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How Educators and Parents Can Support Mental Health in Preschoolers  

We all understand the importance of mental health in today’s lifestyle. However, we must remember that it is important not just in adulthood, but also in early childhood. The years spent in preschool are often the foundation of a child’s social and emotional development, which goes a long way in shaping their understanding of building relationships, managing emotions, and interacting with the world around them. Therefore, supporting mental health in preschoolers is critical to ensuring lifelong emotional resilience and wellbeing of today’s children.  

Understanding the Mental Health of Children  

For young children, the term mental health is all about their ability to build healthy relationships, experience and control emotions, and adjust to difficult situations. At this stage, children are not always able to express their expressions through words, but it is possible to understand their mental state through their behaviour. Some common signs of emotional distress in preschoolers include withdrawal from activities, fear, excessive tantrums, disturbed sleep, and loss of appetite.  

If parents and educators can foster positive mental health in early childhood, it becomes relatively easier for a preschooler to develop confidence, self-regulation, and a sense of security.  

Tips to Support Your Preschooler’s Mental Health 

Here are some of the most effective ways to support the mental health of young children.  

• Secure Environment: It has been observed that children flourish in a safe environment where they feel valued and loved. At this age, children feel secure when they receive positive reinforcement, consistent routines, and clear expectations. When the environment of the preschool and home are nurturing and stable, children feel encouraged to express themselves.  
• Expression of Emotions: Articulation of emotions can be a struggle for preschoolers, which can easily lead to meltdowns or frustrations. Through simple techniques such as storytelling, teachers and parents can help children put their emotions into words.  
• Social Interactions: An extremely important component of emotional development is interaction with peers. By encouraging sharing, cooperative play, and problem-solving in groups, teachers can help young students develop relation-building skills and empathy.  
• Relieving Stress through Play: In addition to fun, play is also important for the mental-wellbeing of a preschooler. Through activities such as art and craft, pretend play, and outdoor explorations, teachers and parents can create opportunities for the emotional growth and self-expression of preschoolers.  
• Growth Mindset: To help preschoolers manage anxiety, it is important to make them understand that mistakes and failures are essential parts of learning. When preschoolers develop a growth mindset, they are self-motivated and look at every challenge as a new opportunity without any fear of failure.  
• Healthy Routines: The mental wellbeing of preschoolers demands regular physical activities, balanced diet, and adequate sleep. It is possible reduce anxiety and regulate the emotions of preschoolers by maintaining consistent routines for play, meal, and bedtime.  

The Role of Educators 

When it comes to fostering an environment of positive mental health in preschools, the role of educators is paramount. They can help students feel secure and valued by building a culture prioritizing emotional awareness, patience, and kindness. They can provide further support to their students’ emotional development by incorporating social-emotional learning activities. Moreover, they can also collaborate with parents to ensure that there is a consistently supportive environment at home.  

If you have any other questions related to your child’s early childhood development, please contact our expert educators at Valley Heights Preschool Long Day Care Centre.