Our Emotional Intelligence resources for children provide parents with the activities needed to stimulate the emotional brain. The emotional brain grows the fastest from birth to six.  Thus, the ideal time to engage children in developing the seven attributes of emotional intelligence.  Therefore, parents and early childhood educators must educate themselves in the social and emotional learning activities that promote this kind of emotional growth.  Parents have driven educators to be more focused on academics during these early years. Actually, experts and their research have always stipulated that social and emotionally learning needs to come first.  Experts have also found that EQ raises IQ.

What is Emotional Intelligence? Why So Important for Young Children?

The simple definition is that emotional Intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your emotions.  However, Daniel Goleman identified that there are seven attributes significant in becoming emotionally intelligent.  They are: experiencing empathy, self-confidence, delay of gratification, self-soothing, accountability, sustaining hope and overcoming challenges.  These skills are not innate. Acquiring these attributes allows us the ability to succeed in life.  Yes, it is true that emotional intelligence is 80% the reason we are successful in life.  Young children developing these skills while the emotional brain is growing the fastest gives them a significant edge in reaching their greatest potential. How do we teach these skills to young children?

How Do We Teach Emotional Intelligence to Young Children?

Young children are open and flexible. They acquire these skills easily when practiced at home and school.  Disguising them in engaging fun activities is the key.  Having them identify these skills with a character gives them the opportunity to feel good without judgment or emotional overtones.  Children often tune out parents and teachers but characters are their go to mentors.  Below you will find the emotional intelligence resources that will give you easy, fun and engaging activities to implement at home and in classrooms.

The EQforChildren website has games and activities where children can acquaint themselves with the characters.  Then, have them join the CJ Kids Club. They will receive posters to color and place up in their rooms.  To demonstrate these skills, The YouTube channel, “Children Become EQ Smart with CJ”, provides episodes with characters teaching the seven attributes. How do we teach children emotional intelligence? We teach them in play!