Strong friendships and family relationships are the source of some of life's greatest joys and provide us with support during life's challenges. Young children are often social from the start of life. They observe how people interact with them. They pay close attention to parents' facial expressions and tone of voice. And they develop appropriate behavior based on what they see. Parents can harness this innate ability, teaching children how to form strong and healthy relationships with empathy and problem-solving skills.
Growing Up Well: Supporting Your Two-Year-Old's Social Development
Empathy is a skill — one that we can cultivate and strengthen with practice. Empathy means that we can imagine how someone else is thinking or feeling and then respond in a caring manner. Picture book author Anna Dewdney offers this wonderful definition: "Empathy is an understanding that other people have feelings, and that those feelings count."Learn More
Go! George Go!
George needs to deliver all the ice cream before it melts. Your child can use arrows to create the shortest route for George to travel for his delivery.
You Can Learn
In this clip, Roxanne and Cat sing a song about learning new skills through problem solving and practice.
Good friends provide us with vital social and emotional support from childhood through adulthood. It takes practice to learn how to be a good friend — practice at being kind, supportive, trustworthy and a good listener. These are skills kids can begin to learn at an early age. As Fred Rogers said, "One of life’s greatest joys is the comfortable give and take of a good friendship. It’s a wonderful feeling not only to have a friend, but to know how to be a friend yourself."Learn More
The Long Line
Your child will learn about a number line, which is when you put numbers on a line so that everyone can stand in order.
Imagination: Daniel the Adventure Tiger Goes Camping
Daniel imagines that he is a brave and strong adventure tiger on a camping adventure!
Francine is Cordially Uninvited
Francine discovers that Catherine doesn't want her at her birthday party.
Practice Being a Good Friend with Daniel Tiger
Through imagination, creativity and music, Daniel and his friends learn key social skills using strategies grounded in the teachings of Mister Rogers.Find Activities