Emotional growth is an important part of everyday life because when children feel safe, secure and loved, they are more likely to be curious learners and safely explore the world around them. 

Supporting your child’s emotional development helps them grow into confident and caring individuals as they begin to understand and show their feelings (happiness, sadness, anger, frustration) . It also includes learning how to calm down after being upset. This is a big step for little ones and they will need extra support to learn these skills. 

Comforting a child when they are upset will not spoil them. Supporting a child in this way builds trust that you will be there to help them, if needed. 

Learning and practicing these skills early in life helps build a strong foundation for friendships and self-confidence later in life.

Emotional Development for Babies

When babies are held, cuddled, and spoken to gently, they feel loved and cared for. Following a familiar and consistent routine helps create a sense of safety and security for your little one. 

The routine doesn’t have to be complicated - these are things that you are already doing such as regular feeding times, bath time, and nap preparations. Take the time to enjoy these simple moments. You  and your baby are learning together.

 Emotional Development for Toddlers

Your toddler doesn’t understand their big feelings yet, but you can help by teaching them the names of their emotions as they experience them. For example, when they smile brightly, you can say, "I see you are happy, by looking at your smile". To further help them understand emotions, you can also label feelings while looking at picture books. Giving a child words for feelings and showing them you understand helps a child develop their emotional skills. 

Emotional Development for Preschoolers

Allowing your child to make choices is a great way to support their emotional development. Throughout the day, offer simple options, such as, "Would you like to wear the blue shirt or the green shirt?" or "Do you want to go for a walk or colour with crayons?" Ensure both choices are acceptable, so that your child feels empowered. Making these small decisions helps foster independence, a sense of control, and self-worth — key aspects of emotional growth.

 Emotional Development for School-aged

Your child may have a hard time controlling their feelings. Wait until the situation has settled down — then it's a good time to talk with them about what happened. Be sure to listen to their side of the story and then problem solve a solution with your child for a better way to manage these feelings next time. This learning takes lots of practice. Finding story books to read about feelings is a fun and easy way to help children gain a better understanding of emotions in different settings such as going to the doctor, taking turns at the playground and shopping at a store.

For more tips and activities that promote emotional development, look for the heart symbol on the Tips portion of each Looksee Checklist. 

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