Four important areas that develop fast in children are motor, communication and language, cognitive, and social and emotional. Social and emotional development means how children start to understand who they are, what they are feeling and what to expect when interacting with others. Positive social and emotional development is very important. This development influences a child’s self-confidence, empathy towards others, the ability to develop meaningful and long lasting friendships, and sense of importance and value to those around them.

Children’s social and emotional development also plays an important role in the development of other areas. Parents and teachers play a huge role in social and emotional development because they offer the most consistent relationships for their child. Consistent experiences with family members, teachers and other adult’s help children learn about relationships and explore emotions in predictable interactions.

Few ways to promote social emotional development in class are:

• Providing plenty of opportunities for playful group activities.
• Offering children choices throughout the day.
• Talking, reading, and singing together every day.
• Maintaining consistent, predictable routines.
• Teaching children how to share and take turns through daily routines.

Each day we can help children in our care. We can make them feel safe, secure, and loved. We can help to lay the foundation for healthy social and emotional development of children, which supports them to become happier individuals and succeed in school and in life.