Find resources / Group parenting programme / Child development / Social–emotional development

• Understand when and how social-emotional skills develop in young children.
• Enjoy children’s development and have realistic expectations of them.
• Provide children with age-appropriate activities.

Humans are social beings. Right from birth, babies are learning who they are, and who they are in relation to others.

The greatest influence on a child’s social-emotional development is the quality of the relationships that they develop with their primary caregivers – especially in their first 3 years.

Positive and nurturing early experiences and relationships not only have a significant impact on children’s social-emotional development, but in all of their other learning and developmental areas too. This also includes their physical health. Those early relationships greatly influence how young children’s brains develop.

Use the x with the group, encouraging them to look at the cards. Talk about the contents and put them in sequential order from birth to 3 years.

Discuss the order and check it with the information in the ‘Pēpi says’ sections of the Tākai Whakatipu booklets.

Social emotional development cards [PDF, 284 KB]