By what age do children typically develop the ability to understand and express basic emotions?

Children typically develop the ability to understand and express basic emotions around the age of 2 years. At this stage of development, toddlers begin to recognize their own emotions and those of others, including feelings like happiness, anger, sadness, and fear.

This awareness is critical as it forms the foundation for emotional intelligence and social interaction. By age 2, children start to engage in more complex emotional expressions and can respond to the emotional cues of others, which plays a vital role in their social development.

Before this age, while infants can express some basic emotions such as joy and discomfort, their responses are primarily instinctual rather than comprehensively understood. As children progress beyond 2 years, they increasingly articulate their feelings and develop a more nuanced understanding of emotions, which continues to evolve as they approach age 3 and beyond.