after a disagreement.
Instead, create planned opportunities throughout the day where children can practice sharing during games, art projects, cooking activities, and pretend play.
When children repeatedly experience successful sharing in positive situations, they're much more likely to use those skills naturally later.
3. Remember That Sharing Involves Many Other Skills
Sharing rarely exists by itself.
Children may need to learn how to:
wait for a turn
take turns with others
communicate their wants and needs
use flexible thinking
cope with disappointment
understand another person's perspective
If a child struggles with sharing, one of these underlying skills may actually be the area that needs additional support first. Strengthening these foundational skills often leads to greater success with sharing over time.
4. Model Sharing Throughout the Day
Young children learn a tremendous amount simply by watching the adults around them.
Narrate your own actions whenever possible.
For example:
"I'd like to use these markers too. I'll wait until you're finished."
"Would you like to share these blocks with me?"
"Thank you for sharing the scissors!"
These simple interactions demonstrate respectful, positive sharing without turning it into a lecture.
5. Give Children the Words They Need
Sometimes children know they should share but don't know what to say.
Practice simple phrases like:
"Can I have a turn when you're finished?"
"Would you like to use this?"
"Here you go."
"Thank you."
"Let's do it together."
Visual supports, sentence strips, and role-playing can all help children become more confident using these phrases during everyday interactions.
6. Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection
Sharing isn't a skill that children master in a single lesson.
Some days will go beautifully.
Other days, children may struggle to share anything for even a brief period of time.
That's perfectly normal.
Instead of expecting perfection, celebrate small successes along the way. Every positive sharing experience helps build confidence for the future.
7. Keep Sharing Fun
The more positive experiences children have with sharing, the more likely they are to want to do it again.
Games, art projects, sensory activities, cooking, and pretend play all provide wonderful opportunities to practice sharing without making it feel like work.
When children are smiling, laughing, and enjoying themselves, they're often at their very best for learning new skills.
What If a Child Doesn't Want to Share?
This is probably one of the questions I'm asked most often.
The first thing to remember is that refusing to share doesn't automatically mean a child is being selfish or defiant.
Sometimes they're still learning to wait.
Sometimes they're having difficulty taking turns.
Sometimes they're overwhelmed, tired, or emotionally attached to a particular item.
And sometimes they simply aren't developmentally ready yet.
Rather than forcing children to hand over a favorite possession, I prefer creating many opportunities to practice sharing in situations that are more likely to be successful.
For example, classroom games, art supplies, pretend play materials, sensory activities, and cooperative projects all allow children to experience sharing in a positive way without immediately asking them to give up their most valued belongings.
Remember, our goal isn't simply to get children to share one toy on one particular day.
Our goal is to help children gradually develop the confidence, flexibility, communication skills, and positive experiences that lead to genuine sharing over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
At What Age Should Children Learn to Share?
Sharing develops gradually throughout early childhood. While many preschoolers are beginning to understand the concept of sharing, it's completely typical for young children to need frequent modeling, reminders, and opportunities to practice. Rather than expecting perfect sharing by a certain age, focus on providing positive experiences that help children build the skill over time.
Should Children Always Be Expected to Share?
Not necessarily.
It's okay for children to have special comfort items or treasured belongings they don't want to share. Instead of forcing children to give away meaningful possessions, provide regular opportunities to practice sharing classroom materials, games, art supplies, and other activities designed specifically for cooperative play.
How Can I Teach an Autistic Child to Share?
Many autistic children benefit from explicit instruction, visual supports, role-playing, and repeated practice opportunities. Structured games and activities often work much better than expecting children to learn sharing during emotionally charged situations. Keeping activities predictable, motivating, and fun helps build confidence over time.
What If Sharing Always Leads to Meltdowns?
Take a step back and consider whether another skill may need additional support first.
Children who struggle with waiting, taking turns, flexible thinking, or emotional regulation may find sharing especially difficult. Strengthening these foundational skills often makes sharing much easier and less stressful.
What Are the Best Sharing Activities for Preschoolers?
Some of my favorite activities include Sharing Passports, Share Bear, cooperative ball toss games, playdough sharing, sticker book exchanges, cooking activities, and pretend play experiences. These activities allow children to practice sharing naturally while enjoying meaningful interactions with their peers.
Final Thoughts
Sharing isn't a skill we teach once and then check off a list.
It's something children continue developing through hundreds of everyday experiences at home, in the classroom, and in their communities.
Every time a child waits for a friend, offers someone a crayon, passes the ball, shares a sticker, or works together to finish a project, they're learning much more than how to share.
They're building patience.
They're practicing communication.
They're developing flexibility.
They're learning kindness, cooperation, empathy, and friendship.
Those are skills that will continue serving them throughout their lives.
Whether you're a parent, teacher, or therapist, remember that progress doesn't happen all at once. By creating playful, supportive opportunities to practice sharing every day, you're helping children build the confidence and social connections that can last a lifetime.
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