While people often think about education in terms of developing academic skills, equally as important are the social and emotional skills children develop.
Social interaction helps young children form their sense of self and learn about what others expect from them. A lack of social interaction in child development can be problematic.
Sending your child to daycare or pre-kindergarten can help children with social interaction and set them up to reach developmental milestones.
What is the importance of socialization?
When children play with others, they learn skills that serve them for their whole lives. Children develop skills like sharing, problem-solving and setting boundaries through interacting with their peers. They develop empathy for others and learn how to recognize other people’s emotional states. Your child will likely begin to use these skills at home as well.
Social and emotional development is also key for discipline. Through picking up social cues, children will begin to intuit which behaviors are appropriate in specific situations—and which behaviors aren’t appropriate. Attending a preschool will provide your child with the consistency necessary for social development to occur and for the child to mature.
Developmental milestones
Once your child reaches age two, they will still mostly be engaging with parents or other caregivers, but they will begin what’s referred to as parallel play, i.e., playing side by side with another child. They may not be quite ready to share their toys yet, but they’re beginning to become comfortable with and interested in playing with others.
Children at age three often seek others to play with. That said, they may not know how to take turns or share yet. Most play at this age is pretend play or creative play. As a parent, you’ll want to point out to your child the emotions characters in books and TV shows are demonstrating.
By age four, children will become interested in playing in groups, especially with others their same age. Some children at this age will want to play team sports. Children at this age are becoming better at sharing and are developing more independence.
Benefits of social development
As young children begin to interact more with their peers, they will develop important skills. Instead of automatically turning to an adult to solve a problem, they may try to figure it out on their own. By taking turns and sharing, your child will learn the importance of being part of a team. They will also understand better how to create bonds with others. These abilities will serve them well during their school years and show the importance of socialization.
During the last two years, many parents have become concerned about a lack of social interaction in child development. Sending your child to a welcoming daycare like Assumption Academy will ensure that they learn and grow in a warm atmosphere. We offer a wide range of programs for children ages two to six years old. We emphasize learning through play and keep children engaged throughout the day. Contact us now to learn more about our curriculum and enrollment.