DEVELOPING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

Abstract

This article examines the theoretical foundations and educational opportunities for developing emotional intelligence in preschool children. It draws on an analysis of selected scholarly sources, a comparison of concepts, and a methodological synthesis. The relationships and distinctions among emotional intelligence, emotional competence, and social-emotional learning are discussed. Play-based activities are proposed to support emotion recognition and labeling, understanding emotional causes, empathy, and emotion regulation. The article also addresses teacher–parent collaboration, co-regulation, and criteria for pedagogical observation. The practical recommendations are methodological proposals developed for this article; their effectiveness has not been experimentally tested within this work.