Children in child care centers spend many hours doing activities that may not have an obvious academic component. A parent, for example, might observe his child learning to dance to different tempos and ask the teacher, "Don't you do anything educational?" Many time-tested activities that teachers intuitively know help children learn may be perceived by parents and even by some administrators as fluff. Years of research support teachers' insight: these activities are important learning tools that promote children's social and emotional development.
Key topics include: how to help children form strong attachments with adults, and how doing so will foster feelings of security in them. the importance of peer relationships and how to help children learn to take turns, develop empathy, and act unselfishly. the three forms of self-regulation: controlling impulsive behavior, developing problem-solving skills, and learning to regulate emotions.

Introduction
Why We Hold a Crying Baby: Attachment and Exploration
Why We Talk about How the Bunny Feels: Friendship and Prosocial Behavior
Why We Play Simon Says: Learning Self-Regulation
Why We Keep a Pot of Coffee: Family-Centered Care and Education
Why We Do What We Do for Children's Social Development: Explaining Your Program Practices in Terms of State Early Learning Standards
Notes
Index