Social-Emotional Activities for Babies & Toddlers

Bonding, empathy, emotion recognition, sharing, and self-regulation — the foundation for healthy relationships from the very first moments of eye contact.

Social-emotional development is how your child learns to form relationships, understand emotions, and regulate their own feelings. It starts with the earliest moments of eye contact and bonding, and grows through imitation, empathy, sharing, and self-regulation.

Research on serve-and-return interactions from Harvard's Center on the Developing Child shows that responsive caregiver-child exchanges are the single most important factor in healthy brain development. Tronick's Still Face Experiment demonstrated that even young infants are active social partners who expect and depend on emotional engagement. Our social-emotional activities help you build on the connection you already have, turning everyday moments into opportunities for emotional growth.

Social-Emotional Activities by Age

0-3 Months: Social-Emotional Activities

  • Gentle Face Gazing
  • Skin-to-Skin Bonding
  • Smile Back Game
  • Soothing Sounds
See all newborn activities →

3-6 Months: Social-Emotional Activities

  • Smile Back Game
  • Mirror Together
  • Raspberry Party
  • Serve and Return
See all 3-6 month activities →

6-9 Months: Social-Emotional Activities

  • Stranger Warm-Up
  • Bye-Bye Practice
  • Clap for Joy
  • Comfort Object
See all 6-9 month activities →

9-12 Months: Social-Emotional Activities

  • Peekaboo Goodbye
  • Check My Face
  • Copy Me Game
  • Safe Base Explorer
See all 9-12 month activities →

12-18 Months: Social-Emotional Activities

  • Feelings Faces
  • Hugs and Kisses
  • Frustration Helper
  • Proud Moment
See all 12-18 month activities →

18-24 Months: Social-Emotional Activities

  • Feelings Story
  • My Choice
  • Gentle Touch
  • Calm Down Corner
See all 18-24 month activities →

24-36 Months: Social-Emotional Activities

  • Pretend Kitchen
  • Sharing Practice
  • Feelings Check-In
  • Friendship Play
See all 2-3 year activities →

Sample Social-Emotional Activities

Gentle Face Gazing

Bond through eye contact and facial expressions.

Serve and Return

Respond to your baby's coos and gestures to build conversational turn-taking.

Peekaboo Goodbye

Practice separations with playful peekaboo to build trust.

Feelings Faces

Name emotions using facial expressions to build emotional vocabulary.

Calm Down Corner

Create a cozy space for self-regulation practice.

Sharing Practice

Take turns with toys to build early sharing skills.

Get Personalized Daily Activities

Download TinySteps for free. We pick the perfect activity for your child each day based on their age and development.

Download on the App Store