​​​Social/Emotional Milestones in Preschoolers

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What Most Preschoolers Do at 3 Years:

• Copies adults and friends
• Shows affection for friends without prompting
• Takes turns in games
• Shows concern for a crying friend
• Understands the idea of “mine” and “his” or “hers”
• Shows a wide range of emotions
• Separates easily from mom and dad
• May get upset with major changes in routine
• Dresses and undresses self​

The little girl in this photo is hugging her friend. Showing affection for friends without prompting is a 3-year social/emotional milestone.

What Most Preschoolers Do at 4 Years:

• Enjoys doing new things
• Plays “Mom” and “Dad”
• Is more and more creative with make-believe play
• Would rather play with other children than by himself
• Cooperates with other children
• Often can’t tell what’s real and what’s make-believe
• Talks about what she likes and what she is interested in​

By making up a story about being a fireman, this boy is showing more creativity in his pretend play. This is a 4-year social/emotional milestone.

Fostering Healthy Social & Emotional Development  in Young Children Tips for EARLY Childhood Teachers and Providers, U.S. Department of Education

Optional Resource for Further Study

• Teaching Emotional Intelligence in Early Childhood, NAEYC
• "I Won't Be Your Friend If You Don't!" Preventing and Responding to Relational Aggression in Preschool Classrooms, NAEYC
• Emotional Development in Childhood, Carolyn Saarni, PhD, Sonoma State University

Course Navigation Menu

1. Course Agenda
2. Social & Emotional Development
3. What is Social-Emotional?
4. Individual Differences​
5. Love is Not Enough
6. Supporting Social-Emotional (1/5)
7. Milestones in Infants
8. Infant Emotional Development
9. Infants and Toddlers

10. Milestones in Toddlers
11. Toddler Emotional Development
12. Toddler Social Development
13. Toddler Social/Emotional (2/5)
14. Milestones in Preschoolers
15. Preschool Emotional Development
16. Preschool Social Development
17. Development of Emotions
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18. Identify Emotions (3/5)
19. More About Emotions
20. Learning to Regulate 
21. Self-Regulation
22. Self-Regulation Skills (4/5)
23. End of Course Quiz (5/5)
24. Course Evaluation Form​
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