A new national study into early childhood emotional development reveals that while India’s Gen Alpha children (aged 3–6 years) show remarkable emotional awareness, they struggle when it comes to handling failure or disappointment. conducted by KLAY Preschools & Daycare, the KLAY Empathy Index gathered insights from 6,500 parents across 170 centres in 20 cities to understand the emotional and social growth patterns of India’s youngest learners.
Key Findings: Emotionally Aware, But Low on Resilience
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1 in 2 parents report their child recognizes when someone is upset and makes an effort to comfort them
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86% of children can express their feelings clearly and appropriately
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Children in Bengaluru displayed 32.3% higher empathy levels than peers in Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Noida
The findings highlight a generation that is emotionally literate yet still developing the coping mechanisms necessary to handle everyday challenges.
The Preschool Effect: 92.4% Improvement in Emotional Resilience
Among children who initially struggled with disappointment, 92.4% of parents reported a noticeable positive change since their child began attending preschool. This significant improvement points to the transformative role of structured social-emotional learning (SEL) in nurturing resilience and emotional balance. “These findings validate what our teachers witness every day in classrooms,” said Arshleen Kalra, Head – Academics , KLAY Preschools & Daycare. When children are supported to recognize emotions, express themselves authentically, and collaborate with peers, they thrive. Emotional intelligence isn’t a supplement to early education, it’s the foundation for resilience, adaptability, positivity, and leadership.”
The Gen Alpha Challenge: Building Coping Skills Early, Klay team attribute this “resilience gap” to limited exposure to peer interactions, fewer opportunities for unstructured play, and reduced experiences of failure during early childhood. Parents are increasingly aware that education today goes beyond academic readiness, it must equip children with emotional tools to handle setbacks, nurture relationships, and build confidence for life.
The Bigger Picture Emotional connection forms the bedrock of future learning. The KLAY Empathy Index underscores that fostering empathy and resilience in the early years lays the foundation for academic achievement, strong relationships, and lifelong well-being.
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