Preschooler Social and Emotional Development Flashcards
What is social and emotional development?
The process where children learn to:
- Understand and manage their own feelings
- Recognise and interpret the emotions of others
- Develop healthy relationships
What does social and emotion development include?
- Emotional regulation
- Empathy
- Social interaction
- Self-awareness
Why is social and emotion development important?
- Academic success
- Mental health
- Relationship building
- Personal and professional success
Why do children with well-developed social and emotional skills have academic success?
They can:
- Concentrate better
- Face challenges positively
- Interact more effectively with peers & teachers
How does social and emotional development affect mental health?
Strong social and emotional development fosters resilience, helping children to manage stress and bounce back from setbacks
How does social and emotional development help with relationship building?
These skills enable children to form and maintain positive relationships, work in teams, and develop strong interpersonal bonds
How do social skills help with personal and professional success?
As children grow, these skills become integral to navigating the complexities of adult relationships and professional environments effectively
What are the developmental milestones for emotional expression in 4 year olds?
- Begins to express a wide range of emotions
- Starts discussing feelings and reasons behind them
What are the developmental milestones for emotional expression in 5 year olds?
- Improved emotional regulation
- Can handle transitions and adhere to rules more consistently
What are the developmental milestones for emotional expression in 6 year olds?
- Understands more complex emotions like pride, shame, and guilt
- Can experience multiple emotions simultaneously
What are the developmental milestones for social interactions in 4 year olds?
- Engages in cooperative and imaginative play, exploring different social roles
- Can share and take turns with minimal adult help
What are the developmental milestones for self-concept and awareness in 5 year olds?
- Awareness of others’ feelings increases, showing concern and offering help
- Understands basic comparisons with peers, influencing self-esteem
What are the developmental milestones for social interactions in 5 year olds?
- Play becomes more organised with structured rules
- Enjoys peer activities and can agree on shared plans
What are the developmental milestones for social interactions in 6 year olds?
- Negotiations and solutions during conflicts with minimal adult guidance
- Friendships based on common interests and shared experiences
What are the developmental milestones for self-concept and awareness in 4 year olds?
Starts to develop empathy by recognising and reacting to emotions of others
What are the developmental milestones for self-concept and awareness in 6 year olds?
- Develops stable friendships and values peer approval
- Begins to articulate moral reasoning and rule understanding
What are the additional skills gained at age 4?
Develops initial self-control, using words more often for conflicts
Why is developing a positive self-concept and self-esteem important for young children?
It influences their motivation, attitude towards learning and their interactions with peers
What are the additional skills gained at age 6?
Gains independence in tasks and decision-making about personal preferences
What are the additional skills gained at age 5?
Enhanced problem-solving in play, better adherence to rules and routines
For children aged 4 - 6, what’s their self concept?
Their understanding of physical traits, abilities, preferences, and their role within the family and peer groups
What influences a child’s self-concept and self-esteem?
- Parental influence
- Peer comparisons
- Cultural factors
How does parental influence affect the self-concept and self-esteem of children?
The way parents talk about and to their children significantly impacts their self-concept and self-esteem. Parents who express warmth, encouragement and support tend to have children with higher self esteem
How do peer comparisons affect the self-concept and self-esteem of children?
As children attend preschool, they begin comparing themselves with their peers, which can both positively and negatively influence their self-esteem
How do cultural factors affect the self-concept and self-esteem of children?
Cultural values and norms can shape the development of self-concept and self-esteem. For example, cultures that value interdependence may emphasise different aspects of self-concept
How can educators and caregivers encourage positive self-esteem an self-concept?
- Encourage self-discovery
- Balance challenges and support
- Foster a positive environment
How can educators balance challenges and support for children?
Offer challenges that are within the child’s reach and provide support when needed
How can educators and caregivers to encourage self-discovery for children?
Provide a variety of activities that allow children to explore different skills and interests. This helps them build a well-rounded self-concept
Why is it important for educators and educators to balance challenges and support for children?
This helps children experience success and learn from failure
Why is it important for educators and caregivers to foster a positive environment?
