Impact on Social and Emotional Development (PSED)

Why is Social and Emotional Development Important? 

In the dynamic landscape of early childhood education, social and emotional development is the foundational step that lays solid groundwork for happy, healthy learners, capable of going on to achieve academically and personally. Tales Toolkit endeavours to combine the power of oral storytelling, play-based learning activities, and the principles of Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in one easy-to-use, fun, intervention. As educators navigate the intricate terrain of EYFS development matters, Tales Toolkit is there to offer some helpful scaffolding. It fosters socio-emotional growth in young learners by giving them the space to interact creatively with a sympathetic and responsive adult. 

Research shows that when children are secure and feel a strong connection with a significant adult they have more advantageous outcomes across areas of development compared to those who lack this important bond (Sroufe, 2005). From birth, children are primed to form social bonds with those around them - through smiling, gesture, babbling and the development of joint attention and early verbalisations - infants who receive repeated, contingent and warm responses from the caregiver are more likely to have a secure attachment style, which forms the basis of future relationships, emotion regulation and self-identity development (Girme et al., 2021; Goodvin et al., 2008). This is true not only in the home, but also in early childhood care and education and throughout the school career (Spilt & Koomen, 2022). 

How Can Tales Toolkit Help? 

These secure and developmentally-supportive relationships are developed through repeated positive and caring interactions. Where adults show themselves to be consistent and supportive, children build trusting relationships. Tales Toolkit supports adults to be more available to children, and to create spaces where both children and adults can work together to listen and be sensitive, experience fun and joy, and be creative (Gregory et al., 2020). Tales Toolkit supports quality interactions like this in the early years environment. Drawing from theoretical work on the importance of sustained shared attention for the facilitation of quality interaction (Howard et al., 2018; Siraj et al., 2015), it provides a framework for those warm and joyful explorations to take place. 

Tales Toolkit is an interactive, child-led resource supporting early-years learning and social development through playful storytelling. 

The training and resources give children independence to create their own stories using symbols for ‘Character,’ ‘Setting,’ ‘Problem,’ ‘Solution’ provided on a range of resources where anything to hand can be incorporated into a story from a stick or an old flip flop to a favourite toy or photo of Mum, and where symbols are easily accessed by children with language still developing.

Through storytelling, adults have opportunities in interactions to responsively develop the child’s communication and social skills, helping children become innovative thinkers and creative problem solvers; developing self-regulation and executive function through a scaffolded learning approach. Resources are provided with research-based online training and ongoing support that encourages play, improvisation and collaboration.

Storytelling is a powerful tool. It resonates with everyone. We all think and communicate in stories, but children are rarely allowed the agency to create their own without the ‘normalising’ influence of an adult. In schools, adults tell stories to children or create stories with child involvement. Not often enough are children given the tools to be totally expressive, and share stories that are important to them, even if they involve violence or sensitive issues.

Tales Toolkit training gives adults working with children a scaffolding that allows the young person to locate themselves centrally within their own stories, which in turn helps with self-awareness and reflection. Children learn to pick up any object and endow it, or to adapt any real-life situation and turn it into a meaningful story. This gives children the tools to problem solve in their own lives, and teaches them the power of connection and collaboration when dealing with real issues. 

Grounded in the ethos of EYFS principles, Tales Toolkit harnesses the power of oral storytelling traditions to create immersive experiences that resonate deeply with young learners. Through carefully crafted narratives and play-based learning activities, children are invited to embark on a journey of self-discovery, empathy, and understanding. Tales Toolkit’s storytelling approach encourages the following aspects of socio-emotional development: 

Self-expression

One of the cornerstones of social and emotional development facilitated by Tales Toolkit is the cultivation of empathy and emotional intelligence. By empowering children to express themselves and incorporating their lived experiences and backgrounds into storytelling, Tales Toolkit creates a space where children feel seen, heard, and valued. Tales Toolkit transcends linguistic barriers, making storytelling accessible to children at different stages of language development. Through playful storytelling and role-playing, children can explore attitudes towards identity and self-expression in a safe and inclusive environment, fostering empathy and emotional intelligence.

Empathy

As children engage with different characters and narratives, they are encouraged to step into different perspectives, fostering a sense of empathy and understanding towards others. Through role-playing and storytelling, children develop the skills to recognize and express their own emotions while also learning to empathise with the experiences of their peers.

“This innovation uses storytelling, which is a universal fixture in life. By using innovative, child-led storytelling, it can be integrated into any program, anywhere. This also allows for the stories to naturally adapt to the context.”
(Spotlight on Social and Emotional Development, HundrED & Lego Foundation, Nov 2021)

Emotional differentiation

Learning to express the way we feel in language more specific than “happy” or “sad" has been proven to help us process our emotions. This is a big step in the process of emotional regulation in early childhood. 

Communication, negotiation, compromise, relationship skills

Tales Toolkit serves as a catalyst for communication and language development, providing a rich tapestry for children to explore and express their thoughts and feelings. In the nurturing environment created by Tales Toolkit, children are encouraged to articulate their emotions, building essential communication skills that form the foundation for healthy social interactions. Children are also beginning to set boundaries, and develop a sense of the individual and the collective.

Logic / Hypothesis

Tales Toolkit helps children rationalise and goal-set: “if I do this, X will happen.” This leads them through action and consequence and, through play-led storytelling, they become cognitive thinkers. 

Perspective

There are many ways of thinking and feeling, and Tales Toolkit encourages children and practitioners to see and tell stories from all angles. That 360 view of characters, events and other story elements encourages children to think critically and creatively about the lenses through which we view the world. 

Moral / Ethical Exploration

Tales Toolkit leaves loads of space for discussion of moral or ethical questions that arise during the course of a child-led story. 

Behaviour Modelling

Tales Toolkit also provides ample opportunity for behaviour modelling, allowing those amazing childhood mirror networks in the brain to get to work making sense of the world through observation and copying. 

For children with special educational needs and disabilities, Tales Toolkit offers an inclusive platform for social and emotional development. Whether it be children with selective mutism, situational mutism, or learning difficulties, Tales Toolkit provides a safe and supportive space for children to engage with stories, express themselves, and build confidence in their social interactions. Through tailored storytelling activities and personalised intervention, a Tales Toolkit storytelling session can help children of all abilities to thrive and succeed in their social and emotional development journey.

“This is an innovation in education! The toolkit seems simple, the training for educators, effective although online, and the storytelling powerful to develop SELs skills such as problem solving, cooperation, communication…while based on context.”
(Spotlight on Social and Emotional Development, HundrED & Lego Foundation, Nov 2021)

Tales Toolkit extends beyond the confines of the classroom, enriching early years outdoor resources and providing opportunities for children to engage with nature and the world around them. Whether it be through outdoor storytelling sessions or nature-inspired play activities, Tales Toolkit encourages children to explore, discover, and connect with the natural world, fostering a sense of wonder and curiosity that fuels their social and emotional development.

In a 2018 research study, Dr Alice Jones Bartoli found that children using Tales Toolkit showed advancements in their Social and Emotional Development by up to 3 months more than the control (Jones-Bartoli, 2018).

Tales Toolkit is not reinventing the wheel, but it can be a transformative force in early childhood education. It provides support for those looking to reframe their early childhood development pathways. By harnessing the power of oral storytelling, play-based learning activities, and the principles of EYFS, Tales Toolkit empowers children to navigate the complexities of their emotions, forge meaningful connections with others, and embark on a journey of self-discovery and growth. As educators embrace the transformative potential of Tales Toolkit, they pave the way for a future where every child has the opportunity to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically.

Tales Toolkit aims to keep social and emotional development at the core of early years provision.