Social-emotional skills aid in the strength of a child’s intellectual development. Our Airdrie Preschool focuses on building healthy emotional, intellectual and social relationships among peers, teachers and oneself in each of our activities. This approach to preschool is especially important as the National Associate for the Education of Young Children outlines that  “children with higher emotional intelligence are better able to pay attention, are more engaged in school, have more positive relationships, and are more empathetic.” Choosing the right socially interactive preschool environment for your child provides enriching caregiver interactions. 

WHAT ARE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS 

The social, emotional, intellectual, creative and physical development of a child is interconnected. Children need to experience how to navigate the internal cues of interactions while controlling their emotions to thrive in social settings. The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) defines social and emotional learning as:

“The process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions, and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.”   

EXPLORE EMOTIONS THROUGH PLAY AND ENRICHED INTERACTIONS  

In preschool toddlers are beginning to express themselves through a “theory of the mind,” understanding that their thoughts will not always be mirrored by those around them. The more diverse a social setting is for children to develop language skills, the better their ability to acknowledge the emotions of others. Our Airdire preschool provides quality interactions for children to build relationships and communicate by reading stories, participating in outdoor activities, playing with others, listening in discussion groups and discovering new perspectives. 

ENCOURAGE EMPATHY WITH NURTURING CAREGIVERS

Empathy is one of the core traits of what it means to be human. This moral compass allows children to decide right from wrong through instinct in social situations. These critical skills nurture the growth of a generation able to put the needs of others before their own. Preschool offers an open environment of dialogue for children to understand their complexity of emotions, learning from highly trained caregivers whose greatest strength is their compassion.  

PRESCHOOL FOSTERS DIVERSE INTERACTIONS    

The connections formed in Airdrie child care between peers and caregivers are essential to form strong social-emotional bonds and prepare for school readiness. Gary Ladd, Arizona State University professor of psychology and human development, found that as children become introduced to their community, “peer relationships are more balanced and the partners tend to bring similar levels of ability, reasoning and skill to their interactions.” The ability to diversify relationships and strengthen a child’s emotional responses to those of their age is developed in the preschool environment and is highly advantageous to their growth into empathetic, responsible citizens.

Little Angels Airdrie preschool is here for every child’s journey. Our caregivers prioritize daily lessons around meaningful interactions to successfully engage children with their best selves. Every child deserves the quality care that makes them confident, young citizens.