This article details a multifaceted, holistic approach for integrating social and emotional learning within the preschool day and offers ways that early childhood educators can adapt these practices to their own settings.
Authored by
Authored by:
Sara D. Hooks, Jennifer K. Pett, Janese Daniels, Nicole Vasanth
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sometimes our listening reinforces what we thought we knew—and sometimes it takes us in directions we didn’t anticipate, identifies consequences we didn’t envision, and helps us find solutions we hadn’t thought of.
In this issue of Young Children, authors present the meaning behind children’s behaviors and developmentally appropriate, equitable ways to respond to them.
As we reflect on what it means to transform our understanding of and approaches to children’s behaviors, let’s consider ways in which we are fostering an environment that supports young children’s social and emotional health and development.
In this issue of Young Children, authors present the meaning behind children’s behaviors and developmentally appropriate, equitable ways to respond to them.
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.
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
Learn how one teacher used a strengths-based approach to support the social and emotional development of two multilingual preschool children in her setting.
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.
