Emotional intelligence — the ability to recognise, understand, and manage our own emotions, and to recognise and respond to the emotions of others — is increasingly recognised as one of the most important skills a child can develop.
What Is Emotional Intelligence?
Psychologist Daniel Goleman identifies five key components of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Research suggests that children with high emotional intelligence tend to do better academically, have stronger relationships, and experience better mental health outcomes throughout their lives.
When Does Emotional Development Begin?
Emotional development begins remarkably early. Even babies can sense and respond to the emotions of their caregivers. By age 3, most children have a basic vocabulary for emotions like happy, sad, angry, and scared. The preschool and early school years are a critical window for building emotional vocabulary and developing coping strategies.
How Play Supports Emotional Development
Play — particularly games that involve other people — is one of the primary ways children learn to navigate emotions. When a child loses a game and has to manage their disappointment, or wins and practises being gracious, they’re building real emotional skills in a safe, low-stakes environment.
Games That Help
Our Emotion Express card game was specifically designed to help children aged 3–7 build their emotional vocabulary and develop empathy. By naming emotions, recognising them in others, and talking about situations that trigger different feelings, children build the foundational skills they’ll use for the rest of their lives.