01 Feb Emotional Intelligence in Early Years
Emotional intelligence involves a complex set of skills, and in the inclusive environments of both our nurseries in Greenwich and Forest Hill, children have a unique opportunity to lay a robust foundation for these skills.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the repercussions can be seen across various sectors, including early years settings. The profound impact is particularly notable for children who, should have commenced their early years journey but were unable to due to lockdown measures. This interruption may potentially lead to developmental delays, encompassing emotional development and self-regulation skills for these young learners.
Within early years education, the significance of promoting emotional well-being has always been paramount, particularly within the Little Cubs Academy families. Emotional well-being is a cornerstone that shapes a child’s self-perception and emotional resilience. Little one’s with robust emotional well-being often exhibit elevated levels of self-esteem and self-confidence, attributes crucial for ongoing academic success and fostering a well-rounded adulthood.
The foundational elements, also known as the three ‘prime’ areas of the EYFS framework—communication and language, personal, social, and emotional development, and physical development—play a pivotal role in early years learning. These areas not only lay the groundwork for a child’s intellectual and physical growth but also creature and nurture the curiosity, enthusiasm for learning, and the ability to form positive relationships that are vital for their development. Understanding and fostering emotional intelligence has become even more critical, given the potential setbacks experienced by our current learners therefore our Teachers have shared below strategies for nurturing Emotional Intelligence both at home and within our nurseries to be able to support for these resilient young minds.
Strategies for Nurturing Emotional Intelligence
Emotion Identification:
Beyond just labelling emotions, encourage your little one to explore their feelings. Both our nurseries in Greenwich and Forest Hill incorporate creative activities where children can express and delve into the depth of their emotions, exploring what each emotion means to them and recognising the behaviours that result.
Empathy Development:
Nurseries are perfect settings for building social skills and understanding relationships with outhers. During a range of activities, both at home and in day nurseries, from as simple as playing with others or eating dinner as a family, guide your little one to understanding and sharing the feelings of others. Asking questions such as “How do you think this made me feel”, “What do you think will make … happy”, allows younger children to understand emotions and experience empathy.
Teaching Emotional Regulation:
Another great benefit of day nursery enviornments is structure. We often find that our little ones are able to regulate and manage their emotions easier within group settings than at home amongst family. Parents and Carers can help children develop concrete strategies for managing their emotions through simple techniques such as creating a ‘calm down’ space, emotional support toys to display what emotion is being felt at the time and role-playing past scenarios.
Positive Communication:
Both our day nurseries in Greenwich and Forest Hill actively promote open communication, as nurturing each child’s individuality is a pillar of our ethos. Encourage your little one to express themselves verbally, listen actively, and engage in conversations that nurture effective communication, a vital component of emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence is a skill set that continues to evolve throughout life, but the early years set the stage for its development. By focusing on wide ranges of emotion identification, empathy, teaching emotional regulation and promoting positive communication at home, we can all contribute significantly to their little one’s emotional intelligence journey.
Speak to the Headteacher’s of our Greenwich Nursery or Forest Hill Nursery today HERE
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