Social Development in the Preschool Years

As three-, four-, and five-year-olds grow, they become increasingly more social beings. By three, children’s physical development has allowed them to move around independently and they are curious about their environment and the people in it. Cognitive skills are developing and children are able to recognize people who are familiar and people who are not. Three-year-olds show growing interest in other children and adults, but often prefer being with one adult or playing alone in close proximity to other children. Four- and five-year-olds are becoming social beings and often prefer the company of other children to that of adults. Children will begin to express their preference for playing with some children over others. Three-year-olds still are developing interest in other children but still prefer parallel play. Three-year-olds are becoming increasingly more sensitive to their impact on others’ feelings and emotions.

http://www.education.com/reference/article/social-development-preschool-children/

Preschool Damages Children’s Social Skills and Emotional Development By Terry Vanderheyden BERKELEY, California, November 10, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Preschool has a negative effect on a child’s social and emotional development, according to a study of 14,000 US preschool children. The new research from University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford University, found that the social skills of white, middle-class children suffer – in terms of cooperation, sharing and engagement in classroom tasks – after attending preschool centers for more than six hours a day, compared to similar children who remain at home with a parent prior to starting school.

Social Development in Preschoolers At age three, your child will be much less selfish than she was at two. She’ll also be less dependent on you, a sign that her own sense of identity is stronger and more secure. Now she’ll actually play with other children, interacting instead of just playing side by side. In the process, she’ll recognize that not everyone thinks exactly as she does and that each of her playmates has many unique qualities, some attractive and some not. You’ll also find her drifting toward certain children and starting to develop friendships with them. Raising a Thankful Child As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, we may find ourselves reflecting more often on how to raise a thankful child. At first glance, parents might think about how to teach the social scripts of thank you. Should a 2-year-old be forced to say thank you to Grandma for a gift? Should a 4-year-old sign a thank you note for a birthday present? Should a 6-year-old show appreciation for a large helping of spinach and cranberry sauce on his or her Thanksgiving plate? Parents often have the best intentions of raising a thankful child as part of their parental job descriptions.

Related: Pre-K