Infant Emotional Development 

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 From the start, babies eagerly explore their world-and that includes themselves and other people. ​  

Infants (1 to 12 months-old)

Infants are developing a foundation for trust and attachment. When babies have their needs met, they learn to trust. 

When adults respond quickly and appropriately to infants’ cries of distress or signals for play, infants learn that they are important.  They learn that what they do makes a difference. They learn that they can express their emotions, whether pleasant or unpleasant, and that someone understands how they feel. Consistent attention from the same caregiver helps to meet an infant’s need for stability and familiarity. Infants need a continuing relationship with a few caring people. Young children thrive when they share a strong bond with a person who cares for them day after day. 

To meet the emotional needs of infants, make sure you:

• Hold, touch, and cuddle them, making frequent eye contact and talking with them (especially during routines such as feeding and diapering)
• Encourage them to develop their physical abilities such as rolling, sitting, and walking
• Respond to and expand on cues coming from the child (“Are you getting hungry? Let me get you a bottle.”)
• Provide time and space for movement and play
• Spend time interacting with them, holding them, rocking them, and sitting on the floor with them in your lap
• Talk to them often in loving tones using descriptive words (make this part of your routine care)
• Interpret their actions to other children to help them get along in the group (“Anthony has the ball and you would like one too. Here’s another ball for you.”)
• Encourage contact between infants; but be careful to protect younger infants from the explorations of older, mobile ones
• Give them hugs and smiles, and laugh with them

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​
Parking Lot
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