Early Childhood Indicators of Progress

Social and Emotional Development

This domain involves children’s feelings about themselves, as well as their interactions and relationships with peers and adults. Included in this focus are indicators that refer to children’s views of themselves as learners and their sense of responsibility to themselves and others. Particularly important in this domain are the skills children demonstrate making friends, solving conflicts, and functioning effectively in groups.

Strategies community members and policymakers can use to promote children's social and emotional development.

Children Show Progress in EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT When They:*

  1. Demonstrate increasing competency in recognizing and
    describing own emotions
  2. Demonstrate increasing use of words instead of actions to
    express emotions
  3. Begin to understand and respond to others' emotions
  4. Begin to show self-regulation to handle emotions appropriately
  5. Explore a wide range of emotions in different ways (e.g., through
    play, art, music, dance)
  6. Respond to praise, limits, and correction

Strategies family members and teachers and caregivers can use to facilitate children's emotional development.

Children Show Progress in SELF-CONCEPT When They:*

  1. Begin to experiment with own potential and show confidence in own abilities
  2. Demonstrate increasing self-direction and independence
  3. Develop an awareness of self as having certain abilities,
    characteristics, and preferences
  4. Begin to develop awareness, knowledge, and acceptance of
    own gender and cultural identity

Strategies family members and teachers and caregivers can use to facilitate children's self-concept.

Children Show Progress in SOCIAL COMPETENCE & RELATIONSHIPS When They:*

  1. Interact easily with one or more children
  2. Interact easily with familiar adults
  3. Approach others with expectations of positive interactions
  4. Begin to participate successfully as a member of a group
  5. Use play to explore, practice, and understand social roles
    and relationships
  6. Begin to understand others' rights and privileges
  7. Sustain interaction by cooperating, helping, sharing, and expressing interest
  8. Seek adult help when needed for emotional support, physical assistance, social interaction, and approval
  9. Use words and other constructive strategies to resolve conflicts

Strategies family members and teachers and caregivers can use to facilitate children's social competence and relationships.

*These indicators apply to children in the preschool period of ages three to five. They are based on expectations for children approximately four years of age.