That expanding understanding of themselves and others develops with age. Here is a table of social and emotional milestones that children typically experience during early childhood.
Table \(\PageIndex{1}\): Social and Emotional Milestones (
Developmental Milestones
by the
CDC
is in the public domain)
|
Typical Age
|
What Most Children Do by This Age
|
|
3 years
|
-
Copies adults and friends
-
Shows affection for friends without prompting
-
Takes turns in games
-
Shows concern for a crying friend
-
Dresses and undresses self
-
Understands the idea of “mine” and “his” or “hers”
-
Shows a wide range of emotions
-
Separates easily from mom and dad
-
May get upset with major changes in routine
|
|
4 years
|
-
Enjoys doing new things
-
Is more and more creative with make-believe play
-
Would rather play with other children than by self
-
Cooperates with other children
-
Plays “mom” or “dad”
-
Often can’t tell what’s real and what’s make-believe
-
Talks about what she likes and what she is interested in
|
|
5 years
|
-
Wants to please friends
-
Wants to be like friends
-
More likely to agree with rules
-
Likes to sing, dance, and act
-
Is aware of gender
-
Can tell what’s real and what’s make-believe
-
Shows more independence
-
Is sometimes demanding and sometimes very cooperative
|
Many things influence how children develop those milestones as how they view themselves and how they interact with those around them changes. Let’s look more at these.