Promoting children’s social and emotional development sets the foundation for learning as well as preventing challenging behavior.  The learning environment includes reciprocal and responsive interactions with adults and peers and promotes a sense of belonging.  Consistent schedules and routines help children feel a sense of safety and comfort.  With planning, involving children in the process, and providing ongoing guidance, children learn what to expect and how to move from one activity to another. In this first Module of the  Building Block series, we will consider how to support children’s social and emotional development through interactions and consistent schedules, routines, and transitions. We will tie these practices to stages of development and learn how consistency supports children’s sense of trust, autonomy, and initiative. 

Zero to Three. (2010, Feb. 20).  Creating routines for love and learning.  Author.  Retrieved from https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/223-creating-routines-for-love-and-learning.

Child Development Institute.  (2021).  Erik Erkson’s stages of social-emotional development. Retrieved from https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/child-development/erickson/#gs.gpxwmg.

1. Recognize ways the learning environment affects children.
2. Describe an environment that supports children's social and emotional development.
3. Consider the importance of schedules, routines and transitions in promoting children's engagement and preventing challenging behavior.
4. Identify equitable strategies for developing, teaching and utilizing schedules, routines and transitions that are developmentally appropriate and responsive to children's needs.