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I am two years old already!
Children begin to understand more and more, and to talk more, and develop their own will and personality, all around the age of two. Whilst previously very dependent on you as their parent, they now express the desire to do everything “myself”. After months of imitation and trying to repeat what has been said to them, they now want to discover on their own and especially want to try things for themselves.
Embarrassing? No! Not at all.
Even though we may feel uncomfortable when they lie angry on the floor, we actually need to be very proud of these moments. It is a sign that children are developing well and are standing up for themselves. Toddler-Adolescents, as they are often referred to, learn how to handle their own, and other people’s emotions. They learn to play and work together, take each other into account, and come up for themselves.
If children play together, they also practice expressing their emotions. Have you noticed that children of this age often choose to role-play? It is an excellent opportunity to consciously practice these skills. For example, they will play “mom and dad” in the doll corner or they will re-enact a story with their cuddly toys in bed.
Developing through play at Bink
The method “learning through play” helps children to practice and further develop these skills throughout the entire day. A good example is a child that wants to put on his/her own coat. If it does not work, it can cause anger and sadness. Bink allows emotions to just be. The educational staff members will then name what they see and help children handle their own emotions.
Stories told are also often chosen for their content because they address emotions. An example of such a book we use is “the color of emotions” from Anna Llenas.
Another example is when two children both want to use the same plate during lunch. The pedagogical staff member will help the children find a good solution for them together with the children.
Development during daily activities
There is also a lot of attention paid to social-emotional development during the implementation of daily activities. We do this by asking probing questions. For example, when busy in the garden, we speak of nature when planting and taking care of plants. Why do we need to take good care of nature? How do we do that? What does our plant need to grow?
When we bring our cuddly toys to the cuddly toy doctor and put band aids on their wounds, we also talk about what could be happening. How does this cuddly toy feel? What can we do for the cuddly toy?
When we brush children’s hair after a nap, we talk about what their hair looks like. One has curls, the other straight hair, one has brown hair, the other ginger. And why do we brush our hair every day?
In short, a good social-emotional development supports a positive self-image and self-confidence. Children learn how to stand up for themselves and how to make their own choices. They also learn how to place themselves in someone else’s shoes, work together and communicate well: all that is needed for worthwhile relationships.