As your children grow, they go through various stages of development. Each provides a new way for parents to connect and teach valuable traits such as empathy, acceptance and teamwork. The traits teach children to build strong, positive relationships and understand the concept of love, helping them develop into caring, confident individuals.
At Kiddie Academy®, we recognize that each stage of development requires a different approach when it comes to learning how to express love. Below are some ways you can guide your little ones in meaningful, age-appropriate ways.
Affection through the eyes of a toddler (ages 1-2)
Between the ages of one and two, toddlers begin to explore the concepts of attachment and affection. This is demonstrated primarily through requests for physical closeness, such as reaching out to be held or snuggling up for comfort. One way to support this is by responding with a reassuring touch or a warm hug. Another is by introducing phrases like, "I love you," or "You are so special to me." Even though your child may not understand the words yet, these physical and verbal displays help to build a healthy emotional bond.
Recognizing emotions in others (ages 3-4)
As children reach the ages of three to four, they begin to understand the feelings of others. It’s often when they start expressing love in more social ways, such as by offering hugs, sharing their favorite toy, or saying things like "You're my best friend."
Love can also be exemplified through kind behaviors. For example, if your child gives you a drawing, acknowledge it by saying something like, "Thank you for this beautiful picture! It makes me so happy." This stage is also a great time to introduce the importance of offering emotional support. You can achieve this through role playing with stuffed animals – where one is sad and the other comforts them – saying things like, “I see you are sad. I’m here for you!”
Deepening connections through actions (ages 5+)
At ages five and up, children are developing more complex social skills and can express themselves through physical affection, words and actions. They may begin to demonstrate love by helping others, offering support when a friend is upset or doing something thoughtful like making a craft for a family member. If your child helps you with a chore, offer praise with words like, “I really appreciate your help, it shows me how much you care.” This is also an ideal stage to start fostering friendships by introducing shared activities. You can encourage them to say things like, "Let's work together," or "I’ll help you," to reinforce teamwork and support.
Helping children recognize and show love throughout their development involves teaching them to understand the emotional needs of others. By guiding them to identify emotions, develop sharing skills and learn how to comfort others, you lay the groundwork for empathy leading to a deeper understanding of others. As children grow, they begin to understand that love is an ongoing process that can be shown in many forms. Teaching children to express love not only encourages affectionate behaviors but also equips them with the skills to build meaningful relationships.
