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  • Suitable for 5-6Years

Social and emotional growth: school age

By pbsparents.org
 
 

The significance of social and emotional development is seen in every area of a child’s life. A child will have a strong foundation for later development if she can manage personal feelings, understand others’ feelings and needs, and interact positively with others. Differences in social and emotional development result from a child’s inborn temperament, cultural influences, disabilities, behaviours modelled by adults, the level of security felt in a child’s relationships with adults, and the opportunities provided for social interaction.

Five-year-olds can manage feelings and social situations with greater independence. They might decide on their own to go to another room to calm down, or try strategies like negotiation and compromise to resolve a conflict before seeking adult help. They also have improved skills for forming and maintaining friendships with adults and other children. Being accepted by ‘the group’ is becoming more and more important.

Emotional development

  • Continues to expand her circle of trusted adults. At the same time, maintains a closeness to a few special people. For example, she might say, ‘I love my teacher, Mrs. Benotti!’
  • Gains self-esteem from feeling capable and demonstrating new skills; for example, ‘I know how to read this!’ Is increasingly aware of her own characteristics and skills.
  • Uses more complex language to express her understanding of feelings and their causes; for example, ‘I sort of want to try riding on that, but I'm sort of scared, too’.
  • Uses physical, imaginative, and cognitive resources to comfort self (e.g. goes to her room voluntarily when upset) and to control the expression of emotion; however, continues to need adult guidance in this area.

Social development

  • Enjoys interacting with other children and adults. Has developed a broader repertoire of social entry skills (e.g. suggests something to do together, joins in an existing activity, shares a snack). Engages in more complex and sustained cooperative play, including pretend play and simple games with rules; for example, ‘How about if we play draughts. I'll give out the pieces’.
  • Continues to establish and maintain friendships with other children. Seeks others' acceptance and friendship; for example, ‘We're friends, right?’ May join a group to exclude others.
  • Uses a wider array of words or actions to demonstrate awareness, understanding, and concern for what others are feeling. For example, goes over to a child whose block building has fallen down and says, ‘Don't worry, Vince. I'll help you build it up again’.
  • Uses a broader repertoire of strategies, including negotiation and compromise, to resolve conflicts before seeking adult help. For example, ‘I have a great idea, Henry! You be the bear, and I'll be the lion. Then we can switch!’ Still has difficulty at times.
 
 
 
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  • Last updated08-05-2006
  • Last reviewed08-05-2006
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    © 2002-2006 Public Broadcasting Service.  Reprinted from www.pbsparents.org with permission of the Public Broadcasting Service.