Building Social-Emotional and Communication Skills 

Building social-emotional and communication skills starts at an early age! The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) recommends these strategies:

• Practice active listening: Listening actively helps children feel heard and understood. Use gestures, such as encouraging smiles and affirming nods to show you care. Get down to the same eye level to help a child feel safer. Ask questions like “what?” “why?” and “how?” to show you are interested.

• Lead by example: Consider what example you are setting. Parents, caregivers, and other adults in a child’s life influence their behavior. What a child sees and hears the adults in their life do is important.

• Speak clearly: Use language that is appropriate for a child’s age. Using kind language also helps set a positive example for children.

• Avoid bribes: Offering bribes may create a confusing message or distrust. Try to set clear and realistic expectations instead.

• Have fun together: Find ways to relate to a child by talking about their interests, playing their favorite games, and going on adventures together.

• Practice reflective listening: Act like a mirror! Repeat back what they say to you using different words.

• Explain feelings: It is important for children to learn how to name their feelings. When a child is expressing their feelings verbally, listen to what they have to say with empathy and without judgment. If they are expressing feelings in a nonverbal way like crying or laughing, help them put words to how they feel, such as sad, happy, scared, or angry.