Developing Social and Emotional Skills

Making friends. Waiting patiently. Caring for others. Controlling emotions. Following the rules. These are all examples of social and emotional skills that children learn slowly over time. And they need lots of support from caring adults to learn social-emotional skills.

Social and emotional development begins at birth. It starts with infants building attachments and trust with their caregivers and parents and learning how to calm themselves. Later, children begin to recognize emotions in themselves and others.

When social-emotional development is on track, children have strong mental health. In fact, social-emotional wellness is the foundation for mental health. If you are concerned about your child’s social-emotional development, talk to your pediatrician or child care provider.

The Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines

Are you interested in learning about the expectations for your child's development based on their age? The Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines describe the path of children’s learning and development from birth to 8 years old. Broken down by age and major milestones, the guidelines are a sort of map, helping parents and caregivers navigate their child's early years. Experts from across Colorado developed these guidelines to create a shared understanding and a coordinated approach to learning and development.

Curious about what your little one is thinking at this age? Wondering what you can do to help them thrive and reach their developmental milestones? Check out the guidelines using the link below.

Browse the Guidelines

Download the Guidelines Document

Spanish version