North Carolina Early Learning and Development Progressions: Birth to Five

Domain: NC Foundations for Early Learning: Emotional and Social Development (ESD)

Subdomain: Learning About Feelings

Goal: Children identify, manage, and express their feelings.

Skill Progression: Emotional expression

Age: 48-54 Months

Click here to go to all skills for ages 48-54 Months.

Recognizes that all feelings are acceptable, but not all behaviors are acceptable

Situations for Observation of Skill

Discuss feelings with a small group of children.

Elicitation Strategy

Ask questions about what the various feelings mean. Ask, “Is it okay to feel all these feelings?” Is there a time you shouldn’t have feelings?” “Are there actions that are not okay to do to show your feelings?”

Behavior Observed

The child understands that all feelings are okay, but some behaviors that are used to express feelings are not okay.

Routines-based Intervention (Embedded Instruction)

Having the feelings vs. behaviors discussion is an important one for early childhood educators and parents to have with children. Adults need to help children understand appropriate ways to express their feelings.

 North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, 2015

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