Social and emotional development is the gradual growth over time of how children react to and interact with their surroundings and their social environment. A child’s expression, emotional management, and expression is Social-emotional development, which develops and strengthens their capabilities to build positive and rewarding relationships.
Now, let us look at the milestones that a child goes through.
0- 9 months:
Babies express their feelings by crying, smiling, and voicing their emotions.
Babies will observe their caregivers’ faces closely while being fed, changed, bathed, and talked to and start imitating the facial expressions that they see.
They will listen and be soothed when they hear familiar voices, like their mother, father, grandparents.
Young babies will smile and coo at anyone who spends time interacting with them.
9 months – 18 months:
By 9 months old babies will be playing with toys and household things.
Children at this age will not be able to join others while playing themselves but they will enjoy the company of other children.
18 months – 24 months:
solitary play and on looking play is observed in children at this age which leads them to be autonomous and independent.
They need the constant and reassuring presence of their familiar caregiver, specifically when there are upset, angry, and show jealousy.
2 years – 3 years:
They become more independent and like to have their belongs for themself.
They will start imitating their immediate caregivers, like copying their grandmother’s routines.
Here, we will see that parallel play being prominent.
3 years – 5 years:
They have a sense of ‘mine’ and ‘yours’.
They may attend a playgroup or a nursery, may have imaginary friends, chooses their own friends, willing to share.
At this age, they are more willing to play with others inside a classroom or outside in a playground.
5 years – 8 years
They are cooperative and sympathetic, increased confidence, aware of different emotions.
They will start primary school, may join after-school activities.
At this age, they are more aware of their surroundings and will use language more eloquently to describe situations or incidents.
