Beginning at birth, children’s social and emotional development progress as they learn to interact with others, understand their feelings, and express their perspectives. Assisted by caring and nurturing adults, children learn to cooperate and balance their needs and goals with the needs and goals of others. This helps children develop attitudes and skills that promote confidence, competence, and success.
There are several ways that technology can be used to help children develop social and emotional awareness.
There are several ways that technology can be used to help children develop social and emotional awareness.
Recognize Familiar Faces and Places
- Take photos of family, friends, and other important adults in a child’s life, such as caregivers, and teachers. Look at these pictures together and talk about the people in the photos.
- As you go through a typical day, have your child help you take pictures of the places you go together. Reflect on the pictures and talk about what you did and who you saw at the different locations.
Identify Feelings and Emotions
- After watching a video with your child, talk about the characters in the show. Identify how characters felt and how they behaved in response to specific events to help children label and recognize emotions.
- Relate character experiences and emotions in a video back to your child’s everyday life. For example, you might ask your child “Did you ever feel sad, happy or scared like the character in the video?”
Create Awareness and Acceptance of Change
Photos can help children process change that has happened or change that will happen in the near future.
The first day of school is a great example of a major transition in a child’s life.
- You can help your child prepare for this transition by visiting the school with your child well before the first day. Help your child take pictures of the school, the classroom, and the new teacher.
- As you look through photos together, you can discuss how your child feels about the change and encourage acceptance, understanding and confidence in managing the transition.
- Review the photos a few months later and reflect on the child’s
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