All Modules B6-Development Matters in the early years | Page 13

Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

2 Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Managing feelings and behaviour
A Unique Child:

8-20 months

what adults could do

what adults could provide

101. Is comforted by touch and people’s faces and voices.
• Find out as much as you can from parents about young
102. Seeks physical and emotional comfort by snuggling in
babies before they join the setting, so that the routines
to trusted adults.
you follow are familiar and comforting.
103. Calms from being upset when held, rocked, spoken or
• Use calming processes such as rocking or hugging.
sung to with soothing voice.
104. Shows a range of emotions such as pleasure, fear
and excitement.
105. • Reacts emotionally to other people’s emotions, e.g. smiles
when smiled at and becomes distressed if hears another
child crying.

• Learn lullabies that children know from home and share
them with others in the setting.
• Have a cosy, quiet place for babies to be calm.
• Provide comfortable seating such as a sofa or cushions
for baby and key person to be together.
• Suggest to parents bringing something from home as a
transitional (comfort) object.

106. Uses familiar adult to share feelings such as excitement
• Establish shared understandings between home and
or pleasure, and for ‘emotional refuelling’ when feeling
setting about ways of responding to babies’ emotions.
tired, stressed or frustrated.
• Make sure the key person stays close by and provides
107. Growing ability to soothe themselves, and may like to use
a secure presence and a refuge at times a child may be
a comfort object.
feeling anxious.
108. Cooperates with caregiving experiences, e.g. dressing.
• Support children who are anxious on separating from their
109. • Beginning to understand ‘yes’, ‘no’ and some boundaries.
parents by acknowledging their feelings and reassuring
them.
• Demonstrate clear and consistent boundaries and
reasonable yet challenging expectations.

• Have resources including picture books and stories that
focus on a range of emotions, such as ‘I am happy’.
• Keep toys and comforters in areas that are easy for
babies to locate.
• Ensure that children can use their com