A supportive and inclusive classroom environment can enhance self-esteem by making children feel valued and accepted
How can you build a child’s self-esteem?
- Praise effort rather than outcome
- Self-portrait art projects
- Roleplaying and drama games
- Positive affirmations
- Show and tell
What is an activity for children to learn to praise effort rather than outcome?
After an art project or building task, praise them for how hard they worked, the ideas they produced, or how they helped others, rather than just the final product
What’s an activity children can do with self-portrait art projects?
Have children create self portraits and encourage them to think about what they like about themselves, including elements that reflect their personality, such as their favourite colours or activities
What is the goal when praising children for their effort rather than outcome?
To teach children that their value doesn’t solely depend on success or perfection, which can enhance their willingness to try new things without fear of failure
What’s the goal of self-portraits?
To help children express their self-identity and reinforce a positive self-image
What types of roleplaying and drama games can be used to reinforce positive self-esteem for children?
Use roleplaying scenarios that involve problem-solving or overcoming obstacles. Children can act out different roles, both leading and supporting, in stories that end positively
What’s the goal of roleplaying?
Through roleplaying, children can experience different perspectives and outcomes, boosting their confidence and empathy
What are examples of positive affirmations children can be taught?
“I am smart”
“I am kind”
“I can do great things”
What’s the goal of teaching positive affirmations to children?
Regularly hearing and repeating positive statements can help children internalise them, improving their self-esteem
What kind of show and tell activity would help reinforce a positive self-concept for children?
Organise a ‘show and tell’ where children bring in something meaningful to them and talk about it. This could be a favourite toy, a family photo or a hobby they enjoy
What’s the goal of the show and tell activity?
To allow children to share parts of their life that are important to them, helping them feel valued and respected by their peers and teachers
What is emotional regulation?
The ability of children to manage their emotions in a way that is appropriate to their age and situation
What does emotional regulation involve?
Recognising emotions, understanding how to respond to them, and learning how to express them in a socially appropriate manner. Enabling children to handle disappointments, social interactions and self-directed activities effectively
What are strategies for teaching emotional regulation?
- Modelling appropriate behaviour: Children learning by watching how adults manage their emotions
- Emotion labelling
- Use of calm down techniques
- Roleplaying games
- Creating an emotions chart
Why is emotional regulation important?
It helps children adapt to school environments, build healthy relationships, and perform better academically. Contributing to their resilience, allowing them to manage stress and bounce back from setbacks
How can you teach children to label emotions?
Use storytime or specific scenarios during play to label emotions both in characters and in children. For example, “How do you think the bear feels after losing his honey? Have you ever felt this way?”
What’s the goal of teaching children to label their emotions?
This helps children to recognise and label their own emotions, which is a key step in managing them
What are examples of calm down techniques teachers can teach children?
- Deep breaths
- Counting to ten
- Using a calm-down bottle (a bottle filled with water and glitter and water that they can shake and watch settle)
What’s the goal of teaching children calm down techniques?
These techniques offer concrete ways for children to self-soothe when they experience overwhelming emotions
How can roleplaying games be used for emotional expression?
Use roleplaying games to practice emotional responses in various hypothetical situations. For instance, what to do when someone takes a toy they were playing with, or how to ask for help
What’s the goal of using roleplaying games for emotional expression?
Roleplaying helps children practice and internalise appropriate ways to express and manage emotions
What’s an activity that can be done with an emotions chart?
Create a chart with different emotions depicted and encourage children to use markers or pins to indicate how they’re feeling throughout the day
How do you create a supportive environment?
- Ensure emotional safety
- Maintain consistency
- Have responsive interactions
What’s the goal of using an emotions chart?
To make emotions visible and manageable. It helps children communicate how they feel even when they don’t have the words
How can emotional regulation skills be taught?
- Direct instruction
- Practice opportunities
- Positive reinforcement
How do you model emotional regulation?
- Demonstrate healthy regulation
- Use teachable moments
How does providing guidance and modelling healthy emotional responses help children develop?
It builds resilience, empathy, and competence, preparing them for future challenges with confidence
