Self Control - Social and Emotional Development: Ages 3-5

Widely Held Expectations

• Child expresses feelings and shows concern for others
  • Shows awareness and responds appropriately to the feelings of others
  • Calms self after excitement, expresses strong emotions constructively and controls aggression
  • Manages fears by expressing concerns and accepting support from adults
• Child follows rules and routines
  
  • Attempts to solve problems with other children independently, by negotiation or other socially acceptable means
  • Participates in daily routines without being asked
  • Builds awareness and ability to follow basic health and safety rules

Learning in Action: Examples

The Child

• Follows simple program rules
• Helps pick up cups and napkins and puts them in the wastebasket after snack
• Keeps the sand inside the sand table after only a few reminders
• Moves from free play to clean up with ease and purpose
• Uses words and other means of communication to describe positive and negative feelings

The Adult

• Models and helps children recognize feelings and find appropriate ways to express them
• Develops responsibility and ownership in the individual child by maintaining a relatively stable schedule or sequence of activities during the day
• Establishes trusting, caring relationships with each child
• Provides words and positive responses to guide children’s self control

The Environment Includes

• A posted daily schedule which provides a variety of active and quiet times, allowing for movement, physical group activities and alone times
• Clear program rules that provide supportive guidance for developmental self control
• Adequate amount of accessible materials paired with supportive encouragement for individual and cooperative play