Raising Emotionally Intelligent Children
Early childhood is a time for learning. As children’s brains develop rapidly in the first 5 years of life, we understand that supporting children’s learning and development during this stage can lay the foundations for future success.
Emotional intelligence, sometimes referred to as (EI) or (EQ) refers to the ability to identify, understand, and manage our own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. In recent years there has been an increasing emphasis on not only focusing on cognitive or academic skills and learning, but also on the importance of emotional intelligence, mental wellbeing and social skills. Emotional intelligence is linked to many positive outcomes for children and adults recognising the value of understanding ourselves and how we relate to others.
There are many benefits to supporting emotional intelligence in early childhood, some of which include:
- Children learning and practicing empathy
- Building strong and positive relationships with others
- A strong sense of identify and self
- Open communication about feelings and emotions
- Emotional regulation – being able to identify emotions and express them appropriately
Here is how we support your child’s emotional intelligence at Sage:
- Play based activities – play offers children endless opportunities to interact and communicate with peers. It is through these interactions that children practice social skills and empathy towards others.
- Storytime – during storytime we choose a variety of storybooks that teach children about different emotions. Children are encouraged to reflect on the characters in the stories and relate to the range of scenarios and emotions explored in the books.
- Discussions about emotions – group times are a great opportunity to talk to children about feelings and assist them in identifying and labelling their emotions. We also discuss with children how should we express our emotions encouraging them to consider how their emotions and behaviours can impact on others.
- Role modelling emotional intelligence – Sage Early Learning Centre educators are proactive in demonstrating for children social skills and emotional regulations. They will demonstrate for children how to care for others, how to practice active listening, and how to manage emotions appropriately using meditation or breathing techniques.
- Group games – educators at our childcare centre implement a variety of group games and group projects to encourage children to practice teamwork, collaboration, sharing and turn-taking.
- Tranquility hubs – these play spaces support children who are experiencing big emotions, giving them a safe space to relax and reflect. At our child care centre, children have access to comfort items to support their regulation, often with the help of an educator who will support children to process their emotions in a healthy way and return to play.
- Conflict resolution – educators at Sage Early Learning Centre invest time in supporting children to manage conflict or disagreements as they occur. We encourage children to express what they are feeling and why they are feeling that way and support them with empathising with each other and coming up with solutions together
By empowering children to become emotionally intelligent beings, we are ensuring they develop into emotionally intelligent adults who are equipped with the skills to form healthy relationships with others and to navigate social interactions with confidence and resilience.
