Nurturing children’s emotional well-being
Discover the key aspects of nurturing children’s emotional well-being as well as strategies to support children in the early years to develop resilience and happiness.
Well-being is at the core of the early years and vital for all areas of learning. Increasing levels of well-being in the first five years of a child’s life is key to their future mental health.
For children under five, emotional health forms the foundation for future happiness, learning and relationships. Here’s how parents and practitioners can nurture this essential aspect of a child’s development.
Three key aspects of positive emotional well-being:
1. Emotional expression
Children experience a huge range of emotions, even before they can walk and talk. Helping them to recognise and name their emotions can reduce frustration and build emotional intelligence
2. Secure attachments
Having secure attachments with their caregivers helps children feel safe and loved. In order to build strong bonds, responding consistently to their needs is best
3. Developing empathy
Helping children to recognise other people’s feelings begins to develop a sense of empathy. Sharing stories and talking about characters’ emotions can nurture this quality and help children to articulate their own feelings.
Three strategies to support children’s emotional well-being:
1. Encourage play
Play is absolutely essential for emotional exploration. Through free play, imaginative games or more structured activities, children learn to process, describe and manage a whole range of emotions – both theirs and those of others’
2. Create routines
Daily routines provide children with a sense of security and stability which helps to foster security and reduce anxiety
3. Model coping skills
Children learn by watching adults. Modelling ways to cope with tricky situations and naming how you are feeling at particular times help children learn valuable self-regulation and resilience strategies.
When to seek help to nurture children’s emotional well-being
Whilst we know that all children are individuals and develop at their own rates, if you notice that a child shows persistent sadness, anxiety or difficulty interacting with others, it may be helpful to seek information from parents and support from other professionals. Early support can make a huge difference.
Nurturing emotional well-being in the early years provides fundamental skills for a lifetime of resilience and happiness. By focusing on the key aspects of emotional well-being we can help children grow into emotionally healthy adults, able to face life’s challenges without negative repercussions.
Looking for more support on supporting children’s emotional well-being?
See our live virtual classroom course ‘Developing Self-Regulation, Supporting Well-Being‘ or ‘Children’s Well-being‘ publication.
- Mental Health
- PSED
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