Social Development
Social understandings and behaviours are closely interwoven with emotions, temperament, values, attitudes, knowledge and skills. Children are born social. Social capacity develops as children interact with supportive, stimulating, safe people and places. Social skills are important as a child will have a strong foundation for later development if he or she can manage personal feelings, understand others' feelings and needs, and interact positively with others.
Local
Excursions
The children experience excursions to local schools , library, venues and community events to increase their connection with others and to broaden their understandings of different social settings in the wider community.
Social
Events
That increase a child’s sense of belonging, such as graduations, celebrating special events with friends and families, such as mother’s day, father’s day, Easter and Christmas. Families are invited at any time to come in and participate in social experiences, such as sharing skills and stories with the children.
PAL’s
Program
We incorporate the PAL’S social skills program across all curriculum areas to teach the children about greeting others, turn taking, sharing, dealing with feelings such as anger and sadness and solving problems.
Celebrating Birthdays
Each child is recognised on their special day by making their birthday cake with their friends and siblings, and organising their “party”, enabling them to feel a real sense of belonging, and build on their social experiences in a familiar and safe environment.
How Social Development Milestones Are Achieved
In the Nursery
In our nursery, the educators build secure attachments with the children, establishing and maintaining respectful, trusting relationships with each other. This allows the children to confidently explore and engage with social relationships and play. The educators support the children’s attempts to initiate interactions and communication.
For Explorers
In our explorers room, the educators recognise the importance of providing time and space for children to engage in both individual and collaborative pursuits. This encourages children to make choices and decisions, and to increase their cooperative skills and work collaboratively with others.
For Pre School
In our preschool room, the educators model explicit communication strategies to support children to initiate interactions and join in play and social experiences in ways that sustain productive relationships with other children. They acknowledge children’s complex relationships and sensitively intervene in ways that promote considerations of alternative perspectives and social inclusion.