THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AMONG PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

Abstract

Early childhood education provides an important foundation for children's emotional, social, and cognitive development. During the preschool years, children gradually develop the ability to recognize emotions, regulate behavioral responses, understand others' feelings, and establish positive interpersonal relationships. However, emotional development may receive less systematic attention than academic readiness in preschool classrooms. This study aimed to examine the relationship between early childhood educational experiences and emotional intelligence among children aged 3–4 years in Lahore, Pakistan. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was proposed, involving 100 children from four schools, with 25 children per school. The sample comprised two boys' groups and two girls' groups. Data collection was designed around structured observations of emotional awareness, emotional regulation, empathy, and social interaction, supplemented by teacher reports and information about classroom practices. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and appropriate group comparisons were proposed to examine relationships between educational experiences and emotional competencies. Recent research highlights the potential contributions of teacher competence, emotionally supportive environments, social-emotional learning, and drama-based activities to children's emotional development (Armesto Arias et al., 2025; Chung & Han, 2025; Wong & Power, 2024). The proposed study provided context-specific evidence for improving preschool teaching practices and curriculum planning in Lahore. Its findings support the integration of guided play, storytelling, cooperative activities, and emotional education into early childhood programs.