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Social and Emotional Development

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Social and emotional development is just as important to children's learning as their academic development. NAEYC's resources offer information about the latest research, ideas for classroom practice, and strategies to share with families.

Making Peace in Kindergarten

Read about one teacher's research and observations as she explores how to create a more peaceful and inclusive classroom.

Making Peace in Kindergarten
Children working together as they care for a plant.

Spotlight on Young Children: Social and Emotional Development

Explore how teachers can use the opportunities embedded in their classroom practices, routines, and lessons to nurture healthy behaviors in children from birth through third grade. 

New Spotlight Book!
Young girls playing together with water.

Great Classroom Examples

Infants playing instruments
Article

Rocking and Rolling—It Takes Two: The Role of Co-Regulation in Building Self-Regulation Skills

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Young children enjoy a read aloud
Article

Culturally Responsive Strategies to Support Young Children with Challenging Behavior

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A child uses the mood meter to share her current feelings.
Article

Teaching Emotional Intelligence in Early Childhood

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Teacher guiding student with STEM game
Blog

Make STEM Social to Motivate Preschoolers

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Unhappy girl with trio of girls behind her.
Article

"I Won't Be Your Friend If You Don't!" Preventing and Responding to Relational Aggression in Preschool Classrooms

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two little girls, one of whom has a Band-Aid on her leg
Article

The Boo-Boo Curriculum

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Books that Support Social and Emotional Development

Cover of Powerful Interactions: How to Connect with Children to Extend Their Learning, Second Edition
Book

Powerful Interactions: How to Connect with Children to Extend Their Learning, Second Edition

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Cover of Powerful Interactions book

(E-Book) Powerful Interactions: How to Connect with Children to Extend Their Learning, Second Edition *All Sales are Final

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To Share with Families

Mother hugging two sons in the kitchen that are sitting in her lap

Building Social and Emotional Skills at Home

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Toddlers hugging

10 Tips for Raising a Compassionate Infant-Toddler

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Baby with hand in her mouth

Understanding and Responding to Children Who Bite

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Most Recent

two young children eating their snacks together
Article
Young Children
June 1, 2022

Viewpoint: A Culture of Their Own: Exploring Childhood as a Unique Cultural Group

This article focuses on one aspect of a child’s specific culture—making and relating to friends—and the paradigm shift that occurs when teachers evaluate what they observe and experience with children by the yardstick of childhood rather than adulthood.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Emily Plank
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some kids playing with outdoor toys
Article
Young Children
June 1, 2022

Outdoor Recess Matters!: Preventing and Reducing Children’s Challenging Behavior on the Playground

Spending time on the playground is a great opportunity for children to be physically active and engage in various forms of play, as well as develop a variety of foundational social and emotional skills.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Hsiu-Wen Yang, Michaelene M. Ostrosky, Paddy Cronin Favazza, Yusuf Akemoğlu, W. Catherine Cheung, Katherine Aronson-Ensign
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a child playing in a box
Article
Young Children
June 1, 2022

The Power of Playful Learning in the Early Childhood Setting

This excerpt from Developmentally Appropriate Practice illustrates the ways in which play and learning mutually support one another and how teachers connect learning goals to children’s play.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Jennifer M. Zosh, Caroline Gaudreau, Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek
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