The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented environment that altered the avenues for social development in children. This process is how young people learn to interact with others, manage their emotions, and build relationships. The sudden and prolonged changes to daily life reshaped the landscape where these abilities are formed. While caregivers provide a foundational environment for growth, the pandemic introduced unique stressors and limitations that influenced this process.
Pandemic-Related Disruptions to Social Learning
The widespread implementation of public health measures led to a significant reduction in children’s exposure to their peers. School and daycare closures, along with social distancing protocols, meant that many infants and toddlers spent their early years with limited social interaction outside their immediate families. This environment restricted access to the unstructured play that is fundamental for developing skills like negotiation, sharing, and conflict resolution. Children had fewer chances to navigate the complex social situations that build a foundation for future relationships.
The shift to remote learning structures further compounded these challenges by removing the subtle, yet constant, social learning that occurs in a school environment. In-person classrooms are social ecosystems where children learn by observing and participating in group work and recess activities. Virtual schooling, while providing academic continuity, could not replicate these spontaneous social exchanges. The organic moments of cooperation and communication were largely lost.
The use of masks, a public health necessity, also complicated social learning. Facial expressions are a primary way humans convey and interpret emotions, and masks concealed many of these non-verbal cues. For young children developing emotional literacy, this posed a distinct challenge. The inability to see a full range of expressions may have hindered their ability to accurately read social situations and understand the feelings of others.
Observable Effects on Social Skills
The disruptions caused by the pandemic have led to a range of observable effects on the social skills of children. Parents and educators have reported an increase in behaviors such as social anxiety, hesitation, and general shyness in group settings. Following periods of relative isolation, some children found it difficult to initiate play with peers or share toys. These challenges reflect a regression in social skills from the lack of consistent practice.
Difficulties with emotional regulation and empathy have also been noted. A study from Columbia University found that babies born during the pandemic scored lower on measures of social-emotional development compared to those born before. Children with underdeveloped social and emotional skills are more likely to exhibit challenging behaviors such as withdrawal, anxiety, or aggression.
These effects have manifested differently across age groups. Toddlers and infants may have shown heightened stranger anxiety or delays in social communication milestones. School-aged children might have struggled more with forming new friendships after returning to in-person schooling. A Gallup poll reported that 45% of parents felt the pandemic negatively impacted their child’s social skills development.
The Role of Digital Interaction
In response to the absence of in-person contact, many children turned to digital platforms to maintain social connections. Friendships were sustained through video games and video calls, providing a valuable lifeline that mitigated some social isolation. This mode of interaction, however, differs from face-to-face engagement. Digital communication often lacks the rich, non-verbal cues that are abundant in real-world conversations and help develop social understanding.
The nature of online personas also reshaped social skill development. Interactions on digital platforms can be highly curated, allowing individuals to present idealized versions of themselves. This may reduce the practice needed for spontaneous, authentic social exchanges. The structure of digitally-mediated communication can also affect the development of patience required for sustained, in-person conversations.
While digital tools were instrumental in preserving social ties, their heavy use also presented potential downsides. The skills honed in online environments do not always translate directly to real-world social competence. An over-reliance on digital interaction could mean less practice in navigating the unplanned and often ambiguous nature of face-to-face encounters.
Strategies for Fostering Social Recovery
To support children’s social recovery, caregivers and educators can focus on creating environments that rebuild skills. A primary strategy is the prioritization of play, which serves as a natural context for social learning. This includes both structured activities, like board games that teach turn-taking, and unstructured playdates that allow children to practice negotiation and cooperation.
Parents can also model and narrate social behaviors to make the thought processes behind them more explicit. This involves thinking aloud during social situations, with comments such as, “That person smiled at me, so I will smile back.” By verbalizing these internal social calculations, adults provide a clear guide that helps children understand the mechanics of positive social interactions and how to interpret social cues accurately.
A direct focus on emotion coaching is another effective approach for rebuilding social competence. This involves helping children identify and name their own feelings as well as the feelings of others. Adults can use storybooks or real-life scenarios as teaching moments, asking questions like, “How do you think that character feels?” This practice enhances emotional vocabulary and improves empathy by encouraging children to consider different perspectives.
For children who feel anxious or overwhelmed by social situations, a strategy of gradual re-engagement is beneficial. Instead of pushing them into large group settings, it is more effective to start with smaller, predictable interactions. This could mean beginning with one-on-one playdates before progressing to small group activities. This measured approach allows children to rebuild their social confidence at a comfortable pace.