The Importance of Social-Emotional Skills in Children and How to Support Them
- Ms. Arwa ( Nursery principal )
- December 26, 2024
- 5:32 am
- 0 comments
Social-emotional skills in children refer to the toolkit we use to form healthy connections with the people and world around us and, crucially, how we learn to feel good about ourselves. These are skills we start to develop from an early age to navigate social environments and regulate our thoughts, feelings and emotions while doing so.
At Green Grass Nursery, we understand just how important these skills are and how pivotal a time this is for social-emotional development in children. We strive to build the best possible foundation for our kids to grow into empathetic and confident little individuals.
This blog takes a closer look at personal, social, and emotional development (PSED) and dives into the GGN approach to incorporating it into our day-to-day nursery life.
Social-Emotional Learning for Kids Every Day
Early childhood is a period of rapid development, both physically and emotionally, as children begin to form a sense of their identity and begin to interact with different social situations. At the core of social-emotional skills in children is the ability to communicate in healthy ways. We pick up our communication skills from our environment and from mirroring the behavior of those around us.
As your little one will spend a significant amount of their day at our nursery, we take our responsibility for their social-emotional development seriously. Rather than being a throwaway term, PSED is a prime area of focus in our curriculum that guides many of our day-to-day activities and learning philosophy.
How We Nurture PSED
In every activity or even during unstructured playtime, GGN kids are encouraged to explore and connect to their emotions and to use this understanding to regulate their behavior. This extends to distinguishing between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ or managing how they approach and respond to problem-solving and challenges of a social, academic, or personal nature.
The GGN team are firm believers in play-based learning and all the wonderful teachable moments it creates each day. This organic approach allows our children to explore their emotions and responses in natural, real-life situations. We also gently guide and reinforce these learning opportunities as part of our daily routine.
Creating a Secure Environment: From the very beginning, we ensure every child feels secure in the nursery by assigning an effective key person who gets to know them well.
Circle Time and Group Discussions: Circle Time is all about sharing thoughts and feelings, which means articulating thoughts and developing listening skills as we take in others’ viewpoints.
Creative Play and Role-Playing: Acting out real-life scenarios is always a favorite with GGN kids, but it also acts as an empathetic exercise and allows for questions relating to problem-solving and cooperation to be incorporated in a fun and meaningful way.
Using Storybooks: We introduce engaging storybooks like The Bad-Tempered Ladybird by Eric Carle or Sharing a Shell by Julia Donaldson, which explore emotions, problem-solving, and working together. By asking kids about the emotions and dilemmas at play, they get to connect to and label their own emotions.
Positive Role Modeling: Our teachers and assistants act as role models and praise children who demonstrate wanted behaviors, rather than highlighting unwanted ones.
Play-Based Learning: Children learn through play with activities and games that encourage turn-taking, sharing, and collaboration, helping them to build relationships and socialize.
By the age of five, children should ideally develop several key social-emotional skills. These skills lay the foundation for healthy relationships and adaptive behaviors as they grow, which is why we place such importance on incorporating them into our daily routines and lessons at GGN. We make sure our little ones’ emotions are validated, that they see healthy behavior modeled each day, and that they are given a chance to develop independence and positive social skills.
Long-Term Benefits of Social-Emotional Skills
Research shows that strong social-emotional skills in early childhood correlate with better academic performance, improved relationships, and greater resilience later in life. Studies have found that children with high social-emotional competence at age five were more likely to graduate high school and secure stable employment in adulthood.
These skills also support mental well-being, reducing the risk of anxiety and depression. By nurturing empathy, children grow into compassionate adults who contribute positively to their communities. We are here to work in tandem with you to provide the best possible models for your kids. Here are a few ways you can support their development at home.
Tips for Parents to Support Social-Emotional Skills in Children
Encourage Independence: Give your child the opportunity and enough time to do things independently, for example, when they’re taking off their shoes or using a spoon at mealtime.
Offer Choices: Offer your child a choice wherever possible, for example, when deciding on which toys to play with.
Teach Responsibility: Teach your child to care for their things. You can do this by asking them to tidy up their toys and showing them how to do this by doing it together the first few times.
Give Full Attention: Give your child your full attention, listen, and explain things to them. This will help them learn how to talk and behave with others.
Celebrate Creativity: Display your child’s paintings, drawings, and models, even if you don’t see them as works of art.
Talk About Feelings: Name and talk about feelings. Remind your child that all types of feelings are acceptable, but not all types of behavior are.
Show Love and Praise: Love, cuddle, and praise your child often.
Conclusion
PSED skills developed at an early age lay the foundation of your child’s overall development. These skills will determine how they approach personal relationships and how they respond to challenges big and small.
At Green Grass Nursery, we place a deliberate and expert-led focus on nurturing these abilities in a safe and welcoming environment. We are here to help your little one grow into a happy, wonderful individual armed with compassion and self-care skills that will allow them to thrive.
Let’s give them the best start by equipping them with the social skills, emotional regulation tools, and independence required to take on their world.
To learn more about our approach to learning, talk to our team today!
