Gower Street Kindergarten: How to Understand and Support Your Kindergartener’s Emotional Development?

21 June 2023

As parents, we want to do everything we can to support our kindergartener’s emotional development, especially during their early years. During kindergarten, children experience significant changes in their emotional, social, and cognitive development. It’s crucial for parents to understand these changes and provide support to help their children navigate them successfully. As a trusted purpose-built kindergarten centre in Preston, VIC, we will share how to understand and support your kindergartener’s emotional development.

Understanding Your Kindergartener’s Emotional Development

Kindergarten is a time of significant emotional growth for children. They are learning to express their emotions and communicate their needs effectively. Here are some of the emotional milestones your child may experience during kindergarten:

• Identifying Emotions: Kindergarteners are learning to identify and label their emotions, such as sadness, happiness, anger, and fear.

• Empathy: They are developing empathy and learning to recognise emotions in others.

• Self-regulation: Kindergarteners are also learning to regulate their emotions and behaviours, which is an essential skill for success in school and life.

• Problem-solving: They are learning to solve problems independently and with others.

How to Support Your Kindergartener’s Emotional Development?

As a parent, there are many things you can do to support your child’s emotional development during kindergarten. Here are some tips:

• Encourage the Expression of Emotions – Encourage your child to express their emotions and communicate their needs effectively. Validate their feelings and help them identify healthy ways to express their emotions, such as drawing, talking, or physical activity. This can also be achieved by providing a safe and comfortable environment where your child can share their emotions without fear of judgment or punishment.

• Practice Empathy – Teach your child to practice empathy by asking how they would feel in a particular situation. Encourage them to be kind to others and to recognise when someone is sad or upset. Regularly engaging in these empathy-building exercises lays a strong foundation for your child to develop strong interpersonal relationships and become a more compassionate community member.

• Model Self-regulation – Model self-regulation by staying calm and in control during difficult situations. Teach your child to take deep breaths or count to ten when they feel upset. Remember that as a parent, you are also a role model, and by exhibiting self-control during moments of stress or frustration, you are teaching your child valuable life skills that will serve them well in the future.

• Foster Problem-solving Skills – Foster your child’s problem-solving skills by asking open-ended questions that encourage critical thinking. Help them brainstorm solutions to problems they encounter. Through this process, your child will develop confidence in their problem-solving abilities and learn to approach challenges with a positive and proactive attitude.

It’s important to remember that every child develops at their own pace, and there may be times when your child struggles with their emotions or social interactions. Still, by providing a supportive and nurturing environment, you can help them develop the skills they need to navigate life’s ups and downs with confidence and resilience.

At Gower Street Kindergarten, we understand the importance of emotional development during kindergarten. Our program is designed to support children’s social and emotional development through play-based learning and positive reinforcement. Check our programme and enrol your child in a supportive, nurturing kindergarten environment.