Researchers in Russia followed nearly 700 children aged 5 to 6 years old over one year to answer a simple question: did lockdown affect how well young children learn to understand emotions? Some children had lived through a six-month total lockdown; others hadn't. Both groups were identical in every other way—same age, same family wealth, same intelligence levels.
When tested on emotional skills like recognizing feelings in others and understanding why people feel certain ways, the difference was stark. Children who hadn't experienced lockdown made the progress you'd expect for their age. Children who lived through lockdown barely improved at all. Their emotional development essentially stalled.
Lockdown broke how children normally learn feelings
Normally, young children learn about emotions through constant interaction with many different people—teachers, friends, cousins, neighbors. Each person they meet shows them different reactions and situations, teaching them how emotions work. During lockdown, that broad social world shrank to just the immediate family at home. Without exposure to different people and situations, children's understanding of emotions didn't develop as it should.
This matters especially in Singapore and other Asian societies, where extended family and community traditionally play large roles in raising children. When those interactions suddenly stopped, it created a genuine gap in children's development.
The delay may catch up, but the lesson is clear now
The encouraging news: this study measured slowdown during lockdown, not permanent damage. Children are resilient. With normal social interactions resumed, they can catch up. However, this research shows clearly that emotional learning doesn't happen in isolation. It requires real interaction with different people across different settings.
Even though Singapore's lockdowns were shorter and less strict than Russia's six-month shutdown, many nursery-age children here still spent extended periods at home with limited contact beyond immediate family. If your child was among them, this research suggests their emotional development may have paused—not permanently, but noticeably.
Rebuild your child's social world now
- Arrange regular time with peers, extended family, and different adults—these varied interactions teach children how emotions work across different people and situations (max 25 words).
- Name and discuss feelings deliberately during everyday moments—label what you notice in your child and others to compensate for lost learning time during isolation.