Promoting Well-Being in the Pre-School Years: Research, Applications and Strategies

Promoting Well-Being in the Pre-School Years provides evidence-based research and real-life strategies that support social and emotional development and well-being for children aged 3–5 years. It places emphasis on nurturing social emotional competence through purposeful scaffolding activities and how these can be used by children and families to create a harmonious platform for building resilience and positive relationships with family and the community.

Drawing on principles from Positive Psychology and Positive Education, it is illustrated throughout with examples of sustainable practice in diverse, global settings. Key topics explored include:

• Contemporary well-being concepts, including ‘grit’, ‘growth mindset’ and ‘gratitude’, as well as ‘classic’ constructs such as coping and self-efficacy
• The attitudes and skills that need to be developed to ensure that young children flourish
• Cognitive and sociocultural perspectives complemented by neuroscience and epigenetics
• Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in the early years curriculum
• Using visual tools – the Early Years Coping Cards
• How we measure young children’s coping
• The relationship between coping, stress and mental health
• Recognition of the importance of parents’ own coping skills
• How partnerships with communities can improve children’s SEL.

Promoting Well-Being in the Pre-School Years shows how we can support young children to develop an understanding of what it means to be happy and to flourish as a socially responsible member of the family and wider community. It is essential reading for teachers, parents and professionals who work with young children, as well as academics in child development.

Erica Frydenberg is Associate Professor in psychology in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Australia.

Janice Deans is Associate Director, Early Childhood Education, University of Melbourne, Australia.

Rachel Liang is Honorary Research Fellow, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Australia.