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 the language and communication developmental domain.
3 year old:
- calms down within 10 minutes after you leave, like at a child care drop off
- notices other children and joins them to play
4 year old:
- pretends to be something else during play (teacher, superhero, dog)
- asks to go play with children if none are around
- comforts others who are hurt or sad, like hugging a crying friend
- likes to be a “helper”
- changes behavior based on where she is
5 year old:
- follows rules or takes turns when playing games with other children
- sings, dances, or acts for you
- does simple chores at home, like matching socks or clearing the table after eating
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