Many who have never sent their children to children see it as a place where children are just watched until parents can pick them up. They do not see any learning taking place, but playing time from the time they are downloaded until they are picked up. But what is not understood is that although there is some academic learning taking place at child care centers, what is really happening is social and developmental learning that is taking place. And the social skills that children learn while attending childcare are amazing.
When parents find the right child care center for their children, it turns into a comfortable place for children to hang out with trusted adults and children who become friends. Parents do not have to worry about whether their children will be safe because they know they have been left in reliable hands. And while they are in that safe environment, children learn how to deal with each other and how to do things independently as well. Things they may not have learned so quickly were children at home with parents directly after preschool or other early learning activities.
Here are social skills that children learn when attending childcare.
10 Ability to listen to others
When children are in a childcare setting, children should not only listen to their peers, but also to their teacher. Otherwise chaos ensues and no one is ever heard.
By learning this skill early, children become better listeners at home and are better prepared for when they enter primary school to listen to their teachers there as well.
9 Conflict resolution
Children are going to splash when they are in childcare. It’s just a fact of life. How children handle those arguments all depends on the conflict resolution skills they learned while in child care.
According to the Early Education Consulting Partnership, children need to know that conflicts are normal. This is how they handle those conflicts that matter. As such, if they see their teachers modeling calm behaviors when dealing with conflict, children will do the same. And when that happens, decisions can happen quickly when children are arguing with each other.
8 Troubleshooting
If adults always rush to the aid of children when they cannot figure something out right away, they will never learn how to solve a problem. As such, they need some time to struggle to see if they can come to a solution. Something that not only builds resistance but also confidence in children.
In a child care environment where there are other children to watch and their efforts to solve problems, children can see what works and what does not. This will give them a good starting point to solve problems and can even use teamwork in the process.
7 Self-control
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Self-control is the social skill that children learn in childcare that helps them with their abilities to resolve conflicts and work well with others, according to Zero to three. When children do not have self-control, they tend to strike out at others and act on impulse alone. Something that does not work when there are multiple personalities in child care to contend with.
6 Empathy
As children learn to empathize with others, they build strong relationships with them, according to Good Start Early Learning. And the stronger relationships children have when they are in child care, the safer they will not only feel, but they will also learn to accept others and have better mental health, according to the publication as well.
5 Cooperation
If children do not learn to work with each other while in childcare, they will never be able to communicate successfully with each other for long periods of time. This is because there will inevitably be an argument about children wanting to use the same toy or do the same activity at the same time. And if there is no cooperation, there is only fighting.
According to Early Learning Childhood Education, children need to be taught how to work together. This is done by offering alternatives to children, patience, taking everyone’s feelings into account and rewarding good behavior when it is displayed. Soon kids will be working together and enjoying it more fun.
4 Build friendships
Some of the best friendships are built in child care. This is because children may not go to the same schools, they see each other daily just as they do with their schoolmates. As such, they spend a lot of time together and can determine if they have similar interests or enjoy being in each other’s company. And that’s why some of the first friendships are built in childcare environments, some of which can last for some time.
3 Patience
Patience is a skill that needs to be learned. And the earlier it is learned, according to Hess-Unacademy the better off kids are when it comes to problem solving and critical thinking.
Children in child care must learn to be patient from the time they enter the center until the time they leave. This is because there are several children to care for and some staff members to do so. Therefore, when something is needed, patience is used time and time again. And it eventually becomes something that becomes second nature to children.
2 Independence
In the childcare setting, children learn to be independent. A skill that is important for them to learn so that self-confidence can be gained. The more independent children learn to become, whether it’s toys taken out, grabbing a snack for themselves, or more, the more dependent they are on themselves. And when it comes to child care, the more independent children also stay at home.
1 Self-discipline
Self-discipline is perhaps one of the most important skills that children learn from childcare. According to Very Well Family, when children learn self-discipline, they can “handle uncomfortable emotions”, control anger and even keep impulses in check. All of this leads to a more peaceful childcare environment that allows children to develop and thrive.
Source: Early Education Consultation Partnership, Zero to Three, Good Start Early Learning, Early Learning Childhood Education, Hess-Unacademy
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