Fostering Positive Social Behaviors

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Social behaviors are crucial to children’s well-being and life success.​ Young children develop social behaviors in early childhood programs as they interact with teachers and other children. Early childhood teachers can influence the development of positive social skills by creating a classroom environment that fosters interactions between teachers; as well as interactions between children.  

Social skills include sharing, helping others, cooperation, giving, showing sympathy, showing positive verbal and physical contact, showing concern, and taking the perspective of another person.

Play between children creates opportunities to develop and enhance social skills. Specific skills that are developed include: working toward a common goal, initiating and keeping a conversation going, cooperating with peers, developing attachments and friendships with other children, and caring or comforting others. 

Children develop social behaviors by:

• Working and playing with others
• Making choices and encountering the consequences of those choices
• Figuring out how to enter play situations with others
• Negotiating social conflicts with language
• Developing other skills characterized by socially competent children

Teachers facilitate positive play interactions and social behaviors by:

• Emphasizing cooperation rather than competition
• Teaching games that emphasize cooperation and conflict resolution
• Creating classroom settings that facilitate cooperative play
• Using stories and books that focus on developing empathy and caring
• Encouraging social interactions between children of different abilities
• Labeling emotions and feelings that children express through play
• Helping children make choices and work through consequences of their decisions
• Planning activities that help children think through a problem
• Encouraging children to join other children in play
• Helping children develop skills to resolve conflict with other children
• Assisting children in developing self-control

Below is an example of developing social behaviors in infants:

The infant is upset and is trying to calm herself by bringing her hands to her mouth. 

The infant is sucking on her hand, and she is now calm.

The baby is trying to look at her Mom.

2 Month-Old Social/Emotional Milestones

Course Navigation Menu

1. Course Agenda
2. Factors and Influences
3. Environmental Factors
4. Developing Social Behavior
5. Positive Social Characteristics
6. Fostering Positive Social 
7. Social Behavior (1/5)
8. Communication and Interactions  

9. Talking with Children (2/5)
10. Communication Strategies
11. Teaching and Personal Beliefs
12. Personal Beliefs (3/5)
13. Teaching Styles
14. Direct and Indirect Guidance 
15. Defining Guidance Terms
16. Mistaken Behavior 

17. Mistaken Behavior (4/5)
18. Causes of Behavioral Issues
19. Prevention: Indirect Guidance
20. Direct Guidance Techniques
21. End of Course Quiz (5/5)
22. Course Evaluation Form​
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