14.5.1: Supporting Social Development

Supporting Social Development and Learning

Creating Environments to Encourage Positive Social Interactions

To support social development and learning, children's early care and learning environments must foster a sense of security and trust. The environment includes both the physical environment and the social environment. The physical space, furnishings, and materials must be safe, age-appropriate, explorable, and intellectually stimulating. The people and interactions within the social environment should be warm, caring, and supportive.

What should the social environment include?	What should the physical environment include?
warm, caring, responsive adults frequent meaningful conversations respectful interactions modeling of social skills encouragement and praise supervision and gentle guidance from adults	safe and healthy physical spaces spaces and materials that encourage exploration opportunities for children to be independent spaces that support children interacting with others materials that challenge children without frustration

Routines and Transitions Support Social Learning

Positive social opportunities exist in many common childhood activities. Here are a few examples of how social development and learning might be enhanced:

Opportunity	Anecdotal Example of Social Learning
Choice time or Free Play	During free play, three-year-old Aisha and four-year-old Diego are building a tower with blocks. Aisha picks up a red block and says, "This one goes on top." Diego nods and adds a blue block next to it. As they continue building, another child, Nia, approaches and says, "Can I help?" Aisha hands Nia a block and says, "You can put this one here." The children collaborate to create a larger structure, demonstrating sharing, turn-taking, and cooperative play.
Transitions	During a transition from playtime to snack time, two-year-old Liam hesitates to leave the play area. The teacher kneels down and says, "Liam, it's time to clean up now so we can have a yummy snack." Another child, Ella, comes over and says, "Come on, Liam, let's clean up together!" Ella grabs some toys and puts them in the bin, encouraging Liam to join in. Liam follows her lead, showing the development of understanding routines and social cues from peers.
Family-style dining (snacks and meals)	At lunch, a group of preschoolers sits at the table. As they eat, four-year-old Sofia notices that her friend Ahmed looks sad. Sofia asks, "Ahmed, are you okay?" Ahmed replies, "I miss my mom." Sofia says, "It's okay, she'll come back after school. You can play with us." Sofia’s empathy and support demonstrate her growing social awareness and ability to comfort peers.
Feeding infants	During feeding time, six-month-old Yara is in her high chair while the caregiver feeds her pureed carrots. Yara watches as another infant, Lucas, gets his bottle. She reaches out her hand towards Lucas and babbles excitedly, showing her interest in her peer and beginning stages of social interaction and awareness of others around her.
Diaper changing and Toileting	As the caregiver changes two-year-old Kai's diaper, Noah notices another child, Ava, waiting for her turn. He waves at Ava and says, "Hi, Ava!" Ava smiles and waves back. The caregiver uses this opportunity to talk about waiting for turns, saying, "Kai is having his diaper changed now, and then it will be Ava's turn." This interaction supports the children’s understanding of patience and turn-taking.
Sleep and Nap time	At nap time, three-year-old Zara lies on her cot next to her friend, Ben. As the teacher dims the lights and starts soft music, Zara whispers, "Goodnight, Ben." Ben whispers back, "Goodnight, Zara." They both smile and close their eyes. This demonstrates the development of bonds and routines that promote a sense of security and comfort in social settings.
Outdoor play	On the playground, five-year-old Ethan is playing tag with a group of friends. Ethan notices that his friend, Hiro, is sitting alone on a bench. Ethan runs over and says, "Come play with us, Hiro!" Hiro smiles, gets up, and joins the game. Ethan’s actions show inclusivity and his ability to recognize and respond to the emotions and needs of others.
Field trips	During a field trip to the zoo, three-year-old Maya holds hands with her friend, Mateo, as they walk from one exhibit to another. When they see a giraffe, Maya excitedly points and says, "Look, Mateo, a giraffe!" Mateo nods and says, "It's so tall!" They discuss the animals they see, showing growing communication skills and the ability to share experiences with peers.
Arrival and Departure	During arrival time, two-year-old Caleb enters the classroom with his mother. As he sees his friend Oliver playing with blocks, Caleb waves goodbye to his mother and runs over to join him. Oliver looks up and smiles, saying, "Hi, Caleb!" They begin building together. Caleb’s quick transition from separating from his mother to engaging with his friend demonstrates growing social confidence and the development of friendships.
Teachable moments	Two-year-old Leo is playing with blocks when he notices his teacher, Mr. Aaron, drop a basket of toys while setting up another activity. Mr. Aaron says, "Oh no, I dropped the toys! Can someone help me pick them up?" Leo immediately stands up, walks over, and starts picking up the toys one by one. Another toddler, Hana, sees Leo helping and joins in. Mr. Aaron smiles and says, "Thank you, Leo and Hana! You are such good helpers." This situation allows the children to practice empathy and learn the importance of helping others, even when they are not directly asked.

Using Technology to Support Children with Special Needs

Teachers and caregivers make adaptations in their classrooms and programs to help children with special needs be fully included. Children with special needs may need additional social support. Some children may struggle to form and maintain relationships and understand social cues. Technology may be a tool to help support children's social learning, especially children with disabilities (Hong, et al., 2022). Communication devices may assist children in interacting with others and practicing social skills requiring language. Using iPads to model social stories may provide coaching and reinforcement for others. Professionals must ask themselves about the developmental appropriateness of using technology in their setting. Technology use in early childhood programs poses potential issues such as the availability of devices and the internet, the costs involved, and the increase in a child's screen time.

References

Hong, S.-Y., Steed, E. A., Meyer, L. E., & Acar, I. H. (2022). The Development of Social Competence in Children with Disabilities. In Smith. P.K. and Hart, C. H., eds., The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Childhood Social Development (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Accessed 8/28/2024 from http://digitalcommons.unl.edu.