The Importance of Social and Emotional Development in Preschoolers

March 13, 2023

As parents and caregivers, we want our children to excel academically and intellectually. We enroll them in the best schools and provide them with the necessary resources to help them succeed. However, paying attention to the importance of social and emotional development in preschoolers is essential. These skills are vital to a child’s overall well-being and can impact their success in later years.

What is Social and Emotional Development?

Social and emotional development refers to a child’s ability to manage emotions and interact with others effectively. It includes skills such as empathy, self-awareness, and relationship-building. These skills are essential to a child’s social and academic success.

Why is it important?

Social and emotional development in preschoolers is essential for several reasons. Firstly, it helps children develop healthy relationships with their peers and adults. They learn how to communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, and work collaboratively.

Secondly, it helps children develop a positive sense of self. By developing self-awareness, children can recognize their emotions and understand how to manage them. This self-awareness also helps children develop a positive self-image and self-esteem.

Thirdly, social and emotional development prepares children for academic success. Children with strong social and emotional skills are better able to concentrate, have better problem-solving abilities, and are more resilient when facing challenges.

How to Support Social and Emotional Development in Preschoolers?

Parents and caregivers can support preschoolers social and emotional development in many ways. Here are some tips:

1. Create a safe and nurturing environment – Children need to feel safe and secure to develop social and emotional skills. Provide a warm and loving environment where they can explore their emotions and interact with others.
2. Model positive behaviors – Children learn by example. Show them how to express their emotions and communicate effectively with others.
3. Encourage empathy – Encourage children to think about how others feel and show compassion towards them. This skill helps build positive relationships with others.
4. Use positive reinforcement – Praise children for their efforts and accomplishments. This positive reinforcement helps build self-esteem and a positive self-image.
5. Provide opportunities for socialization – Preschoolers need opportunities to interact with their peers. Organize playdates, join a parent-child group, or enroll them in extracurricular activities to provide opportunities for socialization.

At Les Enfants, we prioritize social and emotional development in young children, which is why we are proud to be one of the ten implementation sites in New Jersey for the “Pyramid Model for Supporting Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children.” Our teachers model positive behaviors and encourage empathy while using positive reinforcement to build self-esteem and provide opportunities for socialization through play-based learning and extracurricular activities. We believe that a strong foundation in social and emotional competence is critical to the overall well-being of our students and sets them up for lifelong success.