Understanding children's physical and social-emotional health in alignment with their age and developmental stage helps adults stay attuned to the needs of the children. This understanding enhances the ability to effectively meet those needs, creating a synchronized dance between adults and children. While these moments may not occur consistently, when they do, everyone involved has the opportunity to observe, learn, and develop skills for future instances. Each of these moments contributes to the resiliency basket for the entire family.
Play & Learn At Home
Here are some things to do at home encourage emotional health:
Singing - Sing songs to your child and tell them nursery rhymes. Make up songs about your baby using their name. This will make them feel special and loved.
Mealtime Helper - Let your toddler help during mealtimes by bringing some things to the table or by setting a place at the table.
Family photos - Show your child family photos. Talk about the people in the pictures and who they are. Say “That is your Uncle Bob.” Can your child tell you who the people are?
Together Time - Have a special reading time each day. Snuggle up and get close. Slowly increase the length of the stories so your child can sit and listen a little longer.
Quiet Time - Make sure your child has plenty of rest and quiet and alone time when they need it. Looking for more inspiration at home? We love these resources:
Fostering Healthy Social & Emotional Development in Young Children
https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PIH/documents/kindergartentipsproviders.pdf
How to Support Your Child’s Social-Emotional Health: 8 Tips for Families
https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/social-emotional-learning/articles/how-support-your-childs-social-emotional-health-8-tips
Ages & Stages
https://agesandstages.com/free-resources/resources/?_paged=3