When it comes to emotions, toddlers feel things strongly! They are developing new social skills and feelings as they learn to enjoy being around others. Young kids react to everything, but as they get older, they start learning how to calm down and keep their emotions under control.
Caregivers at a Silver Spring preschool share that it is important to make young ones feel emotionally and physically secure. The more secure they feel in their environment, the more they will grow emotionally. Emotional growth is vital for children, as it’s the starting point for developing effective communication skills.
Talking to kids about their feelings, doing relaxation activities with them, teaching them healthy ways to deal with problems, and making them feel safe can help reduce feelings of anxiety and help improve their emotional well-being.
Emotional development in young children isn’t just about getting them ready for school. It’s also about getting them ready for life. These skills are crucial for personal growth, making and maintaining healthy relationships, and achieving overall success.
Emotional development in preschoolers is necessary as it helps them make friends and understand their feelings. There are lots of fun ways for preschoolers to learn about feelings at home or while attending preschool in Silver Spring, MD.
One of our favorite social and emotional games for preschoolers is Emotion Charades. In this game, kids or parents pretend to be sad, scared, or anything else. Letting kids visualize these feelings helps them understand them better. With understanding comes the ability to process their own feelings better.
It’s important to take turns in this game. The first person starts by making faces to show how they feel. The other person then guesses as to what feelings are being portrayed.
Creative play helps kids learn to understand and care about others. In building Empathy Towers, you use blocks to make towers that show different feelings. Before starting, assign a feeling to specific colors.
Get some LEGO or building blocks. Then, begin to put buildings together. But there is a catch. As you build, talk about why someone might feel a certain way. Each block stands for a feeling.
Creating a unique bracelet to symbolize feelings and friendships is known as a friendship bracelet. They act as a material memory of emotions and connections.
Make a bracelet with beads of various colors to symbolize feelings such as love, happiness, and kindness. As you bead each emotion, discuss it. Wearing the bracelet serves as a reminder of how important their feelings are.
It is difficult for young children to understand complicated emotions. Make cards depicting different emotions, such as a frowny face to show anger or a cheerful face to express happiness. When kids feel emotional, encourage them to pick a card and hold it up to express their feelings. Naming and expressing their emotions allows them to understand them better.
Storytime sharing is the ideal choice for those seeking a basic social-emotional exercise. When reading a book together, it involves discussing the characters’ feelings. By allowing children to relate to the characters and their feelings, storytime improves their empathy and aids in emotional development.
Select a book where the characters experience lots of emotions. Then, while you read, talk about those emotions. Take a moment to ask things such as “What is the character’s current state of mind?” or “Has that ever happened to you?”
Sharing circles are a great way to help kids grow emotionally. Kids in a speaking circle take turns talking about how they feel or something special that happened to them that day. As kids learn to listen to and react to each other’s feelings, they improve their communication skills and learn more about empathy.
Sit in a circle with your child and some other kids if you can. Start by talking about how you feel or something good that happened in your day. After that, give each kid a chance. Encourage people to listen and respond in a helpful way.
These are sensory aids that kids can use to calm down and control their emotions. They are loaded with glitter and water. They teach kids how to control their intense emotions and self-soothe.
Pour water into a transparent plastic bottle and garnish with tiny beads or glitter. Your youngster can take deep breaths, shake the bottle, and watch the glitter settle when they’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed.
Role-playing allows children to practice conflict resolution in a secure setting. With the help of adults this helps children develop efficient communication and problem-solving abilities.
Make up circumstances, like sharing toys, where disputes might occur. Play pretend games with your kids, assuming various parts, and show them how to settle disputes amicably.
Children play the energetic game “Freeze Dance,” in which they move to music and stop when you call out a certain feeling. This game promotes emotional expression through dance and assists kids in making the connection between movement and feelings.
Turn on some music and let your kids dance around unrestrained. They must freeze and use their body language and facial expressions to convey the emotion you call out.
Puzzle building requires you and your child to put together jigsaw puzzles. It teaches people how to work together, be patient, and control their emotions.
Pick a jigsaw project appropriate for their age. As you work together to finish the project, remind each other how important it is to help each other out when things get tough.
Preschoolers need emotional activities, not just for fun, but because these activities help kids understand their feelings, make friends, and become mentally strong. These straightforward yet effective exercises hold the secrets to opening your kids’ eyes to a world of emotional intelligence.
Therefore, let’s welcome these emotional learning opportunities at home and at preschool in Silver Spring as a way for preschoolers to learn and grow. Let’s help our young children explore their emotions, communicate their thoughts, and comprehend those of others. Through play, laughter, and gentle guidance, we can enable children to become confident, socially proficient, and emotionally strong people who are prepared to take on life’s adventures.
MCCA has been recognized by the Maryland State Legislature for its commitment to Montgomery County issued a quality programs and special needs child care Proclamation in 2016 to MCCA for its commitment to Montgomery County child care for more than 50 years. MCCA was also selected as a 2018 nonprofit finalist for a MOXIE Award for boldness and innovation
MCCA is the oldest nonprofit licensed child care provider in Montgomery County and started its work in 1968 as a Community Action Project of the War on Poverty. Recognizing the need for quality child care programs in their neighborhoods, a group of local activists formed an association to establish centers in Montgomery County that would serve a diverse population and establish high standards for child care. Now, more than 50 years later, MCCA’s dedicated and expertly trained staff continue their tradition of providing high quality child care and play-based education for children.
Families with school aged children who can afford their child care expenses during the school year often struggle to afford the all-day programs they need when school is out for the summer. The Richard Krampf Summer Adventures Scholarship Fund was established to help provide children a safe and stimulating place to spend their weeks when school is out. Please contact an MCCA Director for details on how to apply.