Many who have never sent their children to childcare see it as a place where kids are only watched until parents are able to come and pick them up. They do not envision any learning happening but playtime from the time they are dropped off until picked up. But what is not understood is that while there is some academic learning happening at childcare centers, what is truly happening is social and developmental learning occurring. And the social skills that kids are learning while attending childcare are great.
When parents find the right childcare center for their kids, it turns into a comfortable place for kids to go to be with trusted adults and kids who become friends. Parents do not have to worry about whether their kids will be safe because they know they have been left in trusted hands. And while in that safe environment kids learn how to interact with one another and how to do things independently as well. Things they may not have learned as quickly were kids home with parents directly after pre-school or other early learning activities.
Here are social skills kids learn when attending childcare.
10 Ability To Listen To Others
When in a childcare setting, kids need to listen to not only their peers but to their teacher as well. Otherwise, chaos ensues and no one is ever heard.
By learning this skill early on, kids become better listeners at home and are better prepared for when they enter elementary school to listen to their teachers there as well.
9 Conflict Resolution
Kids are going to have spats when they are in childcare. It is just a fact of life. How kids handle those arguments all depends on the conflict resolution skills they have learned while at childcare.
According to the Early Education Consultation Partnership, kids need to know that conflicts are normal. It is how they deal with those conflicts that matter. As such, if they see their teachers model calm behavior when dealing with conflict, kids will do the same. And when that happens, resolutions can happen quickly when kids bicker with one another.
8 Problem-Solving
If adults always rush to the aid of kids when they cannot immediately figure something out, they never learn how to problem-solve. As such, they need a bit of time to struggle to see if they can come to a resolution. Something that not only builds resistance but confidence in kids.
In a childcare environment where there are other kids to watch and see their attempts at trying to solve problems, kids can see what works and what does not. This will give them a good jumping-off point to solving problems and may even use teamwork in the process.
7 Self-Control
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Self-control is the social skill that kids learn in childcare that helps them with their abilities to resolve conflicts and work well with others, according to Zero to Three. If kids lack self-control, they are liable to lash out at others and act on impulse alone. Something that does not work when there are several personalities to contend with in childcare.
6 Empathy
As kids learn to empathize with others, they build strong relationships with them, according to Good Start Early Learning. And the stronger relationships kids have when they are in childcare not only the more secure, they will feel, but they also learn to accept others and have better mental health, per the publication as well.
5 Cooperation
If kids do not learn to cooperate with one another while in childcare, they will never be able to successfully interact with one another for long periods. This is because there will inevitably be an argument over kids 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, kids need to be taught how to cooperate. This is done by offering alternatives to children, patience, taking everyone’s feelings into consideration, and rewarding good behavior when it is exhibited. Soon enough, kids are cooperating and having more fun for it.
4 Build Friendships
Some of the best friendships are built in childcare. This is because while kids may not go to the same schools, they see one another daily just like they do with their school peers. As such, they spend a good deal of time together and are able to determine if they have similar interests or enjoy being in one another’s company. And this is why some of the first friendships are built in childcare settings, some of which may last for quite some time.
3 Patience
Patience is a skill that needs to be learned. And the earlier that it is learned, according to Hess-Unacademy the better-off kids are when it comes to problem-solving and critical thinking.
Kids who are in childcare need to learn to have patience from the time they enter the center until the time they leave. This is because there are several children to care for and a few 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 for kids.
2 Independence
In the childcare setting, kids learn to be independent. A skill that is important for them to learn so that confidence can be gained. The more independent kids learn to become, be it to put toys away that were taken out, grab themselves a snack, or more, the more reliant they are on themselves. And when this happens at childcare, the more independent kids become at home as well.
1 Self-Discipline
Self-discipline may be one of the most important skills kids learn from childcare. According to VeryWell Family, when kids learn self-discipline, they can “cope with uncomfortable emotions,” control anger and even keep impulses in check. All of this leads to a more peaceful childcare environment that allows kids 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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