Social and emotional development supports children in developing relationships with others, cooperating with peers and adults, understanding others’ feelings and perspectives, and maintaining some control of their behaviors and emotions. These characteristics help ensure that children are able to get along and participate with others.
Here’s some examples of what most children are expected to do at ages 1 and 2 within this developmental domain.
1 year old:
- plays games with you, like pat a cake
- requests help from familiar adults to address wants and needs
- initiates back and forth play
- expresses a range of basic emotions like happiness, sadness, fear, and anger
2 year old:
- notices when others are hurt or upset, like pausing or looking sad when
- someone is crying
- looks at your face to see how to react in a new situation
There are also some key things to look for in each domain that can assist in detecting delays in development that may require additional support, or a developmental screening and evaluation.
Definition
Strategies
Developmental Milestones
Resources
Detecting Delays
Who to Contact
Screening/Monitoring