At what age can children usually recognize basic emotions in others?

Children typically begin to recognize basic emotions in others around the age of 3. This development aligns with their growing social awareness and cognitive abilities. At this age, children can understand simple emotional expressions like happiness, sadness, anger, and surprise. They start to make connections between facial expressions and the corresponding feelings, which is foundational for social interactions and empathy.

By this age, children are also more engaged in play with peers, which provides further opportunities to observe and interpret emotional cues. This skill is essential for their development of relationships, as recognizing emotions helps them to navigate social situations and respond appropriately to the feelings of others. While younger children may show some ability to recognize emotions, it is not until around 3 that this skill becomes more pronounced and reliable.