When your child experiences strong feelings, soothing them may seem like the ideal response. However, for toddlers, who don’t yet understand emotion, research has found that allowing time for them to reflect, talking about what happened, and labelling their feelings may be more appropriate. If your child is around 2 years old, you may notice them engaging in early pretend play based on their daily experiences. They may walk around in your shoes, pretend to cook, or recount an occasion when they felt a strong emotion. These occasions—when your little one is not experiencing big feelings—are a great time for you to teach them about emotions. You can act out how to communicate what you’re feeling, why, and what you’re going to do to feel better. You might say, for instance, “I am feeling sad,” as you pretend to cry. Then, “I am going to take some deep breaths,” as you do so. This equips your toddler with language they need to tell you what they’re feeling! ❤️ #LoveveryEurope #SocialEmotional #Development #LearnThroughPlay