Developing Social Competency in Young Children

Social competency is a set of skills that provide children with the tools and abilities to successfully navigate the world around them. This book looks at each of the 7 Cs of social competence.

Communicate
Community building
Coping
Confidence
Conflict resolution
Control
Curiosity

During any given day, a child will enter and exit many group situations. More often than not, children lack the knowledge and experience to be socially competent in all situations. There is not a switch or a specific age when children automatically become socially competent, and it’s often assumed when children reach a certain age or milestones they were taught to effectively employ the 7Cs of social competency.

These skills must be taught and environments need to be designed to encourage the development of these skills while intentionally providing opportunities to test and hone these skills. Developing Social Competency in Young Children examines the role of the adult in designing the environment and using intentional strategies to maximize a child’s success. At the end of each skill discussed there are parent and staff educational tips and strategies that can be used in everyday life.