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Social and Emotional Development

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Social and emotional development is just as important to children's learning as their academic development. NAEYC's resources offer information about the latest research, ideas for classroom practice, and strategies to share with families.

Making Peace in Kindergarten

Read about one teacher's research and observations as she explores how to create a more peaceful and inclusive classroom.

Making Peace in Kindergarten
Children working together as they care for a plant.

Spotlight on Young Children: Social and Emotional Development

Explore how teachers can use the opportunities embedded in their classroom practices, routines, and lessons to nurture healthy behaviors in children from birth through third grade. 

New Spotlight Book!
Young girls playing together with water.

Great Classroom Examples

Infants playing instruments
Article

Rocking and Rolling—It Takes Two: The Role of Co-Regulation in Building Self-Regulation Skills

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Young children enjoy a read aloud
Article

Culturally Responsive Strategies to Support Young Children with Challenging Behavior

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A child uses the mood meter to share her current feelings.
Article

Teaching Emotional Intelligence in Early Childhood

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Teacher guiding student with STEM game
Blog

Make STEM Social to Motivate Preschoolers

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Unhappy girl with trio of girls behind her.
Article

"I Won't Be Your Friend If You Don't!" Preventing and Responding to Relational Aggression in Preschool Classrooms

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two little girls, one of whom has a Band-Aid on her leg
Article

The Boo-Boo Curriculum

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Books that Support Social and Emotional Development

Cover of Powerful Interactions: How to Connect with Children to Extend Their Learning, Second Edition
Book

Powerful Interactions: How to Connect with Children to Extend Their Learning, Second Edition

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Cover of Powerful Interactions book

(E-Book) Powerful Interactions: How to Connect with Children to Extend Their Learning, Second Edition *All Sales are Final

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To Share with Families

Mother hugging two sons in the kitchen that are sitting in her lap

Building Social and Emotional Skills at Home

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Toddlers hugging

10 Tips for Raising a Compassionate Infant-Toddler

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Baby with hand in her mouth

Understanding and Responding to Children Who Bite

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Most Recent

A child being introduced to a new class
Blog
April 14, 2026

They’re Ready, Because You Were First

The Spring 2026 issue of Educating Young Children is focused entirely on the preschool-to-kindergarten transition and reading it this week hit me differently than it might have at any other time.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Nicole Santa
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Children holding hands while walking outside

Voices of Practitioners, Winter 2025, Volume 20

This year’s Voices of Practitioners compilation showcases five pedagogical narratives that each address how educators build empathy and belonging in classrooms, programs or schools, and communities.
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Children playing in the couch
Article
Voices of Practitioners
November 11, 2025

Creating a Sense of Belonging in a Toddler Classroom

The story of Ben’s large-scale pretend play (physically, socially, and emotionally) and how our learning community engaged with it shows how we fostered a sense of belonging in our toddler classroom.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Liz Braddock
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a child watching a film on a projector
Article

Authentic Identity Work in a Culture of Self-Reflection

NAEYC promotes high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Vaidehi Desai, Margaret Oliver
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children playing with a big calendar
Article

The Pedagogical Narrative as a Form of Teacher Research

NAEYC promotes high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Barbara Henderson, Robyn Brookshire, Ron Grady, Isauro M. Escamilla, Angela Aquilizan, Megina Baker, Andrew J. Stremmel
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preschool
Blog
September 24, 2024

Preparing Young Children for School

In this blog, Rebecca Newman-Gonchar shares relevant findings from a recently released practice guide that underscores the importance of developmentally appropriate practice during back to school time.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Rebecca Newman-Gonchar
